Viking couple tie knot in Norse-themed wedding at Whitby Abbey

Pete, 35, and Ellie Taylor, 28, first crossed paths during a dramatic historical re-enactment of the Battle of Stamford Bridge.

Now married with a baby and running their own Viking-themed tour company in York, the pair spend their days immersed in mythology.

Recalling the clash where they met in 2019, Pete said: "I'd seen Ellie before, but I'd never had the courage to go over and speak to her.

"But it just so happened that I killed her dad in the re-enactment."

Their meeting came as costumed actors recreated the famous 1066 battle near York, where King Harold Godwinson's army defeated an invading Viking force.

Despite the grisly introduction, sparks quickly flew when Pete was invited to sit by the fire with Ellie and her family after the mock battle.

He said: "I was following her around like a lost puppy - and I managed to steal a kiss under a tree on the battlefield.

"That's where we had our engagement photos taken two years later."

Ellie admitted she hadn't initially clocked her future husband - but soon changed her mind.

She said: "He was keen, but he was very handsome... I thought: he's alright!"

At the time, Pete was fully embracing the Viking look - complete with a hairstyle inspired by Ragnar Lothbrok.

He said: "The sides of my head were shaved and I had a ponytail with a bigger beard.

"I would have been in my old grey Viking kirtle, and Ellie would have been rocking around in her Viking dress."

Their whirlwind romance quickly turned serious, with Pete insisting he knew almost instantly she was "the one".

He said: "I was telling everybody I was going to marry her. I just knew that was it."

After just five months together, the couple moved in shortly before the Covid pandemic.

Pete said: "That was a make-or-break situation - and it definitely ended up being 'make'."

The pair later tied the knot in a unique two-part celebration - a traditional white wedding followed by a full-blown Viking ceremony among ancient ruins.

Pete said: "All of our friends and family joined us for a re-enactment at Whitby Abbey where we had a traditional handfasting ceremony."

Ellie added: "Everyone was dressed up, it was brilliant. It was quite emotional in a way."

Their love of re-enactment eventually turned into a career after Pete spotted a gap in the market while attending a major Viking festival.

He explained how he noticed York's booming ghost tour scene and realised there was no equivalent Viking experience - despite the city's rich history.

Pete said: "I thought: why isn't there a Viking tour in York? It just seemed really daft."

Teaming up with a friend, the couple created their own immersive experience - blending historical facts with myths and legends in a style similar to Horrible Histories.

Pete said: "We tell historical facts with myths and legends.

"The tour takes you all across York seeing all the historical landmarks."

Now, Pete has become something of a local celebrity, regularly recognised by tourists keen to snap selfies with the "full-time Viking".

Ellie said: "He's recognised in York every day now."