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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
1st March 2024
We were absolutely delighted when our Wedding Event Team at Ellingham Hall was named the UK’s best in The Wedding Industry Awards (TWIA).
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22nd February 2024
When Jane and Adam Hutchinson were looking for their dream church wedding venue, Ellingham Hall offered an unexpected surprise!
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20th February 2024
Supplier Spotlight – Jane Gray Wedding Pianist offers advice for couples considering music options for their upcoming Wedding Celebration
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2nd February 2024
A winter wedding wasn’t the original plan for Luisa and Chris, until they saw Ellingham Hall dressed for the festive winter season!
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20th December 2023
Rosie and Jiaxing had a beautiful combo of cultures at their exclusive-use, Northumberland wedding venue – Ellingham Hall
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18th November 2023
Ellingham Hall crowned the ‘Best Wedding Events Team’ in the North East and Yorkshire for a third year in a row at the TWIA 2024 Awards.
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26th October 2023
Weddings can be a real challenge for those who suffer from anxiety, but Jessica Baird found that her anxiety stayed in check for her exclusive two night wedding thanks to the Ellingham Hall Team.
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25th October 2023
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13th September 2023
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3rd August 2023
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15th July 2023
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1st July 2023
When it came to finding a country house wedding venue, Holly & Elliot wanted to travel further afield so it felt like a mini holiday.
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“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
Megan and Sam Burgess, 23rd September 2023
“The venue was immaculately presented and very welcoming. Easy to find just off the A1, with plenty of parking next to the meeting rooms and closer space to unload equipment. The area provided for breakout/coffee/lunch had plenty of room and was a relaxed environment, which gave delegates the chance to meet each other before the conference. The food and drink was plentiful, and of a good standard. The meeting room itself was well equipped and a nice size for our group, not to feel crowded, but also not lost as can happen in large rooms. The staff were on hand all day and happy to help with any of our requests.”
Karro Food Group Rep
Lauren & Chris Phillips, 26th October 2023
“The Hall has such a lovely feeling and having our meeting at the same time as the corporate launch last year, gave a very different feel to what we usually have at other local networking events. The Chamber needs local venues that make the North East stand out, and Ellingham Hall is a venue that is a hidden gem.”
CLARE MCCABE, RELATIONSHIP MANAGER NORTH EAST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
“I booked a lunch party at Ellingham Hall for a very discerning group comprising of generous supporters of a local charity. We were 27 people and we enjoyed a Champagne reception before a delicious three course lunch. Wendy and her team could not do enough for us, our every request was granted. Dietary requirements were very efficiently and creatively dealt with and the result was a most enjoyable event at a price I was very satisfied with. I would definitely use Ellingham Hall again for a function like this.”
Jon Radgick
