Spring sensations at The Normans

Bride and groom are showered in confetti in The Normans wedding venue ceremony barn. Photo by Bloom Weddings

Winter is coming. And with it: shorter days, longer nights, and fewer weddings here at The Normans (we’re down to one a week, in case you were wondering).

Of course, fewer weddings isn’t necessarily a bad thing - in means this writer can spend less time hoovering confetti (which he loves doing, by the way) and more time catching up with this wedding blog.

“About time too!” we hear you holler.

Well, indeed.

And so, without further ado, let’s take a trip down memory lane to Spring, of all places, where we find a pair of most excellent humans preparing to marry one another at The Normans wedding venue…


Bridal Hair & Make-up

One half of said pair of humans is Abi, pictured here in The Normans’ onsite accommodation (the imaginatively monikered ‘The Cottage’) readying herself for the rest of her life with Alex (more on him, later).

Abi’s beauty-related requirements were tended to by the talented Emily Hawkes, who styled bride and bridesmaids’ hair, and Julia Jeckell - a titan of the wedding make-up world.


The Dress: A Timeless Choice

Bride gets ready in The Normans wedding venue dressing room. Photo by Bloom Weddings

Abi’s wedding dress was a stunner. She chose the Langham gown from renowned British designer Suzanne Neville, a name synonymous with classic, luxurious bridal fashion.

“When I first started dress shopping, I thought I would go for a detailed, boho-style dress to suit the rustic feel of The Normans,” explains Abi. “But I tried on quite a few of these styles, and nothing felt quite right! I then visited the Suzanne Neville flagship store on a friend’s recommendation and I just fell in love with the Langham design.”

Abi was won over by the classic clean lines of the dress - and the the modern scallop neckline.

“It felt completely timeless but also quite unique,” she continues. “And the silk organza layered skirt felt so luxurious – I absolutely loved wearing it and in the end I thought it fitted the venue and the feel of our wedding perfectly!”


Bridesmaids’ dresses

Boom! Bridesmaids in Da House (aka The Normans Cottage)!

Here are Abi’s ladies in waiting - looking fab-u-lous in elegant dresses from Maids to Measure.


Wedding flowers

Floral fine-tuning fell to the lovely Sam and Erika of Tweedle Floral Design and, since Abi & Alex were tying the knot in Spring, the brief was colourful, contemporary pastel colours for the bouquets, buttonholes, and decorative flowers dotted throughout the venue.


The Groom’s get-up

Groom all smiles at The Normans wedding venue. Photo by Bloom Weddings

“Whoa! What’s James Bond doing at The Normans?!” we hear you cry.

Calm down! Believe it or not, it’s not everyone’s favourite super-spy but our Groom, Alex, suited and booted in a tailored tux and a pair of slick Ray-Bans. Nice.


The Groomsmen’s suits

Alex had Tailor Made London to thank for his sharp, sophisticated look, while groomsmen’s suits were from Moss.

As guests trickled into the venue in the build-up to the ceremony, Alex and his groomsmen held court, pretending they knew the names of everyone they were speaking to.


The wedding ceremony

Before long, guests were invited to take their seats for the ceremony.

Inside, they were greeted by the stunning sight of our iconic fairy lights flanked by flower displays from Tweedle Floral Design, with flickering candles lining the aisle.

“We added some lanterns to the aisle to compliment the beautiful fairy lights and candles that make [the room] feel so romantic,” says Abi.

When guests were seated, bride Abi was beckoned out of The Cottage

… and she made her way to The Ceremony Barn with bridesmaids and flower girls.

Flower Girl in The Normans wedding venue ceremony barn. Bloom Weddings

Once her entourage had made their way down the aisle, Abi and her Dad walked the most memorable of walks to meet Alex in front of the cascading fairy lights.

Bride and groom in The Normans wedding venue Ceremony Barn. Bloom Weddings

Vows were exchanged…

Bride and groom kiss in The Normans wedding venue Ceremony Barn. Bloom Weddings

… as were kisses…

… and confetti fell like snow… really difficult to hoover-up paper snow…

Happily, The Normans team had arranged for the sun to shine during drinks reception (all part of the service, ahem), and Abi & Alex were able to toast one another’s awesomeness in The Courtyard. Cheers!

“But probably the best accessory on the day was the spring sunshine!” exclaims Abi. “We always hoped for good weather, and we felt so lucky to be able to enjoy the sun in the courtyard for our drinks reception.”

You’re welcome.

