From watching The Wedding Planner to heading up our Wedding Team!

10th July 2022

Watching movies such as 27 Dresses

As well as Jennifer Lopez’s blockbuster The Wedding Planner gave Debbie Armstrong the desire to plan and deliver weddings. That said, it wasn’t until Debbie decided to change career that the opportunity to fulfil her dream arose and join the award-winning Ellingham Hall team.

Whilst having an informal chat with Debbie our General Manager, David, recognised her warm and friendly personality, it was clear to him that Debbie was ambitious and passionate – all attributes that David knew would be essential in becoming a successful wedding and events planner. Little did he know that later that year the stars would align, and Ellingham Hall would be looking to recruit a new wedding and events co-ordinator, which Debbie later became the successful applicant of. Having no hands-on experience in the world of weddings it was Debbie’s sparkling personality, kindness and transferable skills from previous employment that made her stand out.

During Debbie’s first year with Ellingham Hall, she really earned her stripes by planning and part delivering the extensive backlog of weddings that were sadly not able to take place during the pandemic. Under tremendous pressure Debbie had to plan multiple weddings side by side, all the while making each couple feel special. It was Debbie’s calm approach and excellent customer service skills that gained her a promotion, awarding her the title of Head of Weddings and Events.

With Debbie’s new role and Ellingham Hall winning the title of ‘Events team of the year’, awarded at the regional final of The Wedding Industry Awards, we thought we’d catch up with Debbie and see how she’s enjoying being the real-life Mary Fiore, planning and delivering bespoke weddings at our exclusive Northumberland Wedding Venue.

What did you do before joining Ellingham Hall?

I am a trained nurse but was working in retail when I was chatting to my neighbour, David, who is General Manager, about a career change. When I asked him what he did, I told him it was a dream of mine to plan weddings as I’d been inspired by movies, like The Wedding Planner. It isn’t quite the same as what you see on screen, of course. It is a real privilege to help couples plan and deliver their dream wedding.

Any standout moments?

Well, there was one time when a florist forgot the confetti and suddenly realised before the ceremony. We pulled out all the stops and managed to contact our admin assistant, Wendy, who had some. It arrived about three minutes before the couple left the Ceremony Room. The bride was so grateful because it was important to her. It was a lovely photograph. One bride was in the process of getting ready, and when I popped into the suite to check everything was OK, she jumped up and gave me a huge hug because she was so thrilled with everything!

What have you learned so far?

It’s nice to make people feel good and make them happy. It maybe just my job, but it’s important because their wedding memory will be with them forever. It’s more than just a job, and it’s why I even take work home because I want every couple to know that every detail is as important to us as it is to them.

“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
Ellingham Hall really is the perfect wedding venue. It has everything you need for a memorable wedding experience. The exclusive wedding package created the perfect 3 day experience for us and our guests. As we and some guests had travelled from Australia, it allowed us to maximise the amount of quality time we spent with our closest family and friends to celebrate our wedding. Those staying in the Hall loved their rooms and constantly complimented the venue and the staff.

Thank you so much, The Cardings

James & Megan Carding, 17th April 2025
Thank you all so much for making the day run smoothly. It was amazing from start to finish! Cannot thank you all enough! Can tell how much of a team everyone was! Nothing was a bother that we asked for, it was the best two days of our lives

Elle-Lea & Tom Richards, 24th July 2025
“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
We chose Ellingham Hall due to wanting a full weekend to celebrate such a special moment. We got married at our local church on the Friday before heading up to celebrate Friday night surrounded by all of our family and the following day Saturday surrounded by our friends and family. We wanted a party vibe and we got that. The fact that it was 4 days before Christmas made it even more magical. The Ellingham team went out there way to make sure everything went so smoothly throughout the weekend, nothing was an issue. Special mention to Hannah who was always there to help whenever we needed her. I wish we could relive full weekend again!

Jenny & Jordan Skeels, 21st December 2024
“I have hosted seminars for over 30 years, all over the country at various well-known venues. At Ellingham Hall you remember everything, from the beautiful quirky venue which has retained its historic features, the friendly staff, great service and the delicious food and amazing coffee! The meeting room had good light and was the perfect size for our event. It was lovely to have use of the comfortable reception rooms too for breaks and lunch. I was very impressed with the extra spaces such as the basement games room and rooftop networking terrace. It is a hidden jewel in the North-East and I am planning to return soon for a private family event”

Amanda Chadwick, Senior Speaker/Presenter, Croner

From watching The Wedding Planner to heading up our Wedding Team!

Watching movies such as 27 Dresses

What did you do before joining Ellingham Hall?

Any standout moments?

What have you learned so far?

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