Clitheroe
Wedding Photographer

Getting married in Clitheroe or the Ribble Valley?

If you’re planning a wedding in Clitheroe or anywhere in the Ribble Valley, you’ve picked one of the best areas in Lancashire for it. The mix of venues here is hard to beat: grand country houses, converted barns, riverside settings, and villages with real character.

I’m Andy Wade, a documentary wedding photographer based in Lancashire. I’ve photographed weddings at venues across Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley, from Eaves Hall and Mitton Hall to The Out Barn and Hobbit Hill. This page covers what it’s like to get married in this area and how I work as a photographer here.

A couple sits closely together on a grassy hill, silhouetted against a vibrant sunset with a golden sky and distant mountains. They appear to be gazing at each other, creating a serene and romantic atmosphere—a perfect moment for their storytelling to unfold. Image by Andy Wade Photography.

A little about me

My approach is all about storytelling in a relaxed documentary style, focusing on the real emotions, and creative yet natural portraits. The weddings you see across Andy Wade Photography are all real days I’ve documented, so what you see here is exactly how I’d photograph yours.

Originally from South East London, I am now an honorary northerner after living in this neck of the woods for over 20 years. I live in Todmorden with my wife, two children and two dogs. I’m pretty chilled and love being out with my family, walking the dogs in the wilds of Lancashire, The Dales & The Lake District. I’m also a bit of a foodie and love a good crackly fire in the local establishment in the winter!

Andy Wade Photography is an award-winning Wedding Photographer covering Clitheroe in Lancashire and the North West of England.

MORE ABOUT ME
Smiling man holding a camera in monochrome photo.

THE START OF YOUR STORY

What makes Clitheroe a great place to get married?

Clitheroe is a market town in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, sitting below the ruins of Clitheroe Castle with the River Ribble running through the surrounding countryside. It’s a proper working town rather than a tourist village, which gives weddings here a grounded, relaxed feel that you don’t always get at more polished venues elsewhere.

The venues in and around Clitheroe are what make the area special. Within a few miles, you have Grade II* listed manor houses, converted barns with open countryside views, country inns with character, and newer venues that use the landscape well. Most are exclusive-use, which means your wedding has the whole place to itself. For photography, the combination of interesting architecture and the Ribble Valley landscape gives you options whatever the weather.

The villages around Clitheroe (Whalley, Hurst Green, West Bradford, Mitton, Gisburn) each have their own character, and many of the best venues sit in these smaller settlements rather than in the town itself. Getting between them is straightforward (the A59 connects most of the valley), which means couples often choose a Clitheroe-area venue knowing that guests can explore the wider area easily.

From a photographer’s perspective, the Ribble Valley light is genuinely good. The open countryside and west-facing hills mean you often get long, soft evening light in summer, and the autumn colours through the valley are some of the best in the North West. I’ve photographed weddings here in every season and each one has a different quality.

I photograph weddings here as a documentary photographer: I follow the day as it happens, without rearranging people or staging moments. For portraits, I offer gentle guidance, such as suggesting a spot where the light is working or asking you to pause for a moment, but the expressions and connection are always yours. You can read more about how my non-posey portraits work.

MY PORTFOLIO

My Favourite Clitheroe Wedding Venues

Stunning places to walk down the aisle

Each venue around here has a completely different character. Eaves Hall is a Georgian country house with gardens you can slip away into for portraits without being gone from your guests for long, and I have photographed several weddings there. The Out Barn trades that formality for a converted barn surrounded by open countryside. Mitton Hall is a Grade II* manor house on the banks of the Ribble, with a Great Hall that looks after you whatever the weather does.

Hobbit Hill, Shireburn Arms and Stirk House are all within a short drive, from a country inn with real warmth to houses that make the most of the valley views. And then there is Clitheroe Castle. It is not a wedding venue, but its grounds look out over the whole of the Ribble Valley and some couples build it into their day for photographs.

Four women in matching pink outfits, possibly bridesmaids, walk up stone steps towards a large, elegant mansion surrounded by lush greenery and colorful foliage under a clear blue sky. The scene suggests a special occasion like a wedding, perfect for stunning Lancashire wedding photography. Image by Andy Wade Photography.

