Real Weddings
Inspiration for your Big Day
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…
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.
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!”
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
Vows were exchanged…
… 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.
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.
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…
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.
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!”
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.
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.
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…)
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.”
“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.
And, of course, a special mention for Annie’s dad…*
[*Writer dabs tears from eyes and bravely continues with blog…]
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.
“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.
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…
… 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.
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. .”
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.
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…
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…
… The Normans Courtyard began to fill with excitable wedding guests…
… many of whom were subject to enthusiastic bear hugs from the groom.
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.
“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…
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.
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.
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.)
Back inside the venue, guests were being seated for the wedding breakfast.
The Grain Shed dining area had been styled by the couple themselves…
“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.
“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…
… especially since it was ‘crashed’ by venue favourites The New York Brass Band.
“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!”
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!“
Maddie made her way to the Ceremony Barn with the assistance of wedding planner Sian Chaplin…
… 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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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!”
“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.”
“We picked a lighter pudding knowing that people would have lots of drinks and cakes later,” says Hannah.
“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.
And no good wedding would be complete without…
… press-ups.
“I couldn’t recommend The Normans more; we had the best day of our lives and will treasure the memories forever. I just hope some of our friends get married there so we can go back and enjoy the venue as guests! ”
Poor old Autumn. The third season of the meteorological calendar is oft overlooked when it comes to choosing a wedding date. And while the weather at time of writing is soggy to say the least (take a bow, Storm Ciarán), we absolutely adore this time of year.
Before you ask, we’re not just saying this because we happen to have a couple of Saturdays in November 2024 still available. Would we be so cynical? (Email for details!) Oh no. We genuinely love the golds and reds of the turning leaves, the low afternoon light, and the infinite stylistic inspiration the season provides.
Don’t believe us? Still think we’re trying to hawk our last remaining 2024 weekend dates? (Email for details!) Well, read on, and be amazed at the autumnal awesomeness of Kat and Jack’s October wedding…
Contrary to popular belief, a wedding doesn’t start when the bride walks down the aisle. It starts when the bride wakes up at 6am, knocks back half a bottle of Prosecco, and sits down for hair and make-up.
Meet Kat - our stunning bride - pictured below in the good hands of Jade and Beth, aka Bow and Blush.
Sisters Jade and Beth spent the morning spreading good vibes and expertly administering make-up and crafting the coiffures of Kat, the Mums and the bridesmaids.
Once hair and make-up had been finished, attention turned to the dress. The dress.
“I had absolutely no idea what sort of wedding dress I wanted,” says Kat. “I tried everything, from ballgowns to slip dresses. I didn’t originally pick out ‘the one’ but, after Leanne at The Harrogate Wedding Lounge listened to what I liked and what I didn’t like about the dresses I was trying on, she brought me ‘June’ by Maggie Sottero.”
“I instantly fell in love with the way the chiffon skirt fell effortlessly and glided with me as I moved,” continues Kat. “My absolute favourite thing to do, both in the shop and on our wedding day, was twirl and swish around in the dress!”
“The material and fit were incredibly comfortable which was really important for me. I wanted to be able to eat, drink and dance the day away without worrying about a thing! The pearl buttons running all the way down the back, the capped sleeves and the lace details in the bodice all added the perfect amount of detail,” says Kat. “It felt romantic, girly and sophisticated all in one.”
Kat looked picture-perfect in her dress. And her choice of bridesmaids’ dresses was equally on point.
“I always knew I wanted an autumnal colour scheme to go with our October wedding date,” explains Kat. “We loved the flowy skirts of these classy one-shoulder dresses from Krisp Clothing - the flowy skirts tied in with the style of my dress. The girls all looked stunning.”
Meanwhile, outside, groom Jack stared into the middle distance…
Anyone with reasonable visual acuity can confirm that chisel-jawed Jack successfully pulled off the autumn aesthetic. Here he is wearing traditional tails. He and his groomsmen went for navy suits and burgundy cravats (to tie in with the bridesmaids’ dresses), and all suits (including tuxes for Kat’s brother and Jack’s four brothers) were hired from Impeccable Suits, a small independent hire shop in Pinner, near Harrow.
