Katie & Mikołaj | Camp Katur Wedding

Katie and Mikołaj (Miki to pretty much everyone) got married at Camp Katur on a warm, bright August day, and it was one of those weddings that felt completely like the two of them. A ceremony among the pines, a barn full of flowers and bunting they’d put up themselves, a Southern-style barbecue instead of a formal sit-down meal, and a dance floor that stayed busy right to the end.

Camp Katur is a glamping site on the Camp Hill Estate at Kirklington, just outside Bedale in North Yorkshire. If you love the idea of saying your vows in a wood, with your guests sleeping in geodomes and lodges a short walk away, it’s a wonderful place to get married. Here’s how their day unfolded.

Meet Katie & Mikołaj

Katie and Miki met at work. They’d noticed each other for a long time, but neither knew the feeling was mutual and they never actually spoke. Then one day they got chatting after a shift, arranged to meet up, and in Katie’s words, “We have been inseparable ever since.”

Five and a half years on, they’ve been through a spell of long distance and a couple of moves together, and they balance each other out beautifully. “Miki is very relaxed and I am… not!” Katie laughs. “We help each other to improve ourselves.” She loves how caring he is: “He can come across as quite aloof a lot of the time but he is so empathetic and cares about people. He makes me feel really proud to be with him.” Miki, in turn, loves how much Katie cares for people and how hard she works for their future together.

Their happiest days are spent camping and exploring woods with their German Shepherd, firing up the barbecue and trying new recipes. Miki is a fantastic cook, especially when it comes to Polish dishes, and Katie is more than happy to eat them. Plenty of his family travelled over from Poland for the wedding, which made the day extra special for everyone.

The Proposal

Katie knew a proposal was coming, but she was convinced it would happen on their summer holiday. Instead, Miki surprised her months earlier on an unusually warm spring day. They’d gone for a picnic by a lake with the dog, and were sitting on a blanket with cans of piña colada and chocolate-covered strawberries when, as Katie puts it, “the next thing I know… he’s on one knee.”

Miki had designed the ring himself, and Katie says it couldn’t be more perfect. She cried, said yes, and they stayed by the lake for hours afterwards soaking it all in.

Why They Chose Camp Katur

Katie loves forests. So much so that Miki is always hunting out new woodland for them to explore. Even so, she started out looking at churches, because she thought that was what her family would want. Miki stopped her in her tracks: “Why are you looking at churches? That’s not what you want. You always talk about getting married outside in nature because that’s you… that’s us.”

“And he was totally right,” says Katie. Miki found a few forest venues, they went to see Camp Katur, and they fell in love with it on the spot. If you’re thinking about it too, my Camp Katur wedding photographer page has everything I learned on the day.

Personal Touches

“The whole wedding is very us,” Katie told me before the day, and she wasn’t wrong. The ceremony took place in the Woodland Chapel, a clearing of benches under tall pines, and the celebrations moved to the Hay Barn afterwards. Katie and Miki decorated everything themselves, so the barn was full of colour: bunting, bright paper decorations, bottles of flowers and handmade name cards on the top table. Katie made her own accessories, including the flower crown she wore all day.

Instead of a formal three-course meal they chose a big Louisiana-style barbecue buffet from Spitting Pig Co, with lawn games outside and a DJ in the evening. There was no wedding cake either, just a stack of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. As Katie put it, they wanted “a nice relaxed wedding day where people have fun”, and that’s exactly what everyone got.

Getting married at Camp Katur, or anywhere with plenty of trees? I’d love to hear about your plans.

Bridal Preparations

The morning started in the glamping pods, with Katie getting ready in one and Miki and his best man in another just along the track. Hair and make-up by Chrys Chapman started at eight, and the big windows in the pod filled the room with soft, green light bouncing off the trees outside, which is lovely to work with.

Katie’s dress, from Eva Rose Hamilton, had long lace sleeves and a row of tiny buttons down the back, so her mum took charge of those. Then came the veil, fitted by the window with the estate stretching out behind.

Over in the other pod, Miki’s navy suit, brown brogues and bright purple tie were laid out ready. Once he was dressed, he and his best man took a slow walk down the tree-lined lane towards the chapel.

The Ceremony

The Woodland Chapel at Camp Katur is a clearing in a stand of tall pines, with wooden benches either side of the aisle and a patterned rug at the front where the couple stand. Katie and Miki had laid pink runners down the aisle, and at half past two Miki took his place at the front, looking remarkably calm.

Katie arrived through the trees on foot, which is one of my favourite things about a woodland ceremony. There’s no car door and no church porch, just the bride appearing between the pines as everyone turns to look.

The canopy keeps the light soft and even under the trees, even on a bright day, so there were no harsh shadows on faces during the vows. Katie couldn’t stop smiling, Miki was grinning right back, and the guests on the benches hung on every word.

Then the first kiss, right in the middle of the rug with everyone they love gathered round on the benches.

Drinks Reception at Camp Katur

Everyone lined the aisle for the confetti, and Katie and Miki walked out through a proper storm of petals, laughing all the way. From there we headed into the meadow for drinks, where guests gave them a huge cheer (and got a kiss in return).

The drinks reception was relaxed and full of hugs, with lawn games going and guests from both sides of the family finally getting to catch up. I took a few group photos, then went looking for the moments in between.

Couple Portraits at Camp Katur

Camp Katur gives you a huge amount of variety within a short walk, which makes portraits a joy. We started in the open meadow, where the breeze caught Katie’s veil and did something no amount of planning could.

Next came the edge of the pine forest, where the grass grows long in late summer. With dark trunks behind them and light coming in from the open side, I could step back and let them simply be together.

Then we stepped into the pines themselves. The trees there are so tall that they make everyone look small, in the best way, and Katie’s love of forests made this part of the day feel very personal. We finished on a long grassy ride between the trees for one last quiet kiss before heading back to their guests.

If you love the sunset and twilight pictures further down, here’s how I fit twilight portraits into a wedding day.

Wedding Breakfast and Speeches

The Hay Barn at Camp Katur is a beautiful space: old brick and stone walls, a high timbered roof and wagon-wheel chandeliers. Katie and Miki had filled it with long tables, pink runners and bright flowers, with handmade name cards waiting at their places.

Speeches came before the meal. Katie’s mum was first up, and there was plenty of laughter from the top table all the way through. Then everyone raised a glass to the newlyweds before the barbecue was served.

The Evening Celebrations

As the sun dropped we slipped out for a few golden hour portraits. The Orangery at Camp Katur, with its long run of arched windows and wide stone steps, looks gorgeous in warm evening light, and Katie’s long lace train spread down the steps perfectly. We finished with a walk along the estate lane as the sun set through the trees.

Back in the barn, Katie had changed into her evening dress and the two of them made a grand entrance to a crowd of cheering guests. Then, instead of cutting a cake, they fed each other Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

DJ Jon Lowe got the party going at seven. Katie and Miki’s first dance under the chandelier was lovely and relaxed, and within a couple of songs the floor was packed.

Once it was properly dark, I borrowed the couple for five minutes for a twilight portrait on the lane, painting a heart of light around them. A lovely way to end the day.

Camp Katur Wedding Suppliers

Katie and Miki, thank you so much for having me along. Your day was relaxed, colourful and full of love, and it was a real treat to spend it in the woods with you both and your families. I hope you enjoy looking back through these pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Planning your own woodland or glamping wedding? I’d love to hear from you.

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