Drinks reception in The Normans wedding venue Courtyard. Bloom Weddings

Our most-excellent couple were joined in The Courtyard by thirsty guests who were champing at the bit to smash through the free drinks.

The Hog & Apple Food Co, meanwhile, distributed canapes like the catering colossi they are.

Group photo in The Normans wedding venue Courtyard. Bloom Weddings

Once the brilliant Bloom Weddings (aka Annie and Chris) had yelled at the wedding party to “move left a bit, move right a bit, say CHEESE!” for the group photo, the Grain Shed doors were opened and guests were called in for speeches…


A Delicious Menu

The wedding food was another highlight of the day, with the menu celebrating local flavours.

“For our starters, we wanted to really welcome our guests to Yorkshire, since many people were travelling from elsewhere,” explains Abi. “We opted for The Hog & Apple’s Yorkshire deli board – a sharing platter of mini pies, sausage rolls, and local cheeses and chutneys.”

For mains, the couple chose a traditional lamb roast with all the trimmings, perfect for their Easter Sunday wedding. The meal was rounded off with a refreshing lemon meringue dessert and (later) pizza to fuel dance-floor fun.


PARTY TIME

Cake cutting in The Normans wedding venue Grain Shed. Bloom Weddings

Who needs wedding cake when you can have a massive pile of cheese? Not Abi & Alex, fo sho!

The couple eschewed traditional baked-goods in favour of fromage (by George & Joseph), which was later fed to greedy guests…

… but not before the first dance was rudely interrupted by the brassy bombast of New York Brass Band.

We jest, of course: NYBB are a sure-fire way to get any party started… not that Abi, Alex and their guests needed any excuse!

The wedding day was without a doubt the best day of our lives. We are so happy we chose to get married at The Normans. We just wish we could do it all again!
— Amazing Abi

Wedding suppliers

Photography Bloom Weddings

Hair Emily Hawkes

Make-up Julia Jeckell

Bride’s dress Langham gown by Suzanne Neville

Bridesmaids’ dresses Maids to Measure

Groom’s suit Tailor Made London

Groomsmen’s suits Moss

Flowers Tweedle Floral Design

Food The Hog & Apple Food Co

Cheeses George & Joseph

Music New York Brass Band


Alluring August at The Normans wedding venue

Norman by name, Normans by nature. Step forward Annie Norman who decided to get married at The Normans simply because of its name… Well, this plus the fact that The Normans is the world’s BEST WEDDING VENUE EVER (so says my Mum, anyway).

In fact, it’s amazing to think now that Annie and her beau Chris first viewed the venue by way of Zoom during the dark days of Covid. Even more amazing: the couple booked the venue in spite of this writer’s shaky camerawork and questionable onscreen presence. Phew.

The Normans Courtyard before wedding guests arrive. Photo by Lumiere

Fast forward a few years to a sunny day in August, where we find Annie and Chris preparing to Get Wed.

We love the quiet time before a wedding, when the venue looks its finest having been lovingly decorated and adorned by the couple. Indeed, Annie and Chris ensured The Normans looked spectacular for their wedding day.

All was quiet outside, but their was a fizz of excitement inside The Normans Cottage - figuratively and literally. Here’s Annie popping open a bottle of bubbly to get proceedings underway.

Bride and bridesmaids get ready in The Normans weddings Cottage. Photo by Lumiere

We love every last detail of this wedding - from the personalised footwear and dress hangers to the personalised wedding gifts.

Nix from Capelli (Straight outta Wetherby) was enlisted to coiffer the bride’s coiffure. (Don’t mind us: just throwing around some fancy French verbs and nouns, no big deal…)

Bride and bridesmaids get ready in The Normans wedding venue Cottage. Photo by Lumiere

Meanwhile, Georgia Cutts (should have been a hairdresser with a name like that) artfully applied make-up to bride and bridesmaids’ already-fancy faces.

Behold the dress… a stunning Justin Alexander number from Emily Bridal, Sheffield.

“This was the ‘wildcard’ option," explains Annie. “And [it was] the last dress I tried on at my appointment!”

“I was really anxious shopping for a wedding dress and felt the pressure to find ‘the one,’” continues Annie.

“I had been to one budget boutique before my appointment at Emily Bridal and I'd watched as other brides were pressured into buying dresses. Emily Bridal was nothing like this - they were so lovely and put no pressure on me at any stage.”