“Jack’s one rule for our wedding that it could not be a hot day! So we were always going to stay clear of spring and summer,” explains Kat (thus furthering our argument that autumn weddings are ace).
She continues: “My one rule for our wedding was that I wanted to get married before turning 30, so we snuck our date in before my big 3-0 in November. October seemed like the perfect time for both of us, so we went big on the autumnal-rustic style. The Normans doesn’t need any grandiose décor - it does the talking itself, which is one of the many reasons we loved the venue so much! So we went for minimalistic greenery with pops of autumnal colour for our flowers.”
Said greenery was provided by none other than Kate Mell.
“We had two gorgeous large bouquets at the end of the aisle and some smaller decorative flowers on the tables to bring the pops of colour, plus my gorgeous rustic bouquet,” says Kat.
“The bridesmaids had white flowers and greenery only, so as to not take away from the bold colour of their dresses. Kate Mell decorated us and The Normans beautifully with greens, whites and autumnal colours.”
With so much care and attention paid to the wedding-day aesthetics, it was little wonder that Kat’s entrance into The Ceremony Barn - and the ceremony thereafter - was quite simply breath-taking.
Once declarations of love had been made, and vows exchanged, Kat and Jack ran the gauntlet of flying flower petals and led their guests to the safety of The Courtyard for drinks and canapes.
There’s nothing like a marriage ceremony to work up a good appetite and Kat and Jack didn’t need to be asked twice to get stuck into the canapes.
The drinks reception is always an opportune time for bride, groom, groomsmen and bridesmaids to escape the throng for photos.
Shout out to the lovely Laura of Lumiere - the lady behind the camera at Kat and Jack’s Big Day.
Laura is one of the best wedding photographers in the business because she’ll go to great lengths to capture the perfect shot. For instance, forcing her couples to risk their life and limb by dancing in the middle of a busy public road.
(Okay, it wasn’t that busy…)
After two hours of drinks, canapes and a number of Highway Code violations, it was time for the wedding breakfast.
The Grain Shed dining area - all a twinkle with abundant fairy lights looked all the more splendid thanks to the personal touches added by the couple.
“In terms of stationery, we stuck to simple and rustic,” says Kat. “We wanted something sustainable and it just so happened that Jack had gone to school with Amy who now runs her own sustainable wedding stationery business - Beloved Creations. We worked with Amy to create elegant designs on seeded plant-able paper, in-keeping with the rustic-chic theme. Our table names were all special places that Jack and I had either lived or travelled in the past, bringing some lovely memories to the day.”
“We adored the romantic lights dotted around the various barns at The Normans, which gave such a homely, special and sparkly feel to the venue,” continues Kat. “We decided to light up the back of the stage with light-up-letters from Love Lights The Way to add even more sparkle around the stage area - a great backdrop for the band in the evening. Because who doesn’t love LOVE!?”
Meanwhile Jack’s Mum was let loose on sweet-table styling.
“She came up trumps,” says Kat. “She produced an incredible pick-and-mix table with some hilarious photos strung up, bringing more memories to the day.”
The wedding cake, meanwhile, was crafted by the talented Alice at Copper Spoon Bakery.
“It was very in-keeping with our burgundy and navy colour scheme,” notes Kate. “One layer of sticky gingerbread and the other layer of lemon and tart blackberry. We froze a lot of it and are still occasionally enjoying a piece to this day!”
The gorgeous couple were welcomed into the wedding breakfast with near-hysterical fervour from their fans (guests)…
… and proceedings started with humorous yet heartfelt speeches.
And what was it we were saying about the loveliness of the autumn afternoon light?
Whatever it was, the sentiment is perfectly captured by this photo, taken after the wedding breakfast and before the evening party picked up in earnest.
After their sunset smooch, Kat and Jack were coaxed back inside for the first dance, which was entrusted to the mad musical skills of Mona Vale Acoustics from Entertainment Nation (a music agency not some weird sovereign state).
… and the dance floor was quickly overrun by a most unruly mob (aka Kat and Jack’s close friends and family) who spent the night finger-pointing-in-the-air, shouting, and some impressive interpretive dance.
