Joanna & Matthew | Manor House Lindley Wedding

Joanna and Matthew were already married by the time I photographed their wedding. They said their vows in Las Vegas in 2025, but they wanted to celebrate and do it all again with their friends and family. So this June, at Manor House Lindley in Huddersfield, they did exactly that, with Matthew’s best friend leading the ceremony and every song on the day chosen by the two of them.

It was one of those hot, bright summer afternoons where everyone heads for the shade with a cold drink. In their own words, they set the day out “just as we want it”, and from the first guests arriving in the garden to a dance floor full of arms in the air, that’s exactly how it felt.

One Date, Six Years and a Pedicab in Central Park

They’d sort of known each other for a while before anything happened. As they put it, “Joanna finally gave in and agreed to a date”, and that was six years ago. Since then they’ve become best friends, with a shared love of holidays, good food and a cosy night on the sofa.

Matthew proposed in Central Park on Christmas Day, and the moment didn’t go unrecorded: their pedicab driver caught the whole thing on camera. I love that. Someone else was behind the lens for the proposal, and I got to pick up the story from there.

The Wow Factor at Manor House Lindley

When I asked why they’d chosen Manor House Lindley, the answer was short and sweet.

“We loved it as soon as we walked in, it had the wow factor.”
— Joanna and Matthew

It’s easy to see why. The house is in Lindley on the edge of Huddersfield, with honey-coloured stone, a pillared front porch and a garden full of tall trees that gave everyone a shady spot to stand with a drink. Guests started arriving at quarter past three, and by the time I’d done a lap of the garden there were pints in hands and plenty of laughter going round.

Because they were already married, they didn’t feel the need to follow anyone else’s script. Matthew’s best friend was asked to carry out the ceremony, and they picked all their favourite songs for the day themselves. Small choices, but they made the whole afternoon feel like theirs.

Planning a day that’s all about doing it your way, Vegas wedding or not? I’d love to hear what you’ve got in mind.

A Best Friend Leading the Ceremony

The ceremony began at four o’clock in the Coach House, under a row of sparkling branch chandeliers with lanterns lining the aisle. Joanna walked in to a room full of smiling faces, and Matthew, in a white tuxedo jacket and black bow tie, couldn’t stop grinning.

Having his best friend at the front gave the whole thing a relaxed, personal feel, and you can see it on the faces all around the room. Joanna and Matthew spent most of it holding hands and smiling at each other, which is exactly what I hope for.

Cheers, Applause and a Stroll Down the Drive

Walking back out of the Coach House, they were met by guests clapping and cheering on the lawn, and Matthew already had a bottle of beer in his hand.

Before they got swept up in all the congratulations, I took them round to the front of the house for a few pictures on the drive. The stone porch, the neat box hedges and the climbing plants around the door make the front of Manor House Lindley a lovely spot for the two of them to walk together.

Drinks in the Garden and Speeches Before Food

Then it was back to the garden for drinks in the sunshine and plenty of hugs. Joanna was never more than a step away from someone wanting to congratulate her, which made for some lovely natural pictures.

This wasn’t a sit-down wedding breakfast kind of day. Instead, the speeches came first at quarter past five, with Matthew and his best man taking their turns while everyone gathered round, and food was served from quarter past six. Judging by the faces in these pictures, both speeches went down very well.

Golden Light on the Tree-Lined Path at Manor House Lindley

For their couple portraits we wandered along a tree-lined path in the grounds. The sun was coming through the leaves and turning everything gold, so I put them right in the middle of it and let them walk, chat and enjoy a few minutes on their own after a busy afternoon.

Matthew’s tattoos and the lace on Joanna’s sleeves look brilliant in black and white, so a few of these work beautifully without colour. We finished back at the front door, under the Manor House sign, with Joanna’s dress spread out on the steps.

My Favourite Picture: Walking Into the Light

This is the one for me. Joanna and Matthew walking towards me hand in hand along that path, with the sun lighting up the trees all around them. It’s simple: two best friends, a bit of sunshine and a day they’d planned exactly the way they wanted it.

Got your eye on Manor House Lindley too? There’s more about the house, the grounds and how a day there runs on my Manor House Lindley wedding photographer page.

Chandeliers, a Live Band and Arms in the Air

Evening guests arrived at around six, and at seven o’clock Joanna and Matthew had their first dance with Skylight Function Band playing live. The room was dimmed right down with the fairy-light chandeliers glowing above them, so I used a single light to pick the two of them out on the dance floor.

After that the band kept the dance floor busy. Matthew was right in the middle of it, and the arms went up as soon as the band got going.

The Team Behind Joanna & Matthew’s Manor House Lindley Day

Joanna and Matthew, thank you for letting me be part of round two. Vegas got the vows first, but Manor House Lindley got everyone you love in one place, and I don’t think it could have gone much better. I hope these pictures bring the whole afternoon back every time you look at them.

Already married, about to be, or still deciding where? Whatever your story is, I’d love to hear it.

Planning your own wedding near Huddersfield? Have a look at my Huddersfield wedding photographer page.