Rachel and Andrew’s Thief Hall wedding was one of those days that never really slowed down. It was full of energy, emotion, laughter and a lot of rugby! Thief Hall is an exclusive use barn venue in open countryside near Northallerton in North Yorkshire. Everyone stayed on site for the weekend, so the atmosphere had been building for days before I even arrived.

A relaxed morning at the venue

Rachel and Andrew both got ready at Thief Hall, which made for an easy, relaxed start. Rachel was in the Make Up Room with her bridesmaids, all fizz and laughter while hair and makeup came together.

Her dress hung in front of a set of glowing LOVE letters, which made my job very easy.

Andrew and his groomsmen had their own room, with a drink in hand, a few jokes and a lot of tie straightening. Chaski, their dog, arrived around midday looking far calmer than anyone else.

One moment Rachel really wanted on the wedding day was her dad seeing her for the first time. She gave him a handkerchief with a few words stitched into it, then he wrapped her up in the biggest hug. Her bridesmaids couldn’t stop smiling.

An outdoor ceremony at Thief Hall

The ceremony was at 1pm out on the lawn, with wildflowers lining the aisle and green fields stretching for miles behind. Andrew waited at the front with his groomsmen, then Rachel’s dad walked her down the aisle.

Their vows had everyone laughing. Then came the rings, the first kiss and the signing at a wooden table in the grass, with nothing but countryside behind them.

Guests lined the aisle and sent the newly married couple back through a proper storm of confetti.

Canapés, Grandma and a rugby ball

With canapés going round, we kept the family photos quick so everyone could get back to the drinks. A photo with Grandma was top of Rachel’s list. Then came the full bridal party, Rachel’s five bridesmaids with their wildflower bouquets and the groomsmen in navy. Chaski joined in for one too!

Tag rugby is a huge part of Rachel and Andrew’s lives, so it was no surprise when a rugby ball appeared on the lawn. Between that and the cornhole, the guests barely sat down all afternoon.

Rachel's wedding dress hanging in front of glowing LOVE letters against a brick wall at Thief Hall

Bright wildflower bridal bouquets with blue cornflowers, daisies and yellow blooms waiting on the table on the wedding morning

View from Thief Hall across open North Yorkshire countryside near Northallerton under a big blue summer sky

Rachel laughing with her eyes closed as her makeup artist works on her makeup during bridal preparation

Chaski, Rachel and Andrew's black and tan dog, lying on the lawn and looking straight at the camera

Bridesmaid dancing and laughing with her arms in the air while the bridal party gets ready in the morning

Bridal shoes, ring boxes and a wildflower bouquet laid out on a wooden table with a favourite book

Two gold wedding rings resting in the open pages of a book on the wedding morning at Thief Hall

Groomsmen laughing together over a drink while getting ready in their shirts and ties on the wedding morning

Andrew in his navy three piece suit laughing with a groomsman as they finish getting ready

Rachel in her strapless wedding dress laughing with her mum in front of a brick wall of fairy lights

Rachel's dad seeing her in her wedding dress for the first time, beaming as she takes his hands

Rachel's dad unfolding a handkerchief with a personal message stitched into it during the first look

Rachel and her dad sharing a long hug after he sees her in her veil and wedding dress

Rachel laughing with her bridesmaids in pale blue dresses as they see her in her wedding dress

Andrew waiting at the front with a groomsman before his outdoor ceremony at Thief Hall, guests seated behind

Rachel's dad handing her over to Andrew at the end of the aisle during their outdoor ceremony on the lawn

Rachel and Andrew holding hands and laughing during their vows at their Thief Hall wedding near Northallerton

Wide view of the outdoor ceremony in the field at Thief Hall with guests and green countryside stretching behind

Andrew placing the wedding ring on Rachel's finger during the ceremony with their guests watching on

Rachel and Andrew at the front of their outdoor ceremony at Thief Hall, then sharing their first kiss

Rachel and Andrew laughing as they sign the register at a wooden table in the field

Guests throwing colourful confetti over Rachel and Andrew as they walk back down the aisle on the lawn

Rachel and Andrew walking hand in hand through the confetti after their ceremony at Thief Hall

Full bridal party with five bridesmaids in pale blue and groomsmen in navy standing in the field

Rachel with her five bridesmaids holding wildflower bouquets and laughing together at Thief Hall

Andrew with his groomsmen in navy suits and green ties standing in the field near Northallerton

Bridesmaids holding their wildflower bouquets together in a circle, a close up of the colourful flowers

Rachel and Andrew with Grandma in the field next to a photo of the couple with Chaski the dog

Guests playing cornhole on the lawn at Thief Hall during the drinks reception after the ceremony

Guest passing a rugby ball on the lawn during the drinks reception, a nod to the couple's love of rugby

Speeches and little rugby touches in the Big Hall

At 3:45pm Rachel and Andrew were announced into the Big Hall to a room full of cheering.

