Having spent the best part of 2020 and 2021 curled up in the foetal position, sobbing, we haven’t had a great deal of time to update our wonderful wedding blog. It needed something special to shake us out of our malaise, and that something special was Sophie & Dan Shakespeare’s 15-person wedding here at The Normans, last October.
As bride Sophie and groom Dan will testify, it was no easy feat arranging a wedding in the midst of ever-changing Covid-related regulations and restrictions (think: Tier-fears and Lockdown 2.0 looming large). However, with a bit of creative thinking, flexibility and a can-do attitude, Team Shakespeare and Team Normans combined to create something rather special.
In some respects, a 15-person wedding during a global pandemic is completely different to the many ‘normal’ weddings we’ve hosted at The Normans in ‘normal’ times. In other respects, there is still a heart-warming familiarity to this truncated format.
The day started off, as it always does, with Sophie and her bridesmaid-bubble readying themselves in The Normans Cottage. A special shout out to Amy George Make-up and awesomely talented Amy Elliot Hair. These ladies are not only excellent at what they do, but deserve special mention - like everyone in the wedding industry - for toughing it out in such difficult times.
Bride Sophie couldn’t be more complimentary: “I wanted my bridal party and I to have natural hair [styling] and a natural flawless make-up look that would last all day! The two Amys exceeded all expectations and really helped to create that relaxing bridal pamper experience I had always imagined.”
Meanwhile, groom Dan’s preparations mostly consisted of doting over Guinness, the couple’s trusted four-legged companion…
… and yet, he and his groomsmen managed to scrub up rather well. Here they are, below. Dan is dressed in a dapper navy-blue tweed-check suit from Marc Darcy, while the best man and father-of-the-bride and father-of-the-groom wore matching blue herringbone-style suits, all purchased from Jenson Samuel in Skipton.
“The vintage yet sophisticated design was well suited to the rustic nature of The Normans,” explains Sophie, “and the burgundy knitted ties combined well with bridesmaids' dresses.”
“But what was Guinness wearing?!” We hear you cry. Fear not, he was sporting a brand-new tweed collar and matching lead. Nice.
Meanwhile, Sophie was slipping into her stunning La Sposa dress from Bridal Rogue Gallery.
“After months of browsing online, I was yet to see one dress I liked,” she remembers. “Ironically, I found myself scrolling through The Normans blog when I stumbled upon a recommendation for a boutique in York. I booked an early appointment to have a first-time browse and ended up walking out having said yes to the dress - it was pretty much the first wedding purchase! It almost felt too easy!”
“I wanted to go for the elegant yet sophisticated look and I fell in love with the statement piece train and the detailed sparkled lace back,” continues Sophie. “I thought it would glisten against the fairly-lit backdrop of The Normans Ceremony Barn.”
Speaking of The Normans Ceremony Barn, here it is, below, in all its sparkling glory. You’re welcome.
“The Normans is a gorgeous venue just as it is, so we only needed to add [a few] personal touches, “ says Sophie. “In keeping with the contemporary rustic vibe, we warmed to a navy, berry and gold colour scheme and opted for wild, natural autumnal floral arrangements from Forge Events.”
As beautiful as The Normans Ceremony Barn was (shout out to Kate Mell Flowers for providing the lanterns), it paled in comparison to stunning Sophie as she walked down the aisle to meet her man Dan.
Having only hosted a handful of weddings in between various Lockdowns, seeing Dan & Sophie exchanging vows in front of our cascading fairy-lights was emotional to say the least. Full credit to the couple for making it happen - it was a privilege to host their ceremony.
Once Dan & Sophie were pronounced man and wife, guests filtered through to the Cow Stalls and the Tack Room Bar for drinks and canapes. The couple, meanwhile, were whisked outside by lovely Laura from Lumiere Photographic for some autumnal shots.
Sophie may have stolen the show (obvs), but her bridesmaids looked fabulous in their dresses from Joys Bella Bridesmaids, near York.
“I chose burgundy, diamond-embellished dresses with a georgette skirt from the Motee Maid Original Collection for my girls,” says Sophie. “I felt these worked really well with my wedding dress. I really wanted my girls to love their dresses but also feel comfortable in them, so each bridesmaid chose their own bodice style. My maid of honour went for an elegant draped cowl neck, while my two bridesmaids went with the same Amelia-style but with delicate straps.”
One advantage of a small, 15-person wedding is that The Normans Team (with the help of Hog & Apple) were easily able to repurpose the Ceremony Barn for the wedding breakfast. This was a first for the venue, but we were so pleased how smoothly the changeover went - it’s definitely something we’ll offer couples who are considering a 15-person wedding and reception as restrictions are eased in coming months.
“The Normans venue is extremely dynamic,” says Sophie. “We chose for the Ceremony Barn to be transformed into our reception area while we enjoyed fizz and canapes in the Cow Stalls.”
Sophie & Dan opted for a ‘horseshoe’ table arrangement, with their guests seated around the outer edge, looking in. This filled the Ceremony Barn nicely, but, at the same time, remained intimate and sociable - guests were seated in households and/or bubbles, and could easily converse with one another across tables (while maintaining social distancing).
Meanwhile, candles and decorative items were rearranged to create a divine dining setting.
“We were lucky to be able to repurpose our flowers, our aisle greenery were turned into fabulous table runners, while the registrar's table arrangement made a beautiful statement piece for the top end,” says Sophie.
Being big foodies, Sophie and Dan commissioned Hog & Apple to curate each course.
“We opted for an adventurous, challenging and seasonal menu - the goal was to wow our guests,” explains Sophie. “From mini steak pies and baby pints of beer to a specially made ‘His and Hers’ desserts topped with mesmerising dry ice, every dish complimented the modern rustic vibe we strived to achieve.”
Sophie & Dan finished the evening with Korean-style steamed bao buns and even designed their own ‘His and Hers’ signature cocktails.
Although a 15-person wedding wasn’t what Sophie and Dan had in mind when they first booked at The Normans, the couple said they wouldn’t change a thing about their Big (small) Day.
“We are, obviously, a little bias but intimate weddings are the best!” exclaims Sophie. “Relaxed, intimate and romantic, we were able to interact with our guests on a more personal level, spending quality time with them and really sharing every little aspect of the day.”
“Smaller doesn't mean less special,” continues Sophie. “Co-ordinating an event for just 15 was generally less daunting and less stressful than for a wedding of 100-plus - especially when those 15 are your closest friends and family. The tears of our guests spoke a thousand words, every single one of them mentioned afterwards that the atmosphere was so heartfelt, truly unique and incredibly special.”
“The Normans team worked tirelessly to help develop our plans in line with ever-changing government guidelines, to the point where we pulled our wedding forward with a week’s notice to avoid the second national lockdown! We would truly recommend The Normans to any couple looking for a gorgeous venue, supportive team and outstanding service.”
