At The Hospitium you can step out of your ceremony and straight into a garden. It sits inside the Museum Gardens, a short walk from the city centre, in a 14th-century building that once housed guests of the monks at St Mary’s Abbey.
For a film, that means two very different settings a few steps apart. Here is how we use them, and what to expect from us on the day.
Key Highlights
- The building has stone walls, arched windows and a beamed ceiling, so it looks good from almost any angle.
- You are already in the Museum Gardens, so there is no need to travel for outdoor shots.
- It is just the two of us on the day, with discreet kit and no big lights.
- We record your ceremony and speeches separately from the cameras, so every word is clear.
Filming Inside The Hospitium
The beamed ceiling and the arched windows do a lot of the work for us. We film wide to show you the room before moving in close for the vows.
We will always speak to the celebrant first, cover both angles from the front and keep a camera at the back for the wider shot. Especially at this venue, we try to make the most of the building’s architectural details.
In the evening the building is lit with warm mood lighting, which carries a lovely glow into your film.
The Museum Gardens on Your Doorstep
The gardens are right outside, with the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey and the river close by, so a few minutes away from your guests can give you some lovely shots without anyone getting in a car.
The gardens are a public space, so there will usually be other people about. We work around them rather than asking anyone to move.
How Julia Helps Outside
Julia films alongside Cal, and she is also your main point of contact on the day. Outside is where that really shows. Before each shot she will check the little things: straightening a tie, fixing a veil, or settling your dress so it falls properly.
She will give you a gentle idea of where to walk or stand, then step back and let you get on with it. It is guidance rather than posing, so the moments still feel like yours.
How We Film
There are two of us, Julia and Cal, and that is the whole crew. Discreet kit, no big lights, and nothing that needs rearranging.
We film in a documentary way. We will not ask you to pose, to walk back down the aisle again, or to repeat your first dance. Julia will step in now and then if something needs fixing, and that is about the extent of our directing.
We record your ceremony and speeches on separate audio rather than relying on the cameras, so your vows are clear, along with the pause before your dad says anything and the laugh that follows.
We also work alongside your photographer. We will agree who is standing where for the ceremony and the speeches before anything starts, so neither of us ends up in the other’s shot.
What to Expect on the Day
Most of the time you will forget we are there.
Afterwards, short trailers usually arrive within 2–3 weeks, and longer films take 12–20 weeks depending on the time of year.
What We Can Film for You
Our packages run from Essentials to Ultimate, and the Deluxe and Ultimate packages include your full ceremony and speeches as well as your film. You will find what is included in each on our packages page.
Other York Venues
If you are still choosing, we have also written about the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall and The Grand, York. You can see more of our work on our York wedding videography page.
If you have a date at The Hospitium, tell us about your plans and we will let you know whether we are free.
Any questions, just shout.
Julia & Cal
