The White Syke Fields wedding that taught me a few things…

Alice and Marcus’ colourful boho wedding at White Syke Fields was one emotional, wildly colourful, supremely beautiful day. And you know what? I even learned a thing or two. Firstly, I didn’t know barn wedding venues could be this fucking cool. I didn’t know homemade details could be this epic. And I definitely didn’t know vegan food could be this damn tasty! 

Being a wedding photographer in White Syke Fields is like running a ‘cool space’ gauntlet. You’re bouncing from sleek industrial barns, to open fields and woodland, to rustic brickwork grain stores. It’s just one awesome blank canvas after another. And with several strokes of DIY genius, A&M took this blank canvas to a whole new level.
With drool-worthy vegan food, epic Viva Magenta styling and a messy-as-fuck Ceilidh dance to finish the night, Alice and Marcus’ wedding in White Syke Fields truly was something else. Come check it out.

Bellinis and bunting the start the day

The day began with a super-chilled morning at Alice’s parents house. Vegan treats washed down with peach bellinis. The family dogs just hanging out, trying their luck for snacks and cuddles. It just felt like home, you know? Plus, the whole ‘rainbow bunting’ vibe slotted in like a dream with the rest of the day!

I was looking around the room as everything came together. And already, I could see the styling was gonna be on point. 

The amber of the bouquet ribbons, mirrored in the orange accents in Alice’s dad’s tie. The mismatched bridesmaids’ dresses, all in ambers and reds…nothing matched, but everything belonged. And then there was Alice, just absolutely knocking it out of the park in natural hair and makeup, and the stunning La Lune from Shona Joy. 

When the last bellini had been drained, we grabbed a few more tasty snacks for the road, and headed to White Syke Fields for the wedding.

A super-personal ceremony in The Piggery Barn.

The Piggery Barn in White Syke Fields is a seriously awesome space for your ceremony. The grey floors and white walls, the miss-matching chairs, the exposed wooden beams. I dunno how else to describe it, it’s just a fucking cool place to get married.

And at the centre of all this industrial-chic-rustic-ness was a truly epic streamer arch! Alice had made the arch herself (which still blows my mind). And I loved the visual impact of having this huge pop of colour in the middle of all that white/grey space. As statement pieces go, it was up there with the best of ‘em.

The ceremony was performed by A&M’s friends. And it was pretty darn perfect. Really personal, really funny, actually pretty deep, and “oh shit, I think I’m gonna cry” emotional. I’ll tell ya, if you’ve got the option, having your mates perform your ceremony is the way forward. 

With their hands still bound together from the handfasting ceremony, A&M sealed the deal with a kiss. And strutted their way down the aisle as husband and wife.

Taco planks, cocktails and giant jenga.

White Syke Fields’ outdoor spaces are (almost) as cool as the indoor ones. 

Step outside the Piggery Barn and you’ve got a cosy little flagstone courtyard for confetti, drinks and nibbles. Stroll a bit further and there’s a wide open field for lawn games, cocktails and giant jenga. Go for an adventure into the grounds and there’s an ancient woodland and even a freakin’ lake. It’s an awesome venue in any weather. But if the sun’s out, you’re laughing.

We were all hanging out in the courtyard after the ceremony, soaking up the sun and sipping on prosecco and cocktails. And then the vegan tacos came out and the day kicked up a notch. 

Now you gotta trust me on this…those giant planks loaded with tacos were an absolute gamechanger! I mean, who doesn’t love tacos? Plus, can you imagine how excited the dogs must’ve been to see a giant stick covered in food?! Gimme a whole mess of tacos over fancy hors d’oeuvres any day. 

Wedding photography in the grounds of White Syke Fields.

While everyone was fighting over the few remaining tacos, I snuck away with Alice and Marcus to get some cool shots around the venue. And lemme just say, these guys were absolute legends to work with. Super in love, totally into each other, and completely in it for getting some kickass shots! 

We found a crumbling brick wall of greys, white, and pinks. And then out of the corner of my eye spotted a big black shutter door (I swear to God, I don’t look for them, they just find me!) So obviously we had to crack open the grenades for that one! 

And then just when I thought we’d tapped the place out, we found this HUGE barn door looking into the yawning abyss of a working barn. It was like a photo-opp ‘all you can eat’. 

Honestly, we were having such a great time exploring the place and getting creative together, I could’ve stayed out with those guys all afternoon! But our glasses were empty, and the smell of Mexican food was carrying out across the farm. So we cracked a couple more smoke bombs for good measure and headed back to the party.

Now THIS is how you style your wedding reception at White Syke Fields.

The Wheelhouse barn in White Syke Fields is immense. With industrial girders, concrete floors and exposed brickwork, it’s atmospheric, cavernous, and visually epic. And it’s HUGE. It comfortably seats 600 people. So you could invite everyone you’ve ever met (and everyone they’ve ever met) and you’d still have room for a conga line. It’s a beast of a space. 

So how do you even go about styling a place like this?! Colour. A shitload of colour. 

Vibrant streamers (courtesy of DIY Queen, Alice) cascaded down from the wooden beams and danced gently in the air above us. The tables popped with magenta table runners and scarlet candles. Even the little caterers truck fit in perfectly with the colourful boho wedding vibe! It was all so beautiful, so much fun. And such a spectacular explosion of colour blazing out into the soft light of the barn. 

After some emotional speeches and even more amazing food (yeah, I’m converted, vegan is tasty as fuck!), we all brushed off our dancing shoes. And got ready to get down and dirty…

Ceilidh turns to drunken madness in the best possible way.

A&M had arranged for someone to come and run a Ceilidh dance with everyone to kick off the party. (They’re not Scottish, by the way, they just thought it’d be a proper laugh. And yeah, they were right!)

It started off pretty well. Everyone was listening to the woman and trying to get the steps right. And gradually (inevitably), it descended into absolute fucking madness! In the end it was just a group of drunk people throwing shapes, while a small Scottish woman ran around, shouting dance moves at people and swearing under her breath. 

By the time the DJ started playing, everyone was crying with laughter and well-and-truly raving! Looking for the best way to start the party? Trust me, organise a Ceilidh dance! You won’t regret it…

On the hunt for a White Syke Fields wedding photographer?

There’s no two ways about it, this venue’s right up my street! Cool backdrops, the odd crazy colour here and there, the Mark Horton essential black shutter…it’s basically my dream venue! And yeah, I’d go back in a heartbeat. 
If you’re getting married in White Syke Fields and you think I’m the guy to tell your story, get in touch today and let’s chat.

Venue – @whitesykefields⠀
Dress – @shonajoy
Bouquets – @shop.maranta
Hair + MUA – @eleanorjayne_makeupartistry
Suit – @mossbros
DJ – @wdcentertainment
Catering – @elkantina