No so long ago, we announced that summer was ‘threatening to make a comeback’. Since then we’ve had record temperatures and record rainfall.
Ah, merry England…
At least the weather behaved itself back in May for Katie and Rob’s beautiful wedding, which we’re revisiting for today’s blog… And, to clarify - the lovely couple were by no means devils, but their eye for detail when creating their Big Day was quite commendable…
On arrival, guests were greeted by blue skies and some well-placed signage guiding them into The Normans Courtyard…
… where yet more well-placed signage artfully conveyed the order of the day. We love the use of this old farm pallet. Informative and eye-catching. Bravo.
While guests mingled for pre-ceremony drinks (see above for obligatory shot of resident feline Toilet Cat strutting her stuff), bride-to-be Katie was readying herself in The Normans Cottage. Here she is being doted on by the lovely Emily and Stephanie of Luxe Hair & Makeup.
The result, as you can imagine, was quite stunning. Here’s Katie, dressed in a ‘Romance’ gown by Marylise & Rembo Styling.
“I am a Yorkshire girl at heart so always knew I would start my search for a dress ‘Up North’,” explains Katie. “I ended up finding ‘the one’ in The Bridal Collection, Harrogate. The gown I chose has a gorgeous long floaty skirt and a scalloped lace sleeveless bodice that fit me like a glove. I also fell for a long delicate veil that I absolutely loved wearing and ended up keeping on even as I was dancing the night away!”
Katie’s bridesmaids, meanwhile, were dressed in mid-blue Taurus by Veromia from NABBD (Not Another Boring Bridesmaid Dress!) in London. “The boutique has hundreds of different styles of dresses in every possible colour, which was perfect for us as we were struggling to find the right colours for our May wedding when we started looking around Christmas time,” says Katie. “The dresses looked stunning on all of my girls and worked perfectly with the colours in their spring bouquets.”
Aforementioned bouquets were the handiwork of our friend Kate Mell; here they are, modelled by Katie and her fab five bridesmaids.
Meanwhile, groom Rob loitered in The Normans Courtyard, showing off his tailored three-piece number from M&S. His classic look was finished off with the white rose of Yorkshire as a buttonhole. Quite right too.
Once Rob was buttonholed up and had assumed the position (at the end of the aisle), The Normans Team shepherded Katie and her bridesmaids to the Ceremony Barn…
Here, the father of the bride took over, and proudly walked his daughter down the aisle. And the rest, as they say, is history…
As is the tradition in these parts, the newly married couple were enthusiastically pelted with confetti as they walked back down the aisle…
… happily, their travails were rewarded by Hog & Apple, who lay in wait with some delectable canapes. On today’s menu: Korean fillet of beef in a lettuce wrap and Thai spring rolls, to name but a few.
The Normans Courtyard is the ideal place to scoff and quaff - and a rather nice setting for the obligatory group shot. Everyone say: “Coagulation of the milk protein casein!” (Or “cheese!”, if that’s easier.)
The drinks reception also affords couples the perfect opportunity to escape for quiet time and photos. We just love how photographers visiting The Normans are getting more and more creative with the backdrops they find around the farm. Hats off to Kate Gray, who was back at The Normans shooting these truly amazing portraits.
There was even the opportunity for the groomsmen and bridesmaids to get in on the action…
No corner of the farm was left unexplored - from the modern spaces…
… to some of the farm’s oldest, most scenic spots.
On the subject of photography, we have to make special mention of the couple’s DIY ‘photo booths’, imaginatively created by hanging ornate picture frames from the trusses in the Cow Stalls. This unique little area was made all the more special with bushy hops lining the mangers (Kate Mell’s handiwork, yet again) and personalised Polaroid-style bunting.
Guests were in for a treat when the Grain Shed doors were opened for the wedding breakfast…
… they were greeted by a stunning table plan, again, embellished with yet more hops; a table-full of wedding favours-cum-goodie bags…
… and little personal touches at every turn - from the guest book to the, erm, gnomes!
“Kate Mell created two stunning floral displays of hydrangeas and stocks for the end of the aisle, which filled the ceremony barn with a gorgeous scent,” reminisces Katie.
These displays were then moved by The Normans team into the Grain Shed, so Katie and Rob (and their guests!) could make the most out of them.
“We kept with the floral theme throughout,” continues Katie, “by decorating the long dining tables with rustic jam jars packed with white- and blush-coloured blooms.“
Hog & Apple duly served some beautiful-looking, great tasting food. Behold the below dishes: an antipasti sharing platter (the goat’s cheese stack) served on a raised board; Parmesan, rocket and green bean salad; chorizo mac and cheese; and an Eton Mess dessert.
“We were keen to bring everyone together and chose the long rustic dining tables and sharing dishes to do this – antipasti boards to start, followed by the most amazing pulled pork, Southern fried chicken and mac ‘n’ cheese for main. Hog and Apple were fantastic, both during the planning and on the day and so many of our guests have said how much they enjoyed our wedding breakfast,” says Katie.
Since the food and the decor were good enough to sing and dance about, it’s fitting that we fast-forward to the first dance, where Katie and Rob kicked off the evening by taking to the floor for the first time as a married couple.
Hearty hugs to the wonderful couple from all here at The Normans!
“We couldn’t have wished for a more perfect Yorkshire wedding and that is in no small part down to the fabulous venue that is The Normans. With its thousands of twinkling fairy lights, beautiful courtyard and stunning location, The Normans had everything we were looking for in a wedding venue!”