“The Normans team couldn’t do enough for us in the run up to - and during - our big day. We were both completely at ease the day before, the morning of, and during our wedding day, which was testament to The Normans as a venue and the brilliant Oliver and Sharon”
As the autumn sky greys and the leaves on the trees begin to turn, let our latest blog instalment warm you with memories of May as we hark back to the wedding of Kayleigh and Daniel…
The couple tied the knot at The Normans wedding venue on May 13 (lucky for some) - and what a wedding it was! The day began with Kayleigh and her crew quaffing girl-boss quantities of champagne as they prepared for the ceremony.
On hand to skilfully style the bridesmaids’ hair was Kayleigh’s old school friend Kelsey Tangi.
“When I saw that [Kelsey] had started out as a hair stylist, I knew I had to book her for my bridesmaids,” enthuses Kayleigh. “She’s developed some amazing skills since she started doing this, and it just added to the lovely atmosphere having her here!”
Kayleigh’s own hair was coiffed by award-winning stylist Colette, better known as Hair by Tosetti, while make-up artist Lucy Taylor worked her magic to enhance Kayleigh’s already radiant glow.
“I found these two lovely ladies on Instagram, and fell in love with their work straight away,” says Kayleigh. “Lucy’s style mirrored my own make-up style, which was important since I wanted to look like myself on the day!”
“Colette’s work blew me away!” continues Kayleigh. “My hair and make-up trials went so well and I left feeling like I had known both ladies all my life - I couldn’t wait to have them be part of my special day!”
Kayleigh’s beautiful bridesmaids wore stunning sage dresses from online retailer Shein.
“They cost a shocking £12 each!” laughs Kayleigh. [Editor’s note: Yes, £12]
“I searched and searched for some modern, floaty, spaghetti-strapped midi-dresses and had no luck whatsoever. All of the ones on wedding websites were too, well, ‘bridesmaidy’! And then, I was ordering something for myself on Shein and came across exactly what I was looking for! Plus the style of the dress means that my girls can wear theirs again! I even bought one for myself!”
And then there was the bride’s dress. And what a dress.
“I knew that I wanted a very modern, timeless dress, with not much fuss, and one that I wouldn’t look back at in years to come and wonder what was I thinking! I tend to go off things so easily!” says Kayleigh.
Kayleigh had seen a design by Eva Lendel in Leeds that she fell in love with, but, when she went to her fitting, the dress had been sold.
“I tried on 49 dresses after this!” admits Kayleigh. [Editor’s note: Yes, 49]
“But I still had the Eva Lendel dress on my mind, so my amazing sister - also my maid of honour - drove me two hours to Lacy Days in Greater Manchester where it was in stock. This is where I had the magical ‘this is the one’ moment!”
The look on bridesmaids’ faces when they first saw Kayleigh in her dress says it all, really…
Before the girls got going, groom Daniel stole into The Cottage - not to cause a scene, might we add, but to exchange gifts with his betrothed. The couple remained hidden from one another, and passed the presents around the corner. A nice touch.
Love was well and truly in the air, so it was fitting that our soon-to-be-weds would be doing the ‘I dos’ in a suitably stunning setting.
In the Ceremony Barn, Kayleigh went candle crazy, commissioning the creative talents of Shindig Event Styling who dotted teeny tealights in glass lanterns at the top of the aisle. The aisle itself had a makeover with an ivory-white runner, while the Shindig team adorned the barrels with cloud-like gypsophila.
Once guests had been seated in the Ceremony Barn, the stage was set for the entrance of the bridal party.
Kayleigh was walked down the aisle by her darling Dad…
… and met her beau, Daniel, in front of The Normans’ cascading fairylights (oft imitated, never duplicated, might we add!).
Vows were exchanged… registers were signed…
… and the couple shared their first smoochy kiss as man and wife. Or wife and man. Or whatever the acceptable parlance to describe a married couple is, these days. (Please don’t cancel us.)
As is the tradition in these parts, the bride and groom were enthusiastically pelted in the face with confetti as they tried to leave the building.
