Holly says, “Ellingham Hall is just gorgeous from the outside and the decor inside is amazing. We took our parents to view, and they loved it too. If I could have done, I’d have given every guest a tour around all of the stunning rooms within the Hall.”

The couple invited 65 guests, who stayed onsite in both the Hall and onsite cottages.

And even though Holly’s 89-year-old grandma thought the idea of a longer journey was unnecessary, she quickly understood why they chose Ellingham Hall and felt quickly at home, entertaining guests on our grand piano, the night before the wedding!

NOTES FROM THE BRIDE

Why did you opt for a Winter Wedding?

I had already attended a winter wedding in February and there was a bit of snow, which I thought was lovely and picture perfect for photographs. Sadly, it didn’t snow for our day, it drizzled with rain, but it didn’t spoil a thing!

How did you manage with the Weather?

Our photographer Steven McDonald did a great job. Thankfully there wasn’t a heavy downpour, and we had some great fun photos outdoors with the umbrella. But it didn’t really matter, because Ellingham Hall is so lovely and spacious inside, you can get great photos indoors, too.

You have the entire country house wedding venue to yourself, so you can have photos taken anywhere and it makes your photos different to other weddings.

How did you hear about Ellingham Hall?

A friend of Elliot’s mum, someone she works with, had said her daughter was married at the country house wedding venue and recommended it. So, when we were searching for our venue, we thought we’d take a look.

I really loved the idea of a barn wedding, and I thought it would also be cheaper. We viewed some barn venues, but they weren’t as stunning and were more expensive. That surprised us, as we thought a wedding in such a magnificent stately home would be the most expensive option.

So, your guests didn’t mind travelling?

We’re from Billingham and some older members of the family advised us not to travel so far in winter. But it was fine because Ellingham Hall is a straight drive up the A1 and it’s really easy to access. Because it’s a two-night wedding experience and you have exclusive use, guests can turn up when they wish, so it’s a lot less stressful for them and the couple. You have that breathing space, and they loved it. They loved the fact it was a home from home and felt like a mini holiday.

Did you enjoy your Wedding?

We did! It was fantastic. Ellingham Hall staff are just unbelievable. I turned up with a lot of accessories to decorate our room for the wedding breakfast. We had signage, candelabras, candlesticks and the team were really helpful in helping us unpack. As we were chatting in the pre-wedding meeting, I suddenly remembered I’d forgotten a ping pong ball as we were going to play beer pong. One of the Ellingham Hall team said, “Don’t worry, we’ll sort it out for you.” And they did. It was amazing and the team took so much stress away.

Where did you hold your Ceremony?

We chose the Chapel ceremony space. It only took five seconds to decide on that as it’s such a beautiful and impressive room. I loved the brightness of it and when I told our photographer which room we’d chosen, he was delighted. He said the lightening in there was unbelievable for photographs, especially in front of the fireplace with the light beaming through the original stone windows.

How was your Wedding Day?

It was fantastic. After the ceremony, the Chapel was turned around for the wedding breakfast. One of the girls from the Ellingham Hall team came up to me before they seated the guests and asked if I wanted to view the Chapel set up and check everything. It was amazing, the team absolutely smashed it!

Did you Party until Late?

We booked the After Dark experience and that was brilliant. At most weddings, once the reception finishes everyone just leaves. A wedding day goes by so fast; it was really nice to have that extra time to spend with our guests. We kept the underground After Dark a secret, so it was a big surprise for some of our guests and it was great to see their reaction!

 Was there a Standout Moment?

The ceremony was just beautiful. We did our own wedding vows, and I would highly recommend that to any couple. It adds a personal touch to the day!

We loved the morning getting ready with our wedding party. I was in Lady B’s wedding Suite with my bridesmaids, enjoying hand delivered Bellinis. Elliot was in the Ellingham wedding suite with his groomsmen, enjoying pre-ceremony Peroni’s.

It was a lovely morning and Debbie, our wedding planner at Ellingham Hall made sure everything was OK for us all. We both really enjoyed the morning; we were so relaxed ahead of the ceremony and I couldn’t recommend the experience highly enough!

If you are considering a exclusive country house wedding venue in Northumberland contact our wedding planning team today to book a viewing appointment.

Credits

Photographer – Steven McDonald Photography

Videographer – Starkfilm Weddings

Registrar – Northumberland Registrars

Wedding Dress – Elizabeth George Bridal

Bridal Shoes – Rainbow Club

MUA – HFS Makeup Artist

Hair – Leanne Hamilton Hair Styling & Samantha Jane Bridal Hair

Bridesmaids Dresses – Jarlo London

Grooms Suit – Woven Durham

Flowers – Flowers with Fleur by Amy

Styling – The Event Dressers

Light Up Letters – Coco Luminaire

Wedding Trees – Tree Top Decorations

Live Entertainment – The Warning Tones

Magician – Tim Lichfield

Photobooth – Photo Junkies Ltd