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