Bride and bridesmaids get ready in The Normans weddings Cottage. Photo by Lumiere

“It was my Mum and sister who knew it was going to be my dress before I did,” recalls Annie. “They saw it on the hanger and apparently silently signalled to each other. I worried about it being ‘too much’ in the build-up to the Big Day, but I finally accepted that I was the bride!

“My advice to other brides: don't get hung up on a dress being ‘the one’, if you take people that you trust dress shopping, everything will come together on your day and you will feel amazing!”

From the reaction of Annie’s bridesmaids and her father, the dress did, indeed, turn out to be ‘the one’. Beautiful!


And here’s Annie, in all her glory, making her way out of The Normans Cottage towards her destiny (The Normans Ceremony Barn, just a few metres away).

But before we walk down the aisle with Annie, a quick pause outside the venue to give a shout-out to her brilliant bridesmaids, pictured here in their matching dresses from Pretty Lavish, clutching bouquets by Emily aka Crop The Botanical Florist.

Bride with bridesmaids outside The Normans wedding venue. Photo by Lumiere

And, of course, a special mention for Annie’s dad…*

[*Writer dabs tears from eyes and bravely continues with blog…]


With all this excitement in the build-up, we nearly forgot about the man of the moment, Chris.

Here he is, chatting away with his best men, wearing a fetching lightweight tweed three-piece suits from ASOS, and buttonholes the work of Crop.

Groom awaits entrance of the bride in The Normans Ceremony Barn. Photo by Lumiere

And here comes the bride.

Annie’s dad walked her down the aisle, at the end of which she paired up with here intended.

What a stunning couple.

Aside from the stunning setting that is The Normans Ceremony Barn, our couples are very lucky to have their marriage ceremonies officiated by the wonderful registrars from North Yorkshire County Council. Without fail, they manage to make each and every ceremony relaxed, personal, intimate and fun.

The beautiful ceremony culminated with Annie and Chris exchanging vows… and wedding guests signifying approval by pelting fistfuls of clammy confetti at the couple as they tried to leave the Ceremony Barn for a drink.

Once confetti had been removed from hair, eyes, ears, and nostrils, Annie and Chris enjoyed drinks and canapes served by the kings of catering, The Hog & Apple Food Co.

The bride and groom in The Normans wedding venue Courtyard. Photo by Lumiere

“We were blown away by the quality of the canapes. The mini Yorkshire puddings were described as ‘perfect’ by a guest who was a self-anointed Yorkshire pudding connoisseur,” laughs Annie.

“We were so glad we didn't miss out - Holly from H&A brought us our own tray of canapes! Lots of our guests said it was genuinely the best food they'd ever had at a wedding.”

The glorious day afforded bride, groom, and guests some time in the sunshine…

… before Laura from Lumiere Photographic stole the couple away for some fabulous shots in the surrounding countryside.

Bride and groom outside Normans wedding venue. Photo by Lumiere

A regular at The Normans, lovely Laura knows all the choice spots in and around the venue.


Back inside the venue, guests could admire the handmade, personalised decorative items, as well as the couple’s themes and colour schemes.

“We wanted to stick to a natural theme with lots of green,” says Annie. “As much as possible we wanted to reuse items and not buy too many brand new things. We also wanted [the décor] to have links to us: for example all lavender was picked from Hitchin Lavender, Hertfordshire, not far from where we used to live.”

“We were really proud of our table plan,” continues Annie. “Laura, our photographer said she'd never seen one done this way before! Our shared love of music brought us together - we are known for going to gigs and collecting vinyl, so we really wanted to have this reflected somewhere in our day.

“We decided to use our favourite albums and their covers as our table names and hopefully some of our guests left with a ‘listen to’ list! “

“We agreed on a green-and-white colour scheme and Emily from Crop worked her magic to put together seasonal, affordable arrangements,” chips in Groom Chris.

He continues: “We asked friends and family to save up glass bottles in a range of sizes, and corks that we used to hold place cards. The signs were a mix of chalk pen calligraphy by Annie, and digital ones that were in keeping with the theme. Annie's Mum and her friend made all of the bunting using materials from the colour scheme. Lots of items like lanterns and table runners were borrowed or bought ‘hardly used’ second-hand.” 

“We made the sloe gin ourselves over the course of our two-and-a-half year engagement, and Annie made the personalised clay hearts for each guest,” says Chris. “We hope these little details brought everything together for our guests who felt like it was definitely our wedding, not a strangers!”


Once guests were seated, the Father of the Bride was introduced for the first speech, followed by the man of the moment, Chris and his best man.


