A few weeks has passed since Richie and Leah's big day and I wanted to get this down since we've only *just* gotten over how bonkers that party was!
Where to start? It was a party atmosphere on every level.
Beverley is a gorgeous place. We spent a few days down there to do some pre-wedding interviews and to help set up (Richie and Leah are close friends) and as you'll see, their festival themed wedding was worth all the hours and hard work put in by everybody.
We used this time to wander around Beverley, to take in the sights and see the beautiful cathedral that Leah has dreamt about getting married in since she was a little girl.
Our day as usual started off early, filming around the streets, establishing some geography for the film. Leah had a particularly large bridal party so prep was well underway by the time we reached her. It was lovely to talk with some familiar faces and see how excited everyone was. It's always an infectious chat to have, especially with the mother of the bride. The room they were getting ready in had two huge windows; a great source of natural light beaming very pleasantly on all the excited faces having their makeup and hair done.
We left to meet Richie and his best men getting ready before wandering down to a local pub to meet the rest of the groomsman. Richie said he felt very 'the Verve - Bittersweet Symphony' walking through the streets and I couldn't help myself filming some slow motion shots of the lads wandering and laughing in their finery.
Richie had reserved a room in a pub a few hundred yards away from where Leah was getting ready which certainly to add to the excitement, and was very boardroom-y with Richie at the head of the table.
Across the road from the Beverley Arms (Beverley is a small place!) stood St Mary's Cathedral. A 12th century grade 1 listed building, it truly is an incredible sight. Legend has it that the carving of a rabbit in its inner walls was the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's white rabbit character in Alice in Wonderland.
Excited guests arrived and took their seats; the church pews decorated with paper flowers and decorations, complimenting the stained glass windows and filling the space with colour.
Though Leah was getting ready a short walk away, she and her bridesmaids opted for getting a lift across in a vintage VW camper, because, why not?
Lots of smiles and laughs came from the front row as the bridesmaids walked down the aisle, and the sun was beaming down behind Leah and her Dad, Guy, as she stood at the head of the building waiting to walk down the aisle.
Leah and Richie's daughter, Thea, was a little jealous I think of the attention being on her parents rather than her (for once!) and almost stole the show running down the aisle!
After a gorgeous ceremony, a surprise rendition of 'All You Need Is Love', a violin solo and some lovely acoustic music courtesy of Adam Lynch, we headed off to 'the Westwood' for couples portraits, as well as making friends with some cows.
Following that we were finally at the site of STEEDFEST, a marquee set up on the grounds of Beverley Rugby Club. We were greeted with a huge SteedFest banner, white bouncy castle, space hopper race, and a marquee filled with enough colour to make Joseph and his dreamy coat jealous. Tables were adorned with multicoloured animals, with coloured wooden blocks as table names and brightly coloured napkins embossed with 'all you need is love'. Dozens of coloured paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling really emphasised the festival vibe, as well as Richie and Leah's personalities.
Some hilarious speeches followed, along with a poem written by Leah, and then finally the adults were allowed to go 'play', bouncy castle, sipping drinks from the 'Gin Tin' and tasting beers supplied by Leah's brewer Dad, Guy, from the Hull TapHouse.
Leah's dress was an amazing 3 piece get up, with a vintage tasselled skirt that shook gloriously in the air, when she decided to do *that* flip on the bouncy castle!
The night time that followed could only have been described as a festival; a motown band, some funk and soul and topped off with the best 3 hour wedding set I've ever heard. Never have i ever seen people go so wild for Abba or Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody'!
There was crowdsurfing (!) from the bride, pizza on the dancefloor and cries for 'one more tune'. Charlotte and I just kept looking at each other and laughing, muttering 'this is a wedding' under more party music. I believe the antics made it onto a local Facebook 'town watch' group regarding the noise, so it must have been a festival we filmed, not a wedding?!
Most people stayed the next day for a BBQ at a local boozer, which was like a small Newcastle takeover in Beverley. Thankfully Charlotte and I left the cameras at home this day and enjoyed a thoroughly deserved shandie or two.
A party from beginning to end, we can't wait to share Richie and Leah's full film, really soon!
Craig x