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

The Vermont Hotel - Kimberley and Alex

Nigel and I love a good winter wedding.  The dark nights and the wet weather offer us a host of opportunities to be creative and really force us to think outside the box.  Married last November, Kimberley and Alex's big day was one of those weddings. 

After getting ready at home, they were married in the beautiful Church of St Helen's in Low Fell, Gateshead heading over to the chic 1930's art deco inspired Vermont Hotel.  It's city centre location, elegance and style, and it incredible views over the river Tyne make it one of our favourite venues.

Kimberley and Alex met through their shared love of Classic American cars and in particular because of the 1965 Cadillac that Alex and Kimberley's brother restored together. It was naturally the only choice for their transport for the day and the perfect scene for a romantic picture of the couple together at the end of the day.