Food followed thereafter…

“We worked closely with Doug at H&A,” continues Chris. “We were keen to have a sharing element [to our meal], so our first and easiest decision was to have the Italian antipasti boards. These were a real showstopper - perfect for a hot summer day. Doug suggested the chicken and chorizo plated main to follow, which was a massive hit! For pudding, despite Annie's love of chocolate, we went for the ‘Solero’ tube dessert since it was completely unique to H&A.” 

High fives and chest bumps to guest Alice Kay who crafted this beautiful three-tier cake…

Wedding cake waits in Normans wedding venue Grain Shed. Photo  by Lumiere

… which was duly decimated by the knife-wielding bride and groom. By all accounts it tasted great. Bravo Alice!

Guests then circled the dance floor, Night Owls Disco pumped up the volume, and Annie and Chris took did The First Dance.

Bride and Groom first dance in Normans wedding venue Grain Shed. Photo by Lumiere

The couple were soon mobbed by their adoring fans (aka their guests), and the dance floor became a bubbling pot of frisk and frolic for the rest of the evening.

“The Normans is the best wedding venue. Every single detail is thought of and every member of the team made us feel so welcome during our set up day. .
— Super Groom Chris

SUPPLIERS

Photographer Lumiere Photographic

Make-up Georgia Cutts

Hair Capelli

Bride’s dress Justin Alexander from Emily Bridal

Bridesmaids’ dress Pretty Lavish

Flowers Crop The Botanical Florist

Food The Hog & Apple Food Co.

Music Night Owls Disco

Sunshine and smiles at The Normans wedding venue

Now that the weather’s finally warming up, The Normans Brain Trust deemed it time to celebrate the joys of summer - specifically, the joys of summer weddings.

Even more specifically: the joys of summer weddings at The Normans

Cue clouds parting, and Charlotte and James - two veritable rays of sunshine - lighting up the venue.

Bride has a laugh and a half in The Normans wedding venue Courtyard. dotandscolly.co.uk

Avid readers of this blog (all three of them) will know that we usually start by saying ‘hi’ to the bride. But not today. Today we’re tearing up the rule book. Today, we thought we’d mix things up and barge in on the groom and his groomsmen in The Granary.

Once lashings of Old Spice and talc had been applied, groom James and his band of merry men donned their matching three-piece blue-checked suits.

Boys in blue, you could say. Fitting, since James is a policeman. [Editor’s note: We’ll try to keep police puns to a minimum. Promise.]

James, the cop that won’t stop, couldn’t stop turning heads in his tailored Moss Bros number, striking rust-orange tie, and buttonhole by Kate Mell Flowers.

And, behind every exemplary lawman, is a loving Mum to administer the finishing touches…

Once they were suitably suited and booted, the chaps cut quite the dash.

Here they are on The Granary terrace ready to welcome wedding guests into the venue…

Groom and groomsmen outside The Granary at The Normans wedding venue, York. dotandscolly.co.uk

Meanwhile, in The Normans Cottage…

… beautiful bride Charlotte and her bridal squad were being pampered by Becca Hunton, the multi-talented, multi-tasking master of make-up and hair styling. Go Becca!

And here’s Charlotte’s dress - a waterfall of white - hanging in The Normans Cottage. The gorgeous gown is designed by Allure Bridals with the back draping by Rebekah Hock Bridal Alterations.

It was the serene simplicity of the dress that caught Charlotte’s attention…

“I knew I always wanted something fitted, classic with buttons all down the back - this dress fit the brief,” explains Charlotte.

I think we can unanimously agree that the dress looks even better with Charlotte in it. Innit.

Normans regular Kate Mell was charged with florals for the day…

“The majority of our flowers were eucalyptus,” says Charlotte. “I’ve always loved eucalyptus, partly because my favourite animals are Koalas! Then [we had] white flowers with pops of orange. Kate understood our vision perfectly!”

And as Charlotte finished getting ready…

Bride puts on her shoes in Normans wedding venue Cottage. dotandscolly.co.uk

… The Normans Courtyard began to fill with excitable wedding guests…

… many of whom were subject to enthusiastic bear hugs from the groom.

Guests arrive at The Normans wedding venue, York. dotandscolly.co.uk

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. The man, in this instance, was Charlotte’s Dad who had arrived at The Cottage to take his daughter to be wed. Suffice to day, he was suitably overwhelmed…

Once the incredibly talented, funny and handsome venue manager had seated guests, it was time for Charlotte and her bridesmaids to make the short walk from The Cottage to The Ceremony Barn.

