Danielle & David, a joyful bride and groom holding hands and walking down a sun-dappled country lane at East Riddlesden Hall, surrounded by lush greenery, sharing a moment of laughter

East Riddlesden Hall Wedding Photographer

Hello there,

I’m Dave from Dave Waller Photography, and if you’ve landed here you’re probably planning your wedding at East Riddlesden Hall and looking for someone to photograph it.

East Riddlesden is one of my favourite venues in this corner of Yorkshire, and I’ve photographed plenty of weddings here over the years. It’s a 17th century manor house on the edge of Keighley, looked after by the National Trust, with a tithe barn reckoned to be one of the finest in the north of England sitting right beside it.

There aren’t many places where you can marry in a Jacobean great hall, take your photographs beside a pond that reflects a four hundred year old house, and walk your guests down to the fields by the River Aire — all in the same afternoon. It photographs beautifully in every season, and I never get tired of going back.

East Riddlesden Hall Photography Packages

Real Weddings at East Riddlesden Hall

DANIELLE & DAVID | EAST RIDDLESDEN HALL WEDDING

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A joyful bride, Danielle, and a dapper groom, David, posing with a classic white Volkswagen bus adorned with wedding decorations at East Riddlesden Hall on their special day.

My Wedding Photography Approach

Every couple, every wedding, every venue is different, and that is exactly how I approach your day.

When I photograph a wedding at East Riddlesden Hall I’m not just there to take pictures. I’m there to tell the story of the day — the real moments, the quiet glances, the big emotions and everything in between. It’s a mix of natural, documentary style photography and relaxed portraits that feel genuine and unforced, so you can be yourselves and enjoy the day while I work quietly in the background.

That said, I do love a beautiful portrait, and East Riddlesden gives us plenty to work with. The pond, the formal garden, the orchard and that enormous tithe barn are all within a couple of minutes of each other, so we can make something timeless without pulling you away from your own wedding for long.

Danielle & David, celebrating their love at East Riddlesden Hall with sparklers creating a heart shape on the left and popping champagne on the right - a magical wedding moment cap

East Riddlesden Hall at a Glance

  • Where: Riddlesden, on the edge of Keighley, West Yorkshire, with the River Aire running alongside the lower fields.
  • Ceremonies: Licensed for civil weddings in the Airedale Barn and in the Great Hall of the 17th century house.
  • Guest numbers: The Airedale Barn seats up to 160 for the ceremony and wedding breakfast, or 250 standing. The Great Hall takes up to 30.
  • Small weddings: Elopements and very small ceremonies are welcome, and the team will help arrange witnesses.
  • The Great Barn: A mid 17th century tithe barn, Grade II listed, and one of the finest examples in the north of England.
  • Grounds: The Formal Garden, Mollie’s Garden, the Wild Garden and the orchard, plus over three acres of lower fields down by the river.
  • The Airedale Barn: Underfloor heating, a stocked bar, a stage, sound system and fairy lights.
  • Parking: Free, on site.
  • Dogs: Welcome on a lead in the gardens, and off lead down in the lower fields.
  • Looked after by: The National Trust, since 1934.
A joyful bride stands with three family members by a tranquil lakeside on a sunny day, all dressed elegantly for the special occasion at East Riddlesden Hall.

Photographing a Wedding at East Riddlesden Hall

Knowing a venue well changes what you come away with. Here is how a day at East Riddlesden tends to run from behind the camera, and the things worth planning for.

Everything is close together. The pond, the formal garden, the orchard and the Great Barn are all a short walk from wherever you’re standing, which means we can get a full set of portraits without you disappearing from your own wedding for half an hour.

A radiant Danielle walks down the aisle with her proud father by her side, surrounded by smiling guests in a charming rustic setting at East Riddlesden Hall.

The lower fields are worth the walk. There are over three acres running down towards the River Aire. It’s a couple of minutes away and looks nothing like the rest of the venue, so if we can find ten minutes later in the day it’s well worth taking.

Rain isn’t a problem here. The Great Barn is enormous and photographs beautifully, and the Airedale Barn has the light and the space, so a wet day changes where we shoot rather than whether we shoot.