Eaves Hall

A couple stands outside a modern circular wooden building at night. The building is warmly lit from the inside, while the surrounding landscape is dark with a faint outline of distant lights. Illuminated by the gentle glow, the scene creates a romantic atmosphere perfect for wedding photography. Image by Andy Wade Photography.

THE OUT BARN

Two men in blue suits are walking up stone steps towards a large, elegant house with tall trees and manicured lawns. The house has large windows and a lush green garden surrounding it, perfect for Lancashire wedding photography. The sky is clear and bright. Image by Andy Wade Photography.

Mitton Hall

A bride and groom share a kiss at their outdoor wedding ceremony in Lancashire, surrounded by tall trees. The bride wears a white gown and the groom a light blue suit. Guests seated on either side, including bridesmaids in light blue dresses, applaud and smile at this picturesque wedding venue. Image by Andy Wade Photography.

Hobbit Hill

A bride and groom stand hand in hand under a blooming cherry blossom tree in a garden in Clitheroe. The bride is in a white wedding dress with a veil, and the groom is in a beige suit with a tie. Their special moment is perfectly captured by their wedding photographer, with lush greenery and a clear blue sky as the backdrop. Image by Andy Wade Photography.

Shireburn Arms

A bride and groom dance joyfully in a lush garden of one of Lancashire's finest wedding venues, a historic stone building adorned with flowers. The bride wears a white gown, and the groom dons a blue suit. A third person stands in the building's doorway in the background. Image by Andy Wade Photography.

Stirk House

Beautiful Wedding Venues in Clitheroe

What I’ve noticed from photographing weddings across the Ribble Valley is that the venue shapes the day more than couples expect. A barn wedding at The Out Barn has a completely different energy to a country house wedding at Eaves Hall, even though they’re only a few miles apart. If you’re still deciding, I’m happy to share what I’ve observed at each venue from a photographer’s perspective.

PICTURE PERFECT MOMENTS

Award Winning Wedding Photography

I’ve received over 40 international awards for my wedding photography, including Regional Winner at The Wedding Industry Awards 2026 and recognition from Fearless Photographers, This is Reportage, and Masters of Wedding Photography. Awards are nice to have, but what matters more is that my approach works for the couples I photograph. You can see the results in my portfolio and read what previous couples have said in their reviews.

Covering Clitheroe, the Ribble Valley and beyond

I’m based in Lancashire, so Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley are on my doorstep. I also cover weddings across the North West, including Preston, Burnley, the Lake District, Yorkshire and Cheshire. Travel isn’t an additional charge for venues within a reasonable distance; I’d rather be at a wedding I’m excited about than restrict myself to a tight radius.

Ribble Valley weddings do have something particular about them, though. The scale is usually manageable, the venues tend to be owner-run rather than corporate chains, and the couples I meet here often chose the area deliberately because it felt right. That translates into relaxed, personal days that photograph well. I’ve covered dozens of weddings across Eaves Hall, Mitton Hall, Shireburn Arms, The Out Barn and other Ribble Valley venues, and it’s genuinely one of my favourite areas to work.

How I photograph weddings in Clitheroe

My approach is documentary at its core. I photograph the day as it unfolds: the preparations, the ceremony, the reception, the dancing, without staging moments or pulling people out of what they’re doing. I get to know you before the wedding so I understand what matters to you, and on the day, that means I know where to be and what to watch for.

For portraits, I don’t pose you, but I’m not passive. I’ll guide you to a good spot at the venue, suggest a direction, and let you be yourselves. At Clitheroe-area venues, this usually means using the gardens, the countryside, or the interesting corners of the building itself. It takes about 20 minutes and couples are usually surprised at how natural it feels. You can read more about my approach to non-posey portraits.

View My Wedding Portfolio

My portfolio includes galleries from weddings across the Ribble Valley, including Eaves Hall, Mitton Hall and The Out Barn. You’ll see what documentary wedding photography looks like in practice: real moments, real expressions, and the kind of photographs that still feel honest when you look at them years later.