We should, at this juncture, give a shout-out to Charlotte’s beautiful bridesmaids.

Bride with her bridesmaids standing outside The Normans wedding venue, York. dotandscolly.co.uk

“Our colour scheme for the bridesmaids’ dresses - and the boys’ ties and pocket squares - was burnt orange,” says Charlotte.

(We secretly wish she’d gone for a copper colour scheme - for no other reason than to help with our policeman puns. But there we go.)

Bridesmaids dresses were purchased from Rewritten.

Charlotte and James enlisted the musical talents of the excellent Aurora Strings to play during the ceremony.

And as Charlotte walked down the aisle, arm in arm with her Dad, James couldn’t contain his emotion. (His were happy tears, we can can assure you.)

We may be slightly biased, but we don’t think there’s a better backdrop for couples to exchange heartfelt marriage vows…

Bride and groom exchange vows in The Normans wedding venue Ceremony Barn to the backdrop of sparkling fairy lights. dotandscolly.co.uk

The bespoke ceremony was officiated by celebrant-supreme Rachael Meyer.

Once Rachael introduced James and Charlotte as husband and wife, the couple were duly pelted with confetti by way of celebration…


We’re proud that The Normans is an all-season, all-weather venue, but there’s no denying that a smattering of sunshine is a wonderful thing on a wedding day.

Wedding guests enjoy the drinks reception in The Normans wedding venue Courtyard. dotandscolly.co.uk

The warmth of late August meant that guests could enjoy drinks reception outside in the Courtyard…

… and Charlotte and James could escape to the surrounding countryside with their wedding photographers.

Bride and Groom share a moment outside The Normans wedding venue, York. dotandscolly.co.uk

A big shout-out to the dynamic duo Dot and Scolly for shooting these fab pictures.

(And a big shout-out to dynamic duo Charlotte and James for being so fabulously photogenic.)

Bride and groom in Normans wedding venue Courtyard. dotandscolly.co.uk

Back inside the venue, guests were being seated for the wedding breakfast.

The Grain Shed dining area had been styled by the couple themselves…

Circular tables set out for the wedding breakfast in The Normans wedding venue Grain Shed. dotandscolly.co.uk

“I was desperate to have a neon sign and found a bargain on eBay,” says Charlotte. “We styled it with eucalyptus garlands, copper frame, and had the cake set up next to it to create the perfect picture background.”

We’re big fans of the light-up letters and the ‘his and hers’ cocktails on offer. Bravo, Team Surtees!

James and Charlotte were called into The Grain Shed, and greeted with much whooping and hollering.

The excellent speeches featured a comedy T-Shirt, and a nail-biting story of James’s encounter with a dangerous hedgehog on his first day on the beat.

“The food was absolutely incredible,” remembers Charlotte. “The Hog & Apple team understood us perfectly and created our dream menu. The highlight had to be the starter - an Italian-Yorkshire fusion sharing board, full of charcuterie, cheese, artisan sausage rolls, ham-hock terrines - my mouth is watering thinking about it again!”

The Italian-Yorkshire sharing board was followed by ‘pork three ways’ and a classic crème brûlée dessert.

Then, of course, was the cake - crafted by Charlotte’s Mum, no less. And, by our reckoning, it was the tallest cake we’ve had at The Normans.

Bride and groom cut the wedding cake in The Normans wedding venue Grain Shed. dotandscolly.co.uk

“After being together for 12 years, we wanted the day to celebrate love and for everyone to have a great party,” explains Charlotte…

… And that they did. The first dance set the tone for the evening…

Bride and groom share their first dance in Grain Shed at The Normans wedding venue. dotandscolly.co.uk

… especially since it was ‘crashed’ by venue favourites The New York Brass Band.

Party time in The Grain Shed at The Normans wedding venue. dotandscolly.co.uk

“Our guests have said it is one of the best weddings they have ever been to because of the venue, entertainment, food and organisation of the day - we’re biased but we’d have to agree,” exudes Charlotte.

Don’t worry, Charlotte - we’re also biased - but it really was a smashing soiree!

Roll on summer, we say.


We thought it was clichéd when people said your wedding is the best day of your life, but ours absolutely was - because of The Normans team!
— Sunshine bride Charlotte
Sunset outside The Normans wedding venue, York. dotandscolly.co.uk

SUPPLIERS

PHOTOGRAPHY Dot and Scolly

BRIDE’S DRESS Allure Bridals (draping by Rebekah Hock Bridal Alterations)

Bridesmaids’ dresses Rewritten

FLoWERS Kate Mell Flowers

FOOD The Hog & Apple

CEREMONY & RECEPTION MUSIC Aurora Strings

CELEBRANT Rachael Meyer

EVENING MUSIC The New York Brass Band


All about Autumn at The Normans

Since summer’s in no rush to show its face (we’re writing this in early April and it’s still raining), let’s go back to the bright blue skies and golden hues of autumn.

