Le Petit Chateau - Lauren and Simon
Lauren and Simon chose Le Petit Chateau in Otterburn, Northumberland for their wedding. They were won over by it's quirky decor, beautiful gardens and friendly feel. The weather sadly wasn't on our side and rain poured down the entire day. As we let our creative juices flow, Lauren and Simon were only too happy to play along to make the rain a thing to remember, and it all turned our rather well in the end!
How did you meet? What is your story?
"We met at school, we were friends from first school but actually got together as a couple at high school."
How did you get engaged?
"It was the night before my 30th birthday. We were living with my parents at the time as we were in the middle of moving house. When we got back from the cinema I went upstairs to check on our daughter Fearne and found the ring box and a card in her cot and in the card it said ‘Mammy please will you marry my Daddy?)"
Tell us about your venue. Why did you pick it?
"We chose Le Petit Chateau because after having lots of friends weddings over the last couple of years we liked that nobody we knew had been married there before. We loved how different and quirky the venue was, it had a lovely feel about the place and the staff were all so friendly. We loved the inside and the outside and also that we had plenty of rooms for people to stay, however it was definitely the ceremony room that really won us over."
What was your absolute favourite part of the day? Does your spouse have a different favourite?
"I just loved every minute of it!! His favourite part was the morning, the build up when all of the lads turned up and the adrenaline started before they went in for the ceremony."
Why was photography important to you and why did you choose 2tone Photography ?
"Photography was important because although we will always have the memories, the day really does just go so quick and we wanted some great pictures to be able to look back on over the years and remember. We chose 2tone because we loved the photos they did for my sister and friends wedding and liked how there was Nigel to be with the boys in the morning and Chrissie to be with the girls to get a picture of the whole morning both sides. We also love how relaxed they make everyone feel and the natural pictures they capture."
Do you have any advice for brides and grooms who are currently in the planning process?
"Just dont stress about the little things. Everything will come together in the end."
What is your favorite part of being married now?
"Feeling slightly closer as a family now we all have the same surname."
Venue: Le petit chateau
The wedding dress: Accent bridal
The men's suits: Moss bros
Wedding cake: Gillian banks
Flowers: The Flower Shed
Hair stylist: Reflections
Stationary: Myself
Entertainment: Proctor entertainment & Helena Pearson harpist
The South Causey Old Barn - Natalie and Daniel
South Causey Inn, being so close to us in Stanley is one venue that we visit frequently, however Natalie and Daniel's wedding was a first for us. The brand new 'Old barn', South Causey Inn's newley refurbished wedding venue, with it's wonderful decor and attention to detail was a treat to photograph within.
Natalie and Daniel were married just before halloween. The mid autumn season brought with it that stunning low sun that we love so much, and the drawn in nights presented us with a stunning pink/purple sunset.
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
Chinese wedding at Matfen Hall - Jordan and Yvonne
Jordan and Yvonne's spectacular wedding last summer took place over two days. Surrounded by all of their family and friends, they said their vows and became husband and wife at the True Jesus church in Newcastle. Arriving early to Matfen Hall ahead of their guests, together we explored the gardens, took in the sunshine and enjoyed creating some beautiful portraits before heading inside. Sweeping down the grand staricase, Yvonne and Jordan were greeted with a grand reception, followed by ice-cream, a bite to eat, and of course games, fun and frolicks.
Day two found us in Newcastle's china town, and popular restaurant, Palace garden, for a cultural celebration filled with colour and love for the newlyweds.
We have worked with the Newcastle chinese community, photographing weddings for many years now. We have come to know this group of people very well, seeing many of them time and time again. They welcome us with open arms and treat us as a part of the family. It is an absolute honor and a joy to spend time with every one of these warm, loving and welcoming individuals. We too, think of every one of you as part of our extended family, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for inviting us into your lives once again. We look forward to seeing you all again at Deborah and Justin, and Fiona and Rico's weddings later this year!
A Chinese wedding at Jesmond Dene House - Nico and Cherry
To anyone who knows us, it doesn't come as a great surprise when I say how much we love shooting Chinese weddings. The colours, the traditions, the fun, the abundance of energy and most of all the warm hearted wonderful people. Nico and Cherry's wedding at Jesmond Dene House certainly didn't disappoint.
The day started at the crack of dawn with both the bride and groom at the Village Hotel in Newcastle as they prepared for the traditional tea ceremony. Before they could leave the hotel to join their families, Nico took part in the traditional door games. A hilarious mix of challenges designed to see how far the groom is willing to go for his bride. Nico and his groomsmen of course took upon the games with gusto and spirit, and the results were priceless!
As time drew on, together they travelled across to the grooms home for the tea ceremony. It is always such an honour to bear witness to this ancient tradition with such profound meaning. The tea ceremony simply put is the traditional Chinese marriage ceremony. The bride and groom kneel in front of their respective parents, serve them tea and thank them for their upbringing. It is a devout way to express their gratitude for raising them.
Cherry was every bit the perfect bride, graceful and elegant as she walked down the aisle to meet her groom at Jesmond Dene House. They gave their vows in front of all of their family and friends in the great hall and enjoyed a drinks reception with their guests in the grounds of the beautiful stately home.
For their great wedding banquet, Palace gardens in Newcastle's China town was the perfect location. The bride and groom were warmly but very loudly welcomed into the room to the sounds of drums and symbols, cheering and applause. Guests lined up in front of the bride and groom acting out another tradition, the dragon boat, leading them to the stage to give the first speech. The huge feast was attended by friends and family from far and wide all coming together to celebrate the newlywed's union. Around 12 courses of delicious Chinese delicacies were provided for the guests with entertainment from the guests themselves on a karaoke machine and speeches from the family throughout the course of the meal. The tea ceremony commenced once again for a number of their relatives who could not attend the house that morning, and then came the toasts. Moving through the room, Nico and Cherry visited every table to toast the guests and thank them, in return the guests toasted the bride and groom.
A quick trip back to the grooms home for another tea ceremony was followed by their evening reception and the bride and groom's first dance as husband and wife in Great Hall at Jesmond Dene House.
What a day! It was exhilarating, fast paced and an incredible experience we will never forget. Thank you to you both for welcoming us into your lives and allowing us to document your first day as husband and wife.
Headlam Hall - Lisa and Simon
Earlier in the the, Nigel and I were invited to photograph a lovely at Headlam Hall situated between Barnard Castle and Darlington. Lisa and Simon's families were a joy to spend time with, relaxed and fun and treated us like a part of the family. Everything about the day was perfect, from the wedding ceremony at St Philip and St James in Witton Le Wear, to the music at the end of the day. Here is their story.
