St Nicholas Cathedral and Kirkley Hall - Naomi and Alexander
Listening to the local news on television while getting ready for this amazing wedding, two familiar voices stopped me in my tracks. Looking up, I saw Naomi and Alex, blissfully happy, sharing their thoughts about getting married the next day - the same day and at the exact same time as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Their day proved to be no less memorable, and just as stunning.
They chose a real contrast in venues for their wedding - which we loved! It was a city meets country affair filled with love, celebration and fun. Their traditional religous wedding ceremony took place in the Cathedral Church of St Nicholas in Newcastle, attended by all of their family and friends, (I have never seen the Cathedral looking so full.) moving onto Kirkley Hall, and a huge marquee set up for them within the grounds of the hall.
Their day reflected the very best of a relaxed yet traditional english wedding bringing two wonderful families together.
Matfen Hall - Emma and Richard
Married at Matfen Hall last summer, Emma and Richard went all out to wow their guests with spectacular visual effects. Their elegant and minimalist day took on a different tone as we progressed into the evening. A dance floor filled with dry ice created a dreamlike setting for their first dance as husband and wife, and a crowd-stopping firework display ended the day with a bang. We were even treated to a red arrows fly past!
Here's a few words from Emma...
How did you meet? How did he propose? What is your story?
'We met at work (Cooper BMW Durham). 'Richard took me back to our first holiday location in Gran Canaria and proposed on a boat in the middle of the sea before we went parasailing.'
What was the inspiration behind your wedding?
'The inspiration for our wedding was minimalistic accessories with a modern look. We wanted the wow factor so we booked dry ice for our first dance and fireworks to end the night.'
What was the most memorable or your favourite part of your wedding day?
'I loved each and every bit of our wedding... I wish we could do it all again but if I had to pick my most memorable part that would have to be our first dance. Walking down that staircase with my husband onto a floor filled with dry ice! I will never forget that feeling and how happy I was at that moment in time with all of our family and friends around us.'
Why was photography important to you and why did you choose 2tone Photography?
'We chose 2tone photography because we liked the idea of having 2 photographers on the morning of the wedding. It was very important for us to have photographs of both myself and my now husband on the morning of the wedding. When we met up with Nigel and Chrissie we instantly knew that they were the photographers for us. We felt so welcome and you could see the quality of their work how passionate and enthusiastic there job was to them! We absolutely love the photographs that you took of our day; the album and photo frames are spectacular!'
Do you have any advice for brides and grooms who are currently in the planning process?
'Get a good wedding planning book and create a spreadsheet with amounts and dates things need to be paid. Just have fun! It might feel like there is loads to sort but try not to get stressed and enjoy every bit of it as your wedding date will come around so quick!'
Venue - Matfen Hall
Venue styling - The Finishing Touch Company
The wedding dress - YAP Bridal
The men's suits - Moss Bros
Wedding cake - The little elephant company
Flowers - The finishing touch company
Hair and Make up - Hair - Lisa Cameron Make Up - Gabby Walker
Entertainment - Luke Howell - magician
Fireworks - Spectrum - fireworks and dry ice
Wynyard Hall - Rachel and Kenny
As a recommended photographer, Wynyard Hall is a regular haunt of ours - but even after so many years, it still doesn't fail to wow us. The stunning stately north east wedding venue stops you in your tracks from the moment that you arrive. The Regency architecture with it's towering pillars invite you into the enormous octagonal statue gallery. A huge domed stained glass skylight and crystal chandelier above your head. The feeling is something like walking into a palace. Amongst its many other delights, Wynyard Hall also boasts the most stunningly beautiful private chapel, which last year, became the setting for Rachel and Kenny's wedding, and what a day it was!
In her own words, Rachel talks about their day.
THE PROPOSAL
'Kenny had travelled out to the United States where I had been working at the time. We had taken a short holiday on the Californian coast and one afternoon he had planned a trip to Newport Beach where we took a gondola ride around the canals to watch the sunset. I had absolutely no idea whatsoever that a proposal was coming my way!'
THE VENUE
'We were initially wowed by the statue gallery and it’s incredibly stunning stained-glass ceiling and imposing chandelier. As soon as we stepped in to the chapel, the deal was sealed: I couldn’t imagine being married anywhere else. The chapel is sensational in every sense of the word.'
'The wedding co-ordinator Ashleigh and master of ceremonies Ryan were there for us every single step of the way and on the day they were like my right-hand men (& woman)! There was no decision made alone and the help and guidance provided by the wedding team at Wynyard Hall was a godsend in areas where we felt we needed further advice.'