Yes, autumn.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: we love an autumn wedding.

And we’re not the only ones. Dynamic duo Maddie and Alastair also love an autumn wedding, which is why they picked one fine day in November to tie the knot at The Normans.

Happily for us - and anyone casting their eyes over this blog - Maddie and Alastair enlisted the skills of photographer Hamish Irvine to pap the day.

Hamish is a regular at The Normans and knows how to capture couples (and the venue!) in all their glory!

We can’t get over these gorgeous images of our Courtyard, quiet and still, awaiting the arrival of wedding guests.

But the autumn aesthetics paled in comparison to beautiful bride Maddie, whose smile says it all…

Marvellous Maddie is no stranger to The Normans wedding venue, having visited previously in a professional capacity, working for the most excellent Martin House Children’s Hospice (check out photos from last year’s charity ball, if you haven’t already!)

However, work was the last thing on Maddie’s mind. She had more pressing matters to attend to: smashing champagne in her pyjamas with her bridesmaids.

The girls were soon joined by Jamie Bailey of Meraki Hair Salon who was in charge of the bride’s hair, while the team from Capelli looked after the bridesmaids.

Make-up artist Sonia Schofield, meanwhile, blushed, bronzed and (further) beautified the bridal party.

Then, of course, there was the dress.

Beau’ by Made With Love Bridal, procured from The Aisle in Skipton, features hand-beaded lace and a striking square neckline.

“Gemma and the team were so lovely,” enthuses Maddie - I had the best experience!”

Finishing touches were perfected by seamstress Helen at The Bobbin Bridal, who also made Maddie a stunning headband out of excess material from here dress.

“I put the headband on later in the night… I love it!” exclaims Maddie. “It also means I can carry on wearing a little bit of my wedding day whenever I want!”

“I loved the beading and sparkles,” says Maddie. “Everyone seemed to be heading for lace this year - or at least in my friendship circle - I wanted something to catch the November light and look sparkly!”

Maddie looked picture-perfect and hearts duly melted when she revealed her dress to bridesmaids and her dear Dad.

Outside, guests basked in the cool light of autumn, mingling in the leafy environs of The Normans Courtyard.

“We always knew we wanted an autumn wedding, a rustic but classy feel, but we didn’t want to go with the standard rusts and oranges,” says Maddie.

“We had the idea to have white and gold with little additions of colour, with our wedding party in black, we also asked the guests to wear colour, we didn’t want them to feel like they needed to dull it down for an autumn wedding and they did a great job!“

The Ceremony Barn at The Normans wedding venue. Photo by Hamish Irvine

Maddie made her way to the Ceremony Barn with the assistance of wedding planner Sian Chaplin…

The bride leaves The Normans wedding venue Bridal Cottage and heads towards the Ceremony Barn

… And with all this excitement, we nearly forgot to give a shout-out to the other half of our power couple, Alastair Massey - known to all and sundry as ‘Mass’. (No, not a reference to Density multiplied by Volume, or even Force divided by Acceleration, just an abbreviation of Massey. In case you were wondering. Which you probably weren’t…)

Mass was all smiles and looked dapper in his tailored tux from Slaters. The slick suit was embellished with a bespoke bowtie.

Bride and groom exchange vows in The Normans wedding venue Ceremony Barn. Photo by Hamish Irvine

Maddie met Mass at in front of The Ceremony Barn’s iconic cascading fairy lights…

… and the couple sealed their newly married status with a heartfelt kiss.

Bride and groom kiss in The Normans wedding venue ceremony barn

Once they’d signed the register, Maddie and Mass made a dramatic exit from the Ceremony Barn…

… out into The Courtyard…

The fine weather enabled guests to enjoy much of the day outside: sipping bubbly, sampling H&A’s top-drawer canapes, and admiring the personal touches that Maddie and Mass had added to the venue.

“Working in events, we really appreciate what good lighting can achieve,” explains Maddie. “Whether it’s candles, fairy lights, festoon lights, anything…”

Indeed, Maddie brought in AV Matrix to install extra festoon lights across the width of The Courtyard, making the area look all the more stunning as the sun set.