Get In Touch

If you’re looking for a wedding photographer in the Clitheroe area, I’d be happy to talk. I can share what I know about your venue from a photography perspective, check my availability for your date, or just answer questions about how I work. Drop me a message and we’ll go from there.

CONTACT ME
  • Black and white photo of people gathering outdoors in formal wear. A man lies on the ground playfully while others around him, including a bride, laugh and mingle. Two logos in the bottom right corner: "REAL" and "FEARLESS AWARD - M. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • People are dancing at an indoor party; two women with dark hair are in the foreground flipping their hair up, one in a green dress and the other in a one-shoulder beige dress. The lively scene, perfect for any event portfolio, includes other guests and a lit room in the background. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A groom covers his face with his hands, overcome with emotion, while the bride smiles supportively and touches his shoulder. They are surrounded by blurred, cheering guests in the background. The image is in black and white, with a red "M" logo in the top right corner. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • 2026 Wedding Awards, Regional Winner badge.
  • A badge with a black background shaped like a stylized "R." It reads "TOP 10 Photographers UK 2022" in white and silver text. Perfect for a wedding photographer, the bottom of the badge features the "This is Reportage" logo in white. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A black and white badge with the text "2022 TOP 30 PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE WORLD" in bold white letters. Shaped like a stylized 'R,' the badge features "This is Reportage" at the bottom in smaller letters, celebrating excellence in Documentary Wedding Photography. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • Text in the image reads "Top 2 Wedding Photographer UK & IE 2023 - MASTERS of Wedding Photography" in black and gold text on a white background. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A blue square graphic featuring a white illustration of a raised fist holding a camera, with the text "Wedding Photographer of the Year" and "Top 10". The phrase "Keeping It Real" is also included in a smaller box below the fist. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • Green text inside a rectangular frame reads "Fearless Award" with the words divided across three lines. A small, stylized ampersand connects the second and third lines. The frame and text are drawn in a simple, clean style. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A circular logo with a red center featuring a stylized white "M" and the text "MASTERS OF WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY" encircling the red center against a white background, followed by the words "AWARD WINNER" at the bottom. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • WPS Inspirational Wedding Photographers logo. The text features 'WPS' in bold black letters, with the 'S' in red, followed by 'INSPIRATIONAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS' in black. Below, it reads 'ABOUT ME: WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY SELECT' in smaller black font. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A logo featuring the text "ISPWP - International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers" on the left, and a mosaic pattern with the word "MEMBER" on the right, perfect for your About Me page. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • A circular badge with a dotted border reads "Fearless Photographers." Inside, the text says "2023 World Top 50" with "Andy Wade" and "UK" beneath. Learn more about me and my journey in capturing moments that matter. Image by Andy Wade Photography.
  • Regional Wedding Industry Awards logos

What my couples say

LOVELY WORDS FROM LOVELY PEOPLE

ALL THE BEST BITS…

My Wedding Blog

My latest blog posts from weddings around Clitheroe.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Check out my FAQs

Here are some of the frequently asked questions I get about my wedding photography.

No. 90% of any day I shoot is completely candid. I can photograph all day without a single ‘posed’ photo. The portraits of you both, if you’d like some, are kept simple and as natural as possible; nothing cheesy and nothing awkward. Usually the portraits of you are created during a relaxing wander together for twenty minutes or so with me capturing shots as we go along – so not really posing. We may stop in a certain spot but most of that time you’ll forget I’m there and the portraits will feel and look perfectly natural. Just think of this as a bit of ‘you time’! There is the option to create a specific photo with flashes which I set up – but only if you want that. Even if I do it will be set up before we do it so that you can spend the maximum time with your guests. Otherwise I’ll just photograph the day as it happens.

Firstly I have to be available on your day but after that just say “Let’s do It!”. Just fill out the email form on my contact page or just send me a text, a message on Instagram or just give me a call. A small deposit then secures the day. That deposit is refundable up to one month after the agreement to go ahead. In the meantime, I will send you some paperwork and that will include a contract which has the terms and conditions, which we both sign when you’re 100% happy. You’ll also receive a summary of what is in your package.