Once the confetti had settled, guests enjoyed drinks and canapes in The Normans Courtyard. The May sunshine, which was playing hard-to-get up until this point, finally made an appearance.
Our catering chums, The Hog & Apple Food Co, were out in force, keeping it real with simple yet sublime canapes - from zingy fresh bruschetta to mini fish ‘n’ chips and mushy peas. Hurrah.
The drinks reception after the wedding ceremony also afforded the bride and groom a chance to escape their adoring fans for 30 minutes and explore the farm and surrounding countryside…
They were joined by their cohort of bridesmaids and groomsmen…
… And all the hand-holding and hugging and kissing and all round loveliness of these excellent human beings was captured in camera by the most excellent wedding photographer Charlotte White (the lady responsible for all these fantastic photos, in case you were wondering).
Once canapes had been consumed, and guests had quaffed their way through the couple’s drinks package, the impressively large rustic double doors were flung open to reveal the twinkling splendour of The Grain Shed dining area.
Kayleigh and Daniel did a great deal of the décor themselves, including the seating plan, which greeted guests as they entered The Grain Shed.
The Grain Shed looked stunning - all the more so because of Kayleigh and Daniel’s little personal touches throughout.
“We added personalised colouring books for the children, photos throughout the venue, and ‘our angels’ table with photos of loved ones no longer with us,” explains Kayleigh. “Because of our modern, quite minimal decorative theme, these personal touches made it extra special - and specific to us.”
Kayleigh and Daniel were welcomed into the Grain Shed with whoops and hollers and enthusiastic applause…
… And speeches proved to be a perfect blend of laughter and emotion.
And it was hard not to get emotional when looking at this cake (assuming that hunger is classified as an emotion). Bravo to Scrumbcakes for baking such a beauty!
Once guests had gorged themselves on Hog & Apple’s fantastic fare, Kayleigh beckoned All The Single Ladies outside for the bouquet toss…
… what ensued could have been taken straight from Squid Game, but once the flower-induced furore had subsided, and the debris had been cleared, the wedding party returned to the Grain Shed where the evening’s proceedings were kicked off with a dad-daughter dance…
And then Daniel stepped in to dazzle with some slick moves that set the tone for the evening.
The couple were soon joined by the rest of their guests and so began a night of most vigorous dancing…
… and shots…
… Lots of shots.
“From the second we stepped into the venue we knew we had found a special place run by such special people. ”
‘Boho’ and ‘chic’ are oft-used adjectives when it comes to wedding styling, so it’s refreshing to come across a couple who pulled off this aesthetic with genuine panache. Step forward Hannah and Will, who brought all the joys of Spring to The Normans wedding venue for their May wedding.
Bride Hannah was a vision in her Wtoo by Watters Lenora dress, which was awash with exquisite detailing and delicate floral lace appliqués.
“[The dress] suited the boho vibes, and I loved the geometric lace detail,” explains Hannah. “I had seen it online and didn’t think it would suit me, but it was perfect.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Perhaps even more eye-catching (if at all possible) was Hannah’s floral head dress crafted by Jen from the Cheshire-based Wildflower Hair Company. The vibrant spring colours played on the couple’s colour scheme for the day.
Make-up duties, meanwhile, were delegated to Normans-regular Julia Jeckell.
Bridesmaids were bedecked in velvet infinity dresses procured from a small-scale Ukraine-based Etsy seller.
“We always wanted mix-and-match bridesmaids with different dress colours, fitting and hair styles.” says Hannah. “We loved the velvet to add the glossy vibe, and we are grateful it wasn’t too hot on the day!”
Bride and groom’s boho vibes permeated the venue, with guests greeted by an utterly unique macrame-knotted welcome sign. Wow.
For those of you who had to Google ‘macrame’ (don’t worry, we did): it’s a creative knotting technique, which traditionally uses cotton or hemp rope. Why are we telling you this? Because it wasn’t just the welcome sign that was made of macrame…
“We handmade about 80 macrame pieces - covers for bottles and jars, as well as other decorative items - to offset the rustic/industrial feeling and add some boho charm! Plenty and a night was spent completing macrame in front of the TV!” laughs Hannah.
