Katie & Jake | Cockley Wood Wedding
Katie and Jake are two of the most outdoorsy people I’ve had the pleasure of photographing, so when they told me they’d booked Cockley Wood for their wedding, it made perfect sense. Their June day was relaxed, homemade in all the best ways, and full of laughter from the first hug to the last song.
Cockley Wood is eight acres of old woodland on the hills between Huddersfield and Wakefield, with a ceremony area hidden among the trees, a big double tipi and a couple of shepherd’s huts. It’s the kind of place where nobody watches the clock and everyone just enjoys the day, and that’s exactly what these two did.
Meet Katie & Jake
Katie and Jake met online almost ten years ago, while they were both living in Birmingham, and had their first date in a bar in the city centre. A lot has happened since then. As Katie put it: “We’re both quite outdoorsy people, we like being out and about and going on adventures. We love each other’s adventurousness. We’ve moved around quite a bit and had a lot of change over the last 10 years, but we’ve always been each other’s rock through the chaos!”
You could see that on the day. They’re a proper team, easy in each other’s company, and they made my job very easy indeed.
The Proposal
Jake proposed on Katie’s birthday, a cloudy February day. They’d been for brunch and then taken their dog Bruno for a walk up the Malvern Hills, one of their very first date spots. By the time they reached the top, the cloud had turned to fog. In Katie’s words, “the view wasn’t quite what Jake had planned, but it did make for a very private proposal!”
They took about a hundred pictures afterwards, and Bruno, apparently, couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about or why the walk back down was taking so long. Bruno, as you’ll see, got a starring role at the wedding too.
Why They Chose Cockley Wood
They spotted Cockley Wood on Instagram and fell for it straight away. “We love being outside and we like nature,” Katie told me. “We also wanted somewhere relaxed where we could have the freedom to have the day we want rather than a prescribed day. When we visited it looked even better!”
They loved that it pairs proper woodland with everything a wedding actually needs: covered spaces, a bar, good toilets and plenty of lovely touches already in place. That freedom shaped the whole day.
Personal Touches
So much of this wedding was made by hand. Katie and Jake made a lot of the decor themselves, Katie and her mum made the flowers, and a friend baked the cake. Instead of a formal sit-down meal there were grazing tables in the afternoon and a wood-fired pizza bar in the evening, with lawn games in between.
They kept the speeches, cake cutting and first dance for the evening, so all their friends could be there for them. And of course Bruno came along to the ceremony, which made everyone smile.
Getting married at Cockley Wood, or anywhere with plenty of trees? I’d love to hear about your plans.
Bridal Preparations
Katie got ready at home with her bridesmaid, her mum and dad and the page boy, with hair and make-up starting at half nine. It was a busy, happy house, and Katie was completely calm in the middle of it all. Her dad was suited and ready early, and it was lovely to catch a few quiet moments before the cars arrived.
The Ceremony
The ceremony was at two o’clock in the woodland ceremony area, under the canopy and surrounded by woven willow walls and festoon lights. Katie walked in with her dad, and their celebrant led a warm, personal ceremony with lots of laughter. Katie read her vows to Jake, there was a ring exchange I could get right in close for, and then they signed at the big log table.
The first kiss happened under an arch draped in deep green fabric and greenery, which looked wonderful against the trees.
Drinks Reception at Cockley Wood
With only a small group there during the day, we got everyone together for one big group picture among the trees, and they gave me a cheer you could hear right across the wood. After that it was hugs, drinks and a very competitive few rounds of Jenga, both the giant version and the table-top one.
The grazing tables went out around three, and because nothing was formal there was no rush to get anywhere. That meant I could wander about and catch people just enjoying themselves, which is always my favourite part of the afternoon.
Couple Portraits at Cockley Wood
Bruno was heading home at around four, so we started with a few pictures of the three of them together on one of the woodland paths. He was a very good boy, mostly.
Then I took Katie and Jake deeper into the wood. In June the leaves make a big green canopy, so the light is soft and even and nobody ends up squinting into the sun. There are festoon lights strung between the trees and a twisted willow arch that’s made for portraits, and a little breeze came through just at the right moment to catch Katie’s veil.
Later on I borrowed them again for ten minutes while the light was at its loveliest. We walked through the ferns and down the paths, and I mostly just let them chat and enjoy a breather together. Those quiet moments are some of my favourite pictures from the day.
Thinking about Cockley Wood for your own wedding? Have a look at my guide to the venue, with my favourite spots for pictures.
Grazing, Games and Evening Guests
There was no formal wedding breakfast, which suited this pair perfectly. The grazing tables kept everyone going through the afternoon, and evening guests arrived any time between five and seven, straight into the games and the chatter. It felt like a big garden party in the woods.
The speeches and cake cutting came in the evening, once everyone had arrived, so the whole crowd was there to hear them.
The Evening Celebrations
At nine o’clock Katie and Jake had their first dance in the tipi, then the doors were open and the dancefloor filled up straight away. With wood-fired pizza on the go and fairy lights everywhere, it was a brilliant way to finish a brilliant day.
Cockley Wood Wedding Suppliers
Katie and Jake, thank you so much for having me. It was a joy to spend the day with you both (and Bruno), and I hope these pictures take you right back to the woods every time you look at them.
Planning a relaxed, outdoorsy wedding of your own? I’d love to hear from you.