Your photos will be delivered in a beautiful gallery that will work on any device. You can control the sharing of your photos from your gallery for family and friends or to social media. You can download your photos in full, high resolution or in a smaller version should you wish to share them. There are no watermarks on your photos and are free for your personal use. There is also the option to buy prints and wall art and you can create and order albums from the ‘Shop’ area of your gallery. If you have a slideshow made then it can be viewed from your gallery as well.

For a 9 hour wedding you get an edit of about 500+ photos. If it is a 12 hour day then around 700+. I work on your photos intensely after the wedding, lovingly crafting them so that they are perfectly colour balanced with a bright, fresh look. There’s probably a ratio of a third black and white and two thirds colour.

I photograph regularly at Eaves Hall, Mitton Hall, The Out Barn, Hobbit Hill, Shireburn Arms and Stirk House. I also cover Bashall Barn, Browsholme Hall and The Inn at Whitewell in the Forest of Bowland. If your venue is not on that list, get in touch and I can let you know whether I know it or have worked there before.

Yes. I think it’s good to meet as you can ask all the questions you need to. I’ll be around you for almost all of your wedding day so meeting up before the day is a great way of getting to know each other. I’m a nice chap and very comfortable with people I’ve just met, so it’s not a problem if we don’t. A video call is a really good way of talking things through if we can’t arrange a meeting.

Yes. Most people like a few photos of mum, dad and their close family as well as the bridesmaids and groomsmen. I get that it is important and can be good fun, too. It takes about 10 minutes to organise a photo of everyone, for example, and then about 2-3 minutes for each one after that providing everyone is available. You decide what those photos are if you want them – I don’t have a ‘list’ of my own. If there is 1.5 – 2 hours between your ceremony and wedding breakfast then I’d suggest to have something like 20 mins with you portraits and then 20 mins of group photos dotted about, so between 6-10 group shots max. This way you spend more time just being with your guests, which I will capture naturally. I hear many stories of people who have been to weddings and were really bored and made to stand around for hours while the photographer goes through a repertoire of their own group photos. That’s not me!

Yes. There is an amazing choice of albums and wall art that will be available from your gallery and that I can send you information on. There is so much choice that I do not put albums in my packages unless on specific request. I do have three album packages that broadly cover the options so if you would like to include one I would be happy to chat and look at putting an album in your package.

Yes, but you can have another photographer if you wish – called a ‘2nd shooter’. If, for instance, you’d like the groomsmen preparation photos covered fully as well and they are over 15 mins away, I can employ a second photographer to cover that for £350/day and they will stay until the speeches – so about 6 hours. A second photographer is great to cover a specific span of time but does not necessarily mean a ‘better’ set of photos. I can be in and amongst a whole wedding party quite easily and capture the essence of the day without a 2nd shooter but it does enable us to do more portraits together – if that is what you’d like – and we can have more angles covered in the ceremony. If you would like a 2nd shooter then we’d book them about 3 months before the day. They are always 1st class, professional photographers like me and shoot in my style.

Yes. I photograph weddings across Lancashire and the North West, including Preston, Burnley, the Lake District, and into Yorkshire and Cheshire. Travel is not an additional charge for venues within a reasonable distance of Lancashire. If you are getting married further afield, just ask and I can confirm whether there would be any travel cost.

Knowing the area makes a practical difference. I know the venues, I know the light at different times of year, and I know the roads well enough that nothing unexpected on the day is going to catch me out. For Ribble Valley weddings especially, the landscape is part of what makes the photographs distinctive, and understanding how that light works is something that comes from photographing here regularly rather than just visiting.

SEE MY FULL FAQS

Contact Me

I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you’re looking for a Clitheroe Wedding Photographer, get in touch for a chat!

Whatever stage you’re at in your wedding planning, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a message to see if we’re a good fit or to check my calendar and we can go from there. I’d love to hear from you!

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