“We knew The Normans had the rural, rustic vibe we wanted, as well as being chic and stylish,” says Hannah when asked about her styling of the day. “Therefore, we didn’t feel too much pressure to bring in extravagant items as the venue speaks for itself.”
“We like bold, vibrant colours and we knew we wanted our day to reflect this. We love jewel tones so we added in the sunflower to make a more summer vibe",” says Hannah. “Our florist [Emma from The Petal Studio] did a great job in capturing the colour scheme we wanted.”
Now we better turn our attentions to groom Will, who was on hand to welcome guests as they arrived at the venue.
Will was suited and booted in a nice three-piece number from Tweed & Groom.
Based in the Elsecar Heritage Centre, this independent outlet stocks Marc Darcey suits (as modelled by Will) and Liberty London ties, which matched the couple’s colour scheme perfectly.
With the weather not behaving as it should in May, guests took shelter from occasional sprinklings of rain under the pergola and in The Cow Stalls before making their way into the Ceremony Barn…
The combination of The Normans trademark twinkling fairy lights, candles, and The Petal Studio’s vibrant floral displays perched on barrels at the top of the aisle, made for a spectacular setting for the ceremony.
Jules Barron, photographer extraordinaire, captured all the magical moments of the ceremony on camera - the exchanging of vows, the first kiss as a married couple, and the bride and groom’s confetti-strewn exit from the barn.
Happily, the sunshine made an appearance after the ceremony, meaning guests could have a tipple or two before heading into The Grain Shed dining area.
Hannah and Will were particularly proud of their handmade seating plan…
“We had many ideas for the seating plan but settled on our dog - Rupert the Whippet - as the main theme. Being a whippet he has many unique mannerisms and nicknames, which became table names,” explains Hannah.
“Emma from Blush and Blossom printed our seating plan (as well as our invitations), allowing us to personalise everything! She was great!”
Table décor was, again, the handiwork of Petal Studio. Verdant foliage punctuated by sunflowers ran the length of the rustic banqueting tables and along the gantries .
Dinner was served by way of The Hog & Apple’s famous sharing boards.
“It’s a really sociable way to enjoy a meal,” says Hannah. “For starters we chose the Yorkshire sharing board to welcome our far-flung families to our Yorkshire wedding. For mains we had a selection of meat and veg which allowed guests to sample a bit of everything. The seared lamb was our favourite!”
A marvellous array of cupcakes courtesy of York-based Crumbs Cupcakery were served after dinner…
… alongside a stunning three-tier cake by the aptly named Cakerbells.
The weather finally decided to behave once the wedding breakfast was finished, giving photographer Jules an opportunity to steal away the bride and groom for some stunning couple shots.
Soon enough, impressively bearded band Hipster struck up…
… and Hannah and Will shared their first dance as a married couple under a glittering canopy of fairy lights.
“The day was seamless; the staff organised the event perfectly around spring showers. We were never worried or stressed, we were always looked after, and the team went above and beyond to make sure our day was perfect!”
This blog has been a long time in the making. Fitting, since Maria and Tom’s wedding was also a long time in the making.
Having originally booked their Big Day at the World’s Best Wedding Venue (The Normans, in case you wondering) for May 3, 2020, the pandemic struck. Tom and Maria consequently rescheduled, only for the pandemic to strike again. Tom and Maria rescheduled again. The pandemic struck again, and so on and so forth…
Fast forward to 2022 and our courageous couple finally did the “I do” and celebrated accordingly at The World’s Best Wedding Venue (still The Normans).
While we love watching couples exchange vows in front of the cascading fairy lights in our Ceremony Barn, we have a special place in our hearts for a church wedding - specifically a church wedding at St. James’s, Bilbrough (the very place the writer of this blog post was married, no less).
Before the couple arrived at the church, there was the small matter of getting suited, booted, and suitably coiffed. Bride Maria readied herself for the Big Day at her family home with the help of Helen Griffin and Amy George…
“Hair was a no-brainer,” explains Maria. “Helen has been cutting my hair since I was a little girl, so it was really lovely to have someone I've known for so many years.”
