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22nd February 2024
23rd December 2023
When Jane and Adam Hutchinson were looking for their dream church wedding venue for a Christmas celebration, Ellingham Hall offered an unexpected surprise!
As well as requiring a venue for more than 120 guests, the couple from South Shields really wanted to say ‘I do’ in a church. And after falling in love with Ellingham Hall, they were delighted to discover a church only minutes from the Hall.
Jane explains, “For Adam and his family, it was important to be married in a church. We didn’t ask about a nearby church when we visited Ellingham Hall, but we took a wrong turn from the driveway after our viewing and unexpectedly discovered St Maurice church in the village. Everything then fell into place!”
NOTES FROM THE BRIDE
Tell us About your Church Ceremony?
It was perfect and the setting was so pretty and idyllic. You can access the church through a secret door from Ellingham’s private woodland and some of our guests took the short walk, whilst others took the transport that we had provided. It wasn’t worth hiring a wedding car for such a short journey and those who used the secret door enjoyed the scenic walk back. The guests said they got a real wow factor cutting through and seeing the Hall, as they headed back for the indoor drink’s reception.
Were you originally planning a Weekend Wedding?
To be honest, we had never really considered it. We are very family orientated, and the whole Two Night Wedding Experience meant that we could enjoy time with our family and close friends the night before. It was great having everyone under the same roof, rather than guests having to stay at nearby hotels. I’d not heard of Ellingham Hall because I didn’t know anyone who had been married at the venue, which is also lovely and feels more personal. It just happened to be quite close to some of the other venues we wanted to visit, so thought we’d visit at the same time. We had viewed all the other venues nearby and Adam was just so unimpressed. When we got to Ellingham Hall, his face totally lit up. We loved everything about it: from the beautiful building to the underground party Den. The whole weekend celebration was just perfect for us.
Had you seen Ellingham Hall dressed for Christmas?
We viewed the venue in July the year before, so we didn’t know how it would be styled for Christmas. We then went back with some of our bridesmaids, the December before and we knew we’d made the right choice. The Hall looked amazing with the grand staircase dressed with a garland of twinkling lights and the stunning Christmas trees. We always dreamed of a Christmas wedding, and it was perfect, so if you love that time of year, it’s a perfect venue for a magical wedding.
Why did you choose the Church over the Hall’s Ceremony Spaces?
For Adam and his family, it was important for us to be married in a church. Also, with more than 120 guests, we didn’t want to use the captivating Chapel as we wanted to keep this stunning space, a big reveal for guests for our wedding breakfast. It was so worth it, the Chapel looked so romantic with the candles and festoon lighting, the guests all loved it!
Was a Dog Friendly Wedding Venue important to you both?
Our dog Mabel, being part of our wedding celebration, was very important to us. She didn’t go to the church, and it was lovely because we hired dog chaperone – wishbone weddings to look after her, while we were at the church and throughout the wedding. It was great to have her with us for the photographs and to be part of our special day.
What’s your advice to anyone thinking of a Christmas wedding?
When you’re planning a Christmas wedding you should allow yourself to feel in the festive spirit because it’s such a good time of year and everyone is in a great mood. I viewed it as more of an enhancement of our special day, rather than everything having to be festively themed.
We didn’t want to be overly Christmassy, and the two ceremony spaces in the Hall aren’t dressed with Christmas décor, to allow couples to add their own style. We had mistletoe and a few flowers such as bouquets and buttonholes. But we tried not to make it too over the top, because those lovely decorations at Ellingham speak for themselves.
If you are looking for a church wedding venue in Northumberland or for a dream winter wedding, contact our wedding sales team today to arrange a viewing appointment.
Credits
Church – St Maurice Ellingham
Photographer – Amy Katherine Photography
Video – Afashionante Films
Groom Suit – Woven Durham and Moss Bros
Bride Dress – Wedding Dress Company, Stella York
Make Up – Anna McClen and Claudia Keighley
Hair – Kara Scott
Florist – Rooted Up North
Band – Overthinkers (AMV)
Singer – John Gatenby (AMV)
Painter – Paint my love story
Photobo0th – Valentina Photobooth
Cake – Bake for the Soul
Dog Chaperone – Wishbone Weddings
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“We have hosted a number of corporate events and the staff have always been superb in supporting us. Our guests are always delighted when they walk through the doors and get to spend a day in the beautiful surroundings. “
DIGITAL SPARKLES – NICOLA LITTLE (CHIEF SPARKLER & DIRECTOR)
“Thank you all so much for everything you did to help with our Annual Forum and Celebration Concert on Thursday. As usual, I was a bag of nerves for much of the day, but the calm efficiency of Connor and his team helped to get me through. I will definitely recommend Ellingham Hall as a corporate venue. Surprisingly, a lot of the attendees were unaware of the Hall and what you’re able to offer. The fact that we could move from one room to another and have two very different events at the same venue was a big draw for us. “
Catherine Gray, Funding and Communications Officer – Northumberland AONB Partnership
We’re now back from our honeymoon and we just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for everything you did to make our wedding day so special.
The entire team was incredible from start to finish and we especially appreciate the flexibility you showed in accommodating my wish to have the ceremony outside, it meant the world to me!
Thank you again for helping create such an unforgettable day
Lisandra & Stephen, 26th June 2025
Ellingham Hall is the most stunning venue, and we knew it was the one for us the moment we stepped inside. We travelled around 3 hours in search of the perfect venue, and after a long search without finding “”the one,”” Ellingham instantly stood out. The staff are absolutely amazing, they went above and beyond to help us create the most perfect day, and it truly was perfect. We honestly can’t thank them enough. From recommending suppliers (since we lived further away), to answering all our questions, to helping us set up for the big day, they were always there for us. We loved that Ellingham is a two-night wedding venue and that it’s exclusively yours during your stay, which made everything feel so personal and intimate. One of our favourite touches was the Poochie Parlour, our dogs are a huge part of our lives, so having a space for them meant everything to us. We’re really hoping they host another Dine & Stay around Christmas or Valentine’s, any excuse to go back! All our guests had such lovely things to say about the staff and the Hall itself. Thank you again for the most amazing day.
Jordan & Jack, 25th March 2025
“The hall catered for everything we needed, from the luxury entrance rooms, to the grounds outside, which we used to talk with clients in more detail afterwards. It was exactly what we wanted to allow us to host a presentation of this size. Guests were welcomed with a selection of drinks and canapés in the entrance hall and then again on departure. The seminar itself took place in the Chapel, while the dining room and drawing room provided the perfect spaces clients to relax.
Michael Sage, Director, Sage Wealth Management
We just wanted to say thank you so much for our incredible wedding. The day was an absolute dream and everything we could have wished for. From our first visit to the day of, every person we interacted with us on your team was friendly, so welcoming and professional. We couldn’t be happier with how it all went.
The venue looked absolutely exquisite, our guests were amazed!! I kept giving tours to the bridal suite 😂 Hopefully we’ll visit again one day!
Camilla & James Allan, 10th May 2025
