Healey Barn - Helen and David

Healey Barn is the beautiful new wedding venue in Northumberland, located close to Riding Mill and Corbridge, accessible yet still rural.  It's rolling landscapes, surrounding woodlands, and countryside lanes sit it in one of the most beautiful area's of northumberland and the traditional barn buildings offer a cosy candlelit interior, dark beams and wonderful views of the surrounding area.  Sheltered by the farm buildings themselves is a charming courtyard perfect for relaxing with friends and enjoying the fire pits in the evening.   

As you can most likely tell, I completely love this venue, it seems to have everything you could possibly want from a venue for a relaxed wedding, and for those like us who have a love of the outdoors it's a no brainer really!  

We first heard about Healey Barn back in September 2014 while it was still in it's planning stages. Our bride an groom Kirsty and Adam getting married at Healey Barn got in touch and told us all about the exciting new venue, showed us the plans and booked us for their wedding this coming June.  I could hardly wait to work there for the first time and so I was delighted when only 12 weeks before their wedding last summer, Helen and David got in touch to book us for their Healey Barn wedding.  We first met Helen and David at Helen's sister Laura's wedding at Doxford Hall in the summer of 2014.  We all hit if off so well at Laura's wedding so to return to photograph for the family was an honour and a delight.

Helen and David's amazing wedding day was to be the 9th wedding after Healey Barn's opening, and the first Military wedding at the venue.  It was one of the prettiest weddings I have ever attended, filled with soft pastel shades, delicate florals and details inspired by nature.  The couple themselves, warm hearted, fun and completely besotted with one another surrounded by some pretty amazing people to help celebrate the day with.  

I got in touch with Helen and David who are now living in America to fill me in a little on a few more details of the day.  Helen says:

"I knew exactly what I wanted for the table arrangements and exactly where to get the flowers from, so I decided to do all of the table arrangements myself!  Courtesy of my parents and grandparents gardens, that's here I found the beautiful flowers!!  So the day before the wedding off I went with my garden shears.

We planned the whole wedding within just 12 weeks (due to David's RAF posting to the US), with so many ideas floating around this seemed the perfect option and gave chance to add some of our own creativity.  We managed to pull off exactly what we wanted with this personal touch which I am very proud of!  I wouldn't ave done it any other way and without the help of family and friends, who I'd say were our room stylists (they followed orders perfectly)."

After their wedding, we got in touch with Letty and Leanne from Healey Barn to thank them for the wonderful day and to show them a few pictures from the day.  We were simply overjoyed when they asked us to join forces with them and become a recommended supplier for the venue.  We were incredibly proud and honoured to accept their invitation.

A talented team came together to help make Helen and David' day perfect.  The bride sourced her stunning dress from the Wedding dress company in Corbridge, Lisa Cameron styled the bride and bridesmaid's hair working alongside Kristina from KF makeup.   The lads who wore suits from Burtons - except the groom who for part of the day wore his RAF military No. 1's got ready for the day at the Lord Crewe Arms.  The bridesmaids dresses were sourced from the high street and became a good find from Miss Selfridges.  The beautiful wedding bouquets were from Jackie Fox in Gosforth with the fireplace garland by Flowers unlimited.  The table runners and table setting stand were by the finishing touch company, the cake was made by Zoe's cakes in West Moor and the the Ice Cream van was hired from the Parlour at Blagdon.  Coco Luminnaire and AMDJ were hired for the evening.  It just goes to show, that with a little careful planning creativity what you can achieve in just 12 weeks!

Helen and David, it was amazing to work with you both, your sense of fun, creativity and love for one another is inspiring.  We both wish you the very best for your new lives together in America and look forward to seeing you at your cousin's wedding at the end of May! x

Matfen Hall - Janet and Ben

Our first wedding of what was to be a very busy August was that of Janet and Ben.  They met and become a couple whilst still at school and chose to tie the knot last summer.  They were married in the pretty church in Stamfordham, just up the road from their reception venue, Matfen Hall.  Looking smart as a dart, Ben wore his Naval number one's for the special occasion.  After the ceremony, Ben whisked his new wife Janet off to Matfen Hall in his own BMW Z3.  Their guests happily greeted them as they made a grand entrance into the Great Hall of Matfen Hall, announced in to the room with music played by the string quartet, a special surprise gift from Janet's father which then continued, setting a wonderful mood for the drinks reception.

It was a wonderful day with a great couple, picture perfect weather and a stunning venue.

Here are a few of our fav's from the day...  

Jesmond Dene House - Lisa and Anthony

The gothic great hall of Jesmond Dene House in Newcastle along with entire west wing of the elegant arts and crafts style building became the setting for Lisa and Anth's beautiful wedding last summer.  It was a day of fun and laughter and a joy to be a part of.   

Lisa and Anth chose some fantastic decorations for their big day, the carnival light up love letters from Coco Luminaire made for a fantastic addition to the ceremony creating a striking contract against the dark wood panels of the hall, and we loved the giant balloons adorning the aisle.  Balloons have not been popular at weddings for a few years but perhaps they are making a comeback - they looked amazing and so stylish!  Handmade bunting was strung across the west wing arched entrance and the decorated apple carts and wooden table centres were made by the groom himself.

Here are a few of our favourites from the day...

Durham Castle - Rachel and Andrew

Together Rachel and Andrew travelled half the world to be married in our beautiful Durham Castle.  From their home in Vancouver Canada, they journeyed back to the place that they first met and the place that they studied to say their vows joined by all of their friends and family.  Guests travelled from all over the world to attend and to witness their becoming husband and wife.  Despite the distance, they carefully planned their special day with perfect precision, assuring that the day was as perfect as it could be, and indeed it was.  

In his days as a Durham university student, Andrew sang in the Durham Castle chapel choir putting him in the privileged minority allowed to marry in the beautiful Tunstall Chapel.  We have photographed couples in the chapel many times before now and have always more than appreciated it's beauty, the stunning gold gilt decorative panels and alter, the chequered floor and the beautiful quality of light, but as such a rarity, we never before had been given the opportunity to photograph a wedding in the chapel.  It was a joy and simply wonderful to witness.

Andrew started his day at the Raddison Blu hotel in Durham while I met Rachel in the Royal County Hotel for her preparations.  Dani Mua provided Rachel's beautiful make up, Colin Cook was on hand as their wedding Master of ceremonies to assure that the whole day went smoothly and the brilliant Snaparazzi supplied their photobooth.

Here are a few of my favourite moments from their wedding day last July.