And let’s hear it for Maddie’s bridesmaids - all beautiful in black.

“There’s this joke that I’m like Morticia Addams,” laughs Maddie. “All I wear is black! It’s my colour! So much so, my now mother-in-law was slightly worried my wedding dress would be black, so it was only fitting that my bridesmaids were in black. I let each of them pick their own style from Six Stories. I think they looked so classy!”

The drinks reception after the marriage ceremony is the perfect time time for newly married couples to escape their guests and spend some quiet time together.

Aforementioned photographer Hamish Irvine knows his way around The Normans, so was able to take Maddie and Mass to some choice spots, resulting in some truly lovely shots…

But there’s only so much time a couple can spend smoochy kissing in tree-lined avenues and golden sunsets - people have to eat! And so, the large wooden doors of the Grain Shed were flung open and guests were called in for the wedding breakfast.

“We had candles on the top table for our grandparents who are no longer with us,” says Maddie when asked about her decorative features in The Grain Shed. “We wanted to honour them but in a subtle way and having their names on the candles did that for us.”

“We’re also proud of our table numbers. We spent time going through our baby photos - I think our parents really appreciated it!”

While guests took their seats, Maddie, Mass, bridesmaids, and groomsmen, took themselves to The Cow Stalls for some pre-dinner Dutch Courage (read as: shots!)

And then the couple made quite the entrance!

Proceedings started with speeches…

There was laughter.

There were tears.

And then there was food.

Lots of food.

“We are foodies,” announces Maddie in no uncertain terms. “We’ve been to so many weddings and we were adamant we wanted the food at ours to be remembered. And it was: our guests have not stopped talking about how good it was! The chicken and waffle to start was just such an us choice! And the beef sharing board! YUM! But the chocolate-orange dessert… wow! We tried this dessert at one of the H&A taster nights at The Normans and it was incredible! The perfect end to the meal!”

While guests gorged themselves on H&A’s fantastic fare, artist Stephanie Struth sat in the corner, diligently finishing the hugely impressive live painting she started during the ceremony. (We love this painting!)

Credit also to Anna Burton who crafted this three-tier beauty of a cake!

A bit of downtime between the end of the wedding breakfast and the beginning of the band’s first set gave Maddie, Mass and their respective Squads an opportune moment to steal into the night and wave around fizzing sticks of fire.

Fair play. The photos look great.

Of course, sparklers are all well and good, but nothing says ‘wedding celebration’ like spraying a bottle of bubbly in a dark, isolated rural setting.

Bride and groom spray champagne outside The Normans wedding venue. Photo by Hamish Irvine

Once sparklers had burned out and champagne had been sprayed and duly quaffed, Maddie and Mass were back inside on the dance floor.

DJ Silver Jams oversaw deck duties, and wedding guests - wielding glowing batons like an army of crazed party goblins - proceeded to beast the dance floor until the night was out.

Bravo.

The Normans was beyond incredible - we had the best day of our lives and we wouldn’t have wanted our wedding anywhere else!
It will always hold the most special place in our hearts.
— Marvellous Maddie

SUPPLIERS

Photography Hamish Irvine

Bride’s dress Beau by Made With Love Bridal
from The Aisle; Tailoring by The Bobbin Bridal

Bridesmaids’ dresses Six Stories

Groom’s suit Slaters

Bride’s hair Meraki Hair Salon

Bridemaids’ hair Capelli

Make-up Sonia Schofield

Flowers Nicolla Florist

Food H&A

Additional festoon lights AV Matrix

Live artist Stephanie Struth

Hannah and Jon's fabulous festive wedding at The Normans

In the words of our man Andy W: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”.

Well, not so much now - we’re writing this blog in late January, the dullest time of year - but Christmas, which, in our humble opinion, is indeed the most wonderful time of the year… to get married.

While most of you will be looking forward to the arrival of Spring, we’re looking back at the season to be jolly, when Hannah & Jon decked The Normans with boughs of holly for their wonderful winter wedding.

We start, then, with our beautiful bride Hannah, whose preparations for her big day were helped by the mad make-up skills of Emma Denton and hair-styling sorcery of Debbie and Cheryl from Studio 76 York Hair & Beauty.

Hannah’s bridal gown was a piece by Richard Designs, which she procured from Treasured Brides (a five-minute drive from The Normans, no less).

“Treasured Brides is a truly special place,” says Hannah.

“The owner Zoe really takes the time to understand what you're after and the vibe of you and the big day. We loved her system of picking and trying on dresses. If a dress was a maybe, then it got hung on her door, and then the next dress either had to beat the first one to replace it on the door, or it got turned down.”