“I knew I wanted a natural but special look for make-up,” continues Maria. “I actually came across Amy on the Normans blog! From the very first email I knew how lovely she was going to be and I was thrilled with how my first trial went.”
Maria’s Pronovias bridal gown from Bridal Rogue Gallery, Harrogate, was one of the first she tried on when hunting for wedding dresses.
“I was really drawn to the simple, elegant aesthetic of the front paired with the detailing on the back,” says Maria. “I ended up coming back to it, and the amazing ladies at Bridal Rogue Gallery helped tweak it to make it perfect, adding additional lace to fill in the cut-out sides and also adding small lace sleeves. Knowing it was completely unique made it even more special!”
Maria, as is clear to see, looked radiant - as did her bridesmaids, who were all decked in simple yet stunning dresses from Oasis.
“We loved the slightly unusual colour, which really suited everyone's different skin tones,” says Maria.
And let’s spare a thought for the boys! Bless them!
They all looked smart as a button (or, indeed, five buttons): Groom Tom was rocking an Oliver Brown number, while his groomsmen kept up appearances with three-piece morning-suits from Moss Bros.
Ties (which would later be worn around heads) were from Reef Knots.
And so, to church!
Our excellently named couple (Tom Traill and Maria Diggle - up there with the best surnames we’ve had at the venue) were married by the equally excellently named Revd Martin Otter.
After the ceremony, guests were ferried back to The Normans in a classic double-decker bus (shout out to York Pullman).
Needless to say, the bride and groom were never going to rub shoulders with riff raff on the poverty wagon. No thank you! They instead made the four-minute commute in a Rolls Royce. And quite right too.
The Normans looked fabulous under the blue spring skies of April…
… which meant that Maria and Tom, and their guests, could enjoy the drinks reception in The Normans Courtyard.
Team Hog - better known as The Hog & Apple Food Co, our most excellent resident caterers - were on hand to dish out some delicious canapes.
“We wanted to have a strong canape game,” says Tom. “And we can definitely say we succeeded! The mini pie and pints were a big hit, as were the Yorkshire puds.”
When guests were called in for the wedding breakfast, they were greeted by a room-full of sparkling fairy lights, which were embellished with a floral flourish from family friend Claire Slater.
“Claire Slater is a friend of Maria's Mum,” explains Tom. “So, again, it was lovely to have someone with a personal connection involved. Having seen Claire's work we were confident she was going to do a brilliant job. We loved the natural, rustic feel of The Normans, so we kept it fairly simple - roses, spring flowers in whites, pale pinks and pale blues, going for a elegant, natural and relaxed look.”
The Hog & Apple put on quite the feast for the couple and their guests.
“Hog & Apple gave us some brilliant recommendations based on our favourite foods,” says Tom. “We built our menu around these recommendations - scallops to start, lamb for main, and apple crumble for dessert. It was all so delicious!”
Food was enjoyed, drinks were enthusiastically imbibed…
… emotional speeches were made…
… and cakes were cut.
Maria's mum, Sue, made the incredible wedding cake, which was duly dispatched by her sword-wielding daughter.
Once the cake was comprehensively chopped, guests enjoyed four different flavoured tiers - the bottom tier was a fruitcake, which had been baked ahead of the couple’s original 2020 wedding.
“It'd been kept well-fed with booze to ensure it didn't dry out!” adds Tom.
After the wedding breakfast, Maria and Tom took time out with the most excellent Louise Anna Photography for an amble around the farm, which resulted in some stunning sunset shots. Bravo, Louise!
When the couple returned, the evening’s revelries began.
First: the first dance.
And the dancefloor quickly became the scene of rigorous revelry.
The fantastic Rolling Keys from Jonny Ross Music Agency ensured the dance floor remained packed through the evening…
… and even the bar saw some action…
“When we first visited The Normans in 2018 we knew we’d found somewhere special. We loved everything about the venue - and Oliver & Sharon sealed the deal. They were only a phone call and email away and were so supportive through [Lockdown]. They really are the best in the business! ”