Danielle & David stand at the altar in East Riddlesden Hall, exchanging vows in front of family and friends.

The Great Hall suits a small day. With a capacity of 30 it’s intimate by design — stone walls, a grand fireplace and a 17th century tapestry. If you’re having a small wedding, that room does a lot of the work for you.

It’s a National Trust property. The house and gardens open to day visitors, so it’s worth talking timings through with the team early and knowing when the site is yours.

A makeup artist applies cosmetics to Danielle, who sits calmly, as they're both encircled by the soft glow of a ring light at East Riddlesden Hall, creating an intimate atmosphere of beauty

A Short History of East Riddlesden Hall

There has been a dwelling on this site since the 7th century, and after 1066 the land passed to the Norman de Montalt family. The house you see today really begins in 1638, when James Murgatroyd — a wealthy Halifax woollen cloth merchant — bought the manor and its two thousand acre estate for around six thousand pounds.

Murgatroyd remodelled the south end into a two storey block and built the Great Hall that links it to the older medieval hall. He died in 1653 with the work still unfinished, which is part of why the building has the character it does.

Danielle & David, a newlywed couple sharing a romantic kiss in front of East Riddlesden Hall, with elegant window arches, under a dramatic sky.

It came close to being lost. In 1905 the Starkie Wing was largely demolished, leaving little more than its facade, and an estate sale in 1913 scattered fireplaces, panelling and ceilings. In 1933 the estate was bought by a man who intended to pull the hall down, and it was saved by two Keighley brothers — William and John Brigg, the town’s mayor and his twin — who bought the hall and twelve acres around it. They gave it to the National Trust in 1934, and it has been open ever since.

Location of East Riddlesden Hall

East Riddlesden Hall sits on Bradford Road in Riddlesden, on the Keighley side of the valley in West Yorkshire. It’s straightforward to reach from Keighley, Bingley, Skipton, Ilkley and Bradford, and there’s free parking on site.

Bradford Road, Riddlesden, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD20 5EL

A smiling man in a checkered suit and boutonniere socializes with guests at an outdoor wedding celebration at East Riddlesden Hall, possibly Danielle & David's event.

Why East Riddlesden Hall Works So Well

It’s the variety that does it. Inside you’ve got a Jacobean great hall with stone walls and a grand fireplace; outside you’ve got formal gardens, an orchard, a pond that mirrors the house, and three acres of open fields running down to the river. Then there’s the Great Barn, which is four hundred years old and the size of a church.

That range means the day never looks samey, and it means the weather matters far less than it does at most venues. It also means a small wedding and a full one both work here, which is unusual.

Danielle & David, a newlywed couple, shares a romantic first dance under a canopy of string lights, surrounded by family and friends in the rustic and elegant barn setting of East

If you’re planning your wedding at East Riddlesden Hall and looking for a photographer who knows the place, I’d love to hear from you. Have a look through my wedding photography packages, see more of the Yorkshire venues I cover, and if the style feels right, let’s have a chat about your plans.

A magical moment at East Riddlesden Hall: Danielle surprises David with a whimsical, chained ball, evoking laughter and delight at their beautifully adorned wedding reception table.

East Riddlesden Hall Wedding Questions

There are two licensed spaces: the Airedale Barn, which seats up to 160, and the Great Hall inside the 17th century house, which takes up to 30. The barn suits a full day, the Great Hall suits something small and intimate.

The Airedale Barn seats up to 160 for the ceremony and the wedding breakfast, or holds 250 standing. The Great Hall takes up to 30 seated.

Yes. Dogs are welcome on a lead in the gardens, and can run off lead down in the lower fields. Tell me beforehand and I’ll make sure we get proper pictures of them rather than a rushed snap between other things.

A mid 17th century tithe barn, Grade II listed and described by the National Trust as one of the finest examples in the north of England. Coursed gritstone, riven oak, flagged floors and four huge gabled cart entrances. It has barely changed in four hundred years, and on a wet day it is the best room on the site.

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Getting married somewhere else nearby? My Keighley wedding photographer page covers the other venues I know in the area.