“This was a simple way of narrowing down to a couple of favourites, and the dress I chose ended up being the first one I tried on in Zoe's shop,” recalls Hannah.

“I liked the fitted corset bodice, and the sparkly leaf detailing on the skirt and train. I wanted something with a bit of sparkle to reflect the lovely fairy lights in The Normans Ceremony barn and all around the venue.”

“I ended up picking my ‘cape veil’ from there too - and my Mum bought her outfit from Zoe too. So, all in all, we had a few successful trips out to Angram!”

Meanwhile, Groom Jon was on a bus.

Not the X43 to Scarborough, but a classic double-decker bus from York Pullman, which was heading to The Normans (not Scarborough).

Jon cut quite the dash in his chequered three-piece suit from Suits Direct.

While Jon and his guests disembarked the fun bus and congregated for yet more fun in the venue, Hannah was visited by her Dad in The Normans Cottage. Not a dry eye in the house.

Outside, the venue was awash with seasonal cheer.

“We were going for festive-rustic glam, since it was a winter wedding,” explains Hannah. “There was lots of eucalyptus, thistles (I have Scottish parents!), fairy lights, candles…”

“We loved the Kate Mell arrangements we saw at the H&A Tasting Night at The Normans, and we thought it would be useful to go with a florist who really knew the venue. We got Kate to do the gypsophila selfie frame in the Cow Stalls, but in the end, I don't think people really went in there because of the lovely new (warm) Stables Bar, which was such a fab, unexpected addition to the whole venue.”

“We also got her to put the two Christmas trees at the end of the aisle in The Ceremony Barn, which I think looked stunning with the fairy lights,” says Hannah.

Hannah was radiant as she, arm in arm with her Dad, walked down the aisle in The Normans Ceremony Barn to meet Jon.

Bride walks down the aisle in The Normans wedding venue Ceremony Barn. Photo by Monkeymole

The couple read heartfelt personalised vows to one another…

… and their union was sealed with a kiss.

After navigating through a blizzard of confetti, Hannah and Jon made their way out into The Normans Courtyard for drinks and canapes.

Happily, the weather on their wedding day was a crisp dry day so all and sundry could spend a bit of time drinking al fresco before retreating to cosier corners of the venue.

Bride and groom in The Courtyard for drinks reception at The Normans wedding venue. Photo by Monkemole

Importantly, the dry weather meant that the bride and groom’s sausage dog could mingle with guests (and hoover up any misplaced canapes).

Inside, the sparkling Grain Shed dining area awaited guests.

The focal point of the room was the bride and groom’s custom-made neon sign, which hung behind the top table.

“[The sign] really stood out in all the photos from the meal and speeches,” says Hannah. “Multiple guests commented that they would like to do something similar on their day - or just in their homes!”

Hats off to Wild Fire Neon for their handiwork!

Hannah and Jon had opted for The Normans’ rustic banqueting tables, which featured gantries lined with greenery and tealights hanging in baubles. The effect was simple, yet stunning.

When the Grain Shed doors were opened, guests were greeted by a personalised table plan, and golden balloons bobbing in the cool December breeze.

Things soon warmed up, with the introduction of the bride and groom…

The food at The Normans is always a show-stopper, thanks to top-drawer caterers The Hog & Apple Food Co.

“We loved the H&A tasting night [hosted at The Normans] and we ended up choosing our main of chicken and chorizo, and our dessert or apple and blackberry parfait from that evening,” explains Hannah. “We also chose a couple of the canapes from the night, too!” 

Sharing platter by H&A in The Grain Shed dining area at The Normans wedding venue. Photo by Monkemole

“I think the thing that most people remember - and have commented on since - were the Yorkshire sharing-board starters - and how the boards were set out on the long banqueting tables when guests entered the Grain Shed. That was a bit different and got people talking to each other, and filled people up before the break for speeches.”

Wedding guests listen to speeches in The Grain Shed dining area. Photo by Monkeymole

“We picked a lighter pudding knowing that people would have lots of drinks and cakes later,” says Hannah.

Cutting the wedding cake in the Grain Shed at The Normans wedding venue. Photo by Monkeymole

“And a shoutout to Ange at Iced Yorkshire, who made the most delicious, gorgeous cake that we still dream about!”

The cake proved the perfect fuel for the first dance…

… which was quickly followed by funky festive footwork from all Hannah and Jon’s guests.