HER MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
'I wish I could rewind back to that moment where the Wynyard Hall chapel doors swung open, I could hear Canon in D playing and saw my husband-to-be waiting at the altar. I’ve never seen or experienced such emotion from so many people in one moment in my life, and that is something I’ll forever cherish.'
THE PHOTOGRAPHERS
'We spent a lot of time browsing bridal magazines that were specifically focused on the North for initial inspiration, and used social media to find the photographer who we believed would suit the overall tone of our day. We kept hoping that we would find a team that could work naturally around us and capture those beautiful shots without us even realising! We wanted the laughs, our smiles and even our tears. That’s when Nigel and Chrissie at 2Tone Photography came along…'
'Nigel and Chrissie are two of the nicest people we have ever met and so passionate about what they do. The whole experience felt incredibly personalised.'
'We received our beautiful wedding images when we were in the middle of the Eastern Cape on Safari in South Africa with the most hopeless Internet connection. We spent hours of our honeymoon “ooh’ing and aah’ing” with laughter, tears and the biggest grins on our faces reliving the day over again.'
THE DETAILS
'We envisaged a classic elegance at Wynyard Hall, combining ivory and sage green. We had enormous vases of fresh Roses on each table that filled the room with the most beautiful scent, and a carried a gorgeous bouquet of ivory Roses.'
THE DRESS
'I fell in love with a half satin, half lace Allure Bridals gown that I found at First Glance Bridal in Sunderland. The long train fluted out and accentuated my waist allowing me to feel demure, elegant and beautiful at the same time. I could never imagine getting married wearing anything else.'
THE SPECIAL TOUCHES
'I created and designed all of the stationery that we used on our wedding day with the help of my Dad. We spent hours together fussing over fonts, alignment and paper choices, eventually seeking help from the team at Prontoprint who ordered paper samples and printed our designs. The hard part was when we got to work tying over 200 ribbons and bows!
We had a range of spirits as favours – as you can never go wrong with a good old G&T – but tied a personalised tag for each guest around the bottle neck advising its exact use depending on the recipient: a truth serum, courage builder, love potion, or of course, the pain killer!'
RACHEL AND KENNY'S BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATION WAS FEATURED IN ISSUE 08 OF UNVEILED.
The Suppliers
The Venue - Wynyard Hall
The dress - Allure Bridals at First Glance Bridal
Hair - Show Off Salon
Make up - Katie Robson Make Up
The suits - Baker's Tailoring
The bridesmaids - Dessy
The flowers - Ashbrooke Florists
The cake - Joanne's Cake Creations
The cheese wedding cake - Blacks Corner
The band - The Andy Usher Trio
The photobooth - Party Pics
The Videographers - One digital Image
Beamish Hall - Kieley and Peter
As a recommended supplier, Beamish Hall is a venue that we visit regularly. A grand stately home with beautiful grounds and stunning architecture, it is a place that we always love to work at - and it made the perfect wedding venue for Kieley and Peter’s wedding in February.
Kieley looked stunning in her wedding dress, with it’s lace detailing, tulle skirt and full length veil and I adored the pretty blush colour that she dressed her bridesmaids in.
The day was filled with lots of laughter and fun. Kieley and Peter’s relaxed and carefree nature spread throughout the entire wedding party which made for a thoroughly enjoyable day which was a pleasure to be a part of.
Helena and Gareth - Wynyard Hall
Helena and Gareth's beautiful wedding took place at Wynyard Hall in the Tees Valley the day before new years eve. Helena chose pretty pastel shades and delicate florals to contrast with the deep navy blue gowns that her bridesmaids wore. The overall look was stylish and classic, perfect for their elegant venue.
They were married in the Brooks chapel within the grounds of the Wynyard Hall estate itself, heading over to the statue gallery for their drinks reception, the ballroom for their wedding breakfast and then finally into the large light filled conservatory for their evening party.
Here are a few of our favourites from their day...
Wynyard Hall - Natalie and Kevin
Natalie and Kevin chose Wynyard Hall in the tees Valley for their nuptials last summer. They were married in the stunning Mirror room, a large state room in the hall decorated in gold gilt, a sparkling chandelier and gigantic mirrors lining the walls. It was an elegant day all in all featuring a beautiful bride, a stunning venue, a horse drawn carriage, and a home made broach bouquet. Here are a few photographs from their fabulous day...