The old beams were draped with fabric and fairy lights, with a round wooden arch of flowers behind the top table.

There were little rugby touches on the tables, plus personalised playing cards and a stack of rolled up wedding newspapers for guests to take home.

Speeches came first, then the food. Andrew’s speech had Rachel in fits of laughter and the whole room joined in.

Quiet moments in the fields

Rachel didn’t want anything overly posed. Honestly, they didn’t need it. The connection between them did all the work for me.

We wandered out to an old gate, a country lane and the long grass around the hall. Thief Hall is a brilliant wedding venue for couple photos, with fields on every side.

Some of my favourite photos of the year came from these quiet moments. Chaski came along for a few in her white bow tie.

Back on the lawn the rugby had properly kicked off, with guests throwing the ball about in their party clothes. Just before sunset we nipped back out to the fields for a few more.

A dance floor that never emptied

First dance was at 8pm and after that the evening went off. South West Band had the dance floor packed all night. People only stepped outside for five minutes to cool down before heading straight back in.

Rachel changed into a short white party dress for the evening. One guest ended up flat on the floor mid move and nobody wanted the night to end!

Photographer’s tips

Thief Hall wedding photography tips

Stay for the whole weekend. The cottages and pods mean the party starts the night before.
Say your vows outside. The views go on for miles.
Bring some lawn games. There’s plenty of grass to keep guests busy during photos.
Save ten minutes after the speeches. The fields around the hall are a short walk away.

The team behind the day

Suppliers

The Big Hall at Thief Hall set for the wedding breakfast, with draped ceiling, exposed beams and fairy lights

Round table set for the wedding breakfast with wildflowers and glassware in the Big Hall at Thief Hall

Wildflower arch at the top table in the Big Hall beside a three tier white wedding cake on a barrel

Rolled up wedding newspapers with the couple's photo on the front, ready for guests to take home

Personalised playing cards scattered across a wooden table as a fun wedding favour for guests

Guest raising her glass and cheering as Rachel and Andrew are announced into the Big Hall

Rachel and Andrew dancing into the wedding breakfast as guests cheer with their arms in the air

Speech from a guest in a lilac dress during the wedding breakfast at Thief Hall

Guest in a green dress laughing during the speeches in the Big Hall

Rachel laughing at the top table as Andrew gives his speech in front of the wooden arch

Guests raising their glasses for a toast during the speeches at the wedding breakfast

Rachel and Andrew standing by an old wooden gate surrounded by hedgerows near Thief Hall

Couple portrait of Rachel and Andrew close together and smiling in the long summer grass

Andrew watching Rachel walk ahead through the field in her wedding dress and veil

Rachel and Andrew laughing together in the long summer grass outside Thief Hall

Close up of Rachel and Andrew nose to nose under her veil as it blows in the breeze

Rachel and Andrew walking down a country lane under a large tree near Northallerton, North Yorkshire

Rachel laughing over her shoulder in her veil beside Andrew kissing her cheek on a hedgerow lane

Rachel sitting in the long grass in her wedding dress while Andrew crouches to fuss Chaski

Rachel and Andrew laughing as they cuddle Chaski the dog in the fields around Thief Hall

Wedding guests throwing a rugby ball around on the lawn with the countryside behind them

Rugby ball flying through the air towards the camera as guests play on the lawn at Thief Hall

Rachel and Andrew starting their first dance at Thief Hall with guests gathered round the dance floor

Rachel spinning out during the first dance at Thief Hall beside the couple dancing close together

Rachel and Andrew hugging on the dance floor as friends clap and cheer all around them

Wedding guest pulling a big surprised face while clapping on the packed dance floor

Guest dancing with a drink in hand as the evening reception gets going in the Big Hall

Rachel twirling in her wedding dress in the field at Thief Hall as the sun starts to set

Rachel and Andrew small in a wide field near Northallerton with the evening sun low over the countryside

Andrew lifting Rachel into a kiss in the long grass as the sun goes down behind them

Andrew spinning Rachel round in the field with her dress flaring out as the sun sets

Guest throwing a dance move flat on the floor while others watch and laugh at the evening reception

Rachel in her short white party dress laughing and singing along on the dance floor

Rachel dancing with a guest on the packed dance floor in her party dress at Thief Hall

Rachel and friends cheering with their arms up on the Thief Hall dance floor at the end of the night

Rachel and Andrew, huge congratulations and thank you for having me.

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