It’s not particularly often that a bride comes to you to ask you to be a part of her wedding at a Zoo. So, when Abbie emailed the team at Dave Spink Photography to enquire about a Marryoke, Wedding Video, and Photo Booth package for her wedding at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, it couldn’t be refused.
The day started out as any other, with a drive from the office in Leeds down to Doncaster. Abbie had chosen not to have the team film her prep, so everyone headed straight across to the Wildlife Park. The Marryoke team were directed in through the gates and taken to the Outlook Gallery Suite, where the very first wedding ceremony at Yorkshire Wildlife Park was to take place.
After greeting the park staff and confirming details of arrivals for both Abbie and her soon-to-be husband David, the team took the opportunity to explore the park and start shooting footage for the wedding video.
The team returned to the Outlook Suite to begin capturing the arrivals of guests, the details of the room, as well as the soon-after arrival of David. The suite steadily filled as the couple’s guests arrived, creating a hum of activity and some choice shots for the Wedding Video. Soon after, word came over the radio of the bride’s imminent arrival, and so the team divided, to join Abbie for her entrance into the Park.
Following a very sweet, simple ceremony, the newlyweds set out into the park to do one thing that all newlyweds should probably do: Feed the lions. The Dave Spink Photography team were able to join Abbie and David as they went ‘behind the scenes’ of the zoo and up to the fence to feed three lionesses. One of the lions – Crystal – took a particular interest in Abbie’s beautiful ballgown-like dress. It’s not very often that there’s opportunity to stand to the side of a couple as they have pictures taken with a lion leaping up behind their heads.
Once the lions were fed, the next duty was to head past the ‘African Plains’ to the Giraffe House, where the couple were introduced to three very interested giraffes. Admittedly, the trio were probably slightly more interested in the leafy branches that David and Abbie had to offer. The Marryoke team were able to capture a few lines of Abbie and David’s selected Marryoke song (Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Elton John) with the couple, and the accompanying wildlife. Even members of the park staff got involved!
The team then split off into two once again, allowing the wedding video team to continue to capture guests and the couple as they had photographs taken, while the Marryoke team took the time to take guests aside and film marryoke lines with them. With a stunning location like Yorkshire Wildlife Park, both teams were spoiled for choice in scenery and backdrop.
Later in the afternoon, it was time for speeches and the wedding breakfast. The couple and the wedding party returned to the Outlook Suite which had been transformed into a perfect setting for a sit-down meal. The statement colour of orange continued across the tables, and each table was named with an animal that could also be found at the zoo. There was evidently a lot of thought and planning put into everything the couple had chosen, which paid off when everything came together so spectacularly.
All three speeches – from the father of the bride, the groom, and the best man – were short, sweet, and very sentimental. Before long, the Dave Spink Photography team were retiring to go grab their own dinner as the guests tucked into their meal.
The evening seemed to roll around all too quickly. The London Bus Photo Booth that Abbie and David had booked with Dave Spink Photography pulled up, parking in the Tsavo Lodge: the night’s venue. The park was closed to the public for the night, and with the lions roars as they were tucked up in bed, Abbie and David’s evening reception was all set to begin. Evening guests steadily began to arrive and the Marryoke team continued to put together some of the final shots for the song. As a part of the package the couple selected, they also were to receive video messages, so the video team invited guests to stand in front of the camera – with the Wildlife Park spreading into the vast distance behind – to leave a short message for Abbie and David.
Under the twinkling ceiling of the Tsavo Lodge, the full team joined the couple to record their first dance, ensuring not a moment of their magical day was missed. After a little more Marryoke-ing, shooting wrapped, and the video team headed home, leaving Abbie and David to enjoy last few hours of their wedding day.
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