Jesmond Dene House - Clare and James
Jesmond Dene House is definitely worth a look if you are looking for a wedding venue that has city amenities and easy transport links close by but all the wow factor of a country house. Situated minutes away from the centre of Newcastle, Jesmond Dene House has all the luxury of a top boutique hotel, surrounded by trees and open space, and just a short walk away, everything that Jesmond Dene has to offer.
With guests coming from far and wide, Clare and James decided that Jesmond Dene House was the perfect place for their wedding. James and the lads got ready at Jesmond Dene House while Clare and her bridesmaids got ready at her parent’s home. Clare’s bridesmaids looked beautiful in their navy dresses with contrasting white and blush bouquets, but not more so than Clare herself who wore a stunning v-neck wedding gown with a softly flowing skirt. I adored Clare’s dress, it was classic and elegant, and beautifully cut, and it couldn’t have been more perfect for her.
After their ceremony, which included a really funny reading by James’ dad about two lovely dinosaurs, they all headed outside for drinks, lawn games, and some great magic, performed by magician Martin Duffy, before taking their seats back in the Great hall to listen to some great speeches and share a meal together.
We know from experience that in the summer months, the light is always better after dinner for pictures of just the two of them. With the sun lower in the sky, the light is softer and takes a golden hue, so after dinner, the four of us took a walk down to the Dene for some pictures with the waterfall and bridge. I am so pleased that we waited, the pictures speak for themselves - the light was magical!
We met Clare and James way back in 2017 at her sister Lizzie’s wedding at Healey Barn. It was wonderful to spend more time with her family and catch up with Lizzie and Alessio. Clare and James are two of the most wonderful people you could hope to meet, and so clearly made for each other. Their wedding was wonderful in every way and it was a joy to photograph.
You can find Lizzie and Alessio’s wedding photos at Healey Barn here
If you're planning your own wedding at Jesmond Dene House, and are looking for a wedding photographer, please get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
“Well wow, oh my goodness we are blown away by the shots from the wedding album, you two are so talented!! Thank you so so much for being part of our day and capturing all those special moments. These are the best memories we can look through and it is so nice to be able to relive the day, we couldn't be more grateful, thank you! Thank you so much again, we are so pleased with them!” - Clare and James.
True Jesus Church - Katie and Marco
Katie and Marco opted for a traditional Chinese wedding. Their formal ceremony took place in the True Jesus Church in Newcastle, afterwards heading over to Jesmond Dene for a few pictures with the waterfall. Later, their guests joined us back at the bride’s family home for the traditional tea ceremony, then on to the groom’s for the same. How Do You Do in South Shields was ideal for an informal evening do (sadly still no dancing allowed yet) to enjoy a few drinks with friends - and some cake of course!
Tyneside Cinema - Philippa and Oliver
The Tyneside Cinema is a not-your-average, wow-your-guests kind of wedding venue. Situated in the heart of the city of Newcastle, the Tyneside Cinema really is a Cinema, but they just happen to have a licence for wedding ceremonies too. When Philippa and Oliver got in touch to ask us to shoot their wedding, we were delighted and only too happy to oblige. They chose some seriously cools venues for their wedding day. Getting ready in the Malmaison Hotel in Newcastle, and after the ceremony going on to the Baltic with its stunning night time views of the river Tyne and the Millenium Bridge.
It was fantastic to be a part of this fab wedding day.
The Vermont Hotel - Lucy and Jack
The Vermont Hotel in Newcastle is always a great venue to work at. Its classic 1930’s art deco architecture makes it look like it would not be out of place on the corner of a New York street, and the roof top terrace which has great views over the city, makes a really cool place for a drinks reception.
It was great to be back at the Vermont for Lucy and Jack’s wedding day. With their laid back attitude to life, and their infectious sense of humour, they were a joy to spend time with. Their wedding day was elegant but not formal, fun but also emotional. All in all, a really fab day.
Here are our favourites from their day
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.
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