“As both our families are Catholic it was important for us to keep up the tradition. St Paul’s Catholic Church in Alnwick was perfect for us, and we wanted to find a wedding venue nearby.”

The couple looked at several wedding venues in Northumberland, but Ellingham Hall was the venue that stole their hearts…

Notes from the Bride

Why did you Choose Ellingham Hall?

We knew it was right as soon as we first walked up the driveway for the viewing. The building is stunning, and the grounds are amazing too – we both got the feeling that it was the one. The venue was a great size for all our guests, as we have two big families and the other venues we viewed were too small. Not all our guests stayed overnight as we live in Cramlington, but Ellingham Hall offers great accommodation. With a summer wedding you don’t know if you’ll get good weather, so you need to consider the indoor spaces too. And the fact it is a two-night wedding was perfect. It was amazing!

Did you know about Two-Night Weddings before Visiting?

It was the first we’d heard of it, and we loved being able to relax with our family the night before. We have family from all over the UK, and some stayed at the Hall, so the extra night was a huge benefit. Other guests stayed at the Pack Horse Inn and accommodation nearby. It was fantastic having the chance to spend quality time together the night before, as it gave everyone time to catch up.

Tell us about the Night Before the Wedding?

We enjoyed a delicious barbecue with drinks outdoors on the Chapel Terrace. The food was unbelievable, all our guests commented how amazing the food was. They loved all of it, including the food on the wedding day. It was lovely to sit outside on a summer evening and watch the peacocks parading the grounds, it was great entertainment for our guests!

Did you have a Theme for your Wedding?

I had absolutely no ideas at all! I was really starting from scratch with all the wedding planning. I’m not an organiser and I really needed that support. It was Lynn, the Group Sales & Marketing Manager who showed us around, and she was amazing and very knowledgeable. She put all our worries at ease and said that anything was possible, as they tailor each wedding to the couple’s aspirations. But the planning resources that we were sent initially with the booking pack were so helpful. That gave us a starting point to go from which included Ellingham’s recommended suppliers. The Real Wedding Blogs are super helpful too, they gave us inspiration, ideas for colours and flowers and all those things.

What did you choose for your Wedding Favours?

I’m a wildlife ranger, so we opted for wildflower seeds for our favours. I thought it was a nice little personal touch for guests to take away. We originally thought about getting married in Greece and had the idea of a blue and white theme, so we stayed with those colours, and it all came together really well.

How did you Travel from Ellingham Hall to St Pauls Church?

Stephen travelled with his good friend Connor, who was also our Master of Ceremonies on the day. I arrived at the Church in a traditional wedding car along with my bridesmaids. The reason we opted to have a church wedding was we wanted to have a traditional wedding, so the car was a must. It made me feel really special driving through Alnwick and everyone stopping and waving.

Did you see each other before Arriving at the Church?

As Ellingham Hall has two wedding suites; Lady B’s and the Ellingham Suite, it made it easy to stay separately the night before and on the morning. The team at Ellingham Hall were amazing. Alicia was fantastic and made sure everyone was out of the venue before I came down the grand staircase to get some photos before leaving for the church.

So, it all ran like Clockwork?

It absolutely did at Ellingham Hall. We had a little hiccup on the way to the venue the night before , as the cake collapsed in the back of the car. But it was one of those funny stories we’ll always remember. Alicia our wedding co-ordinator was brilliant and when we arrived, she said the team would sort it out. You couldn’t tell there’d been an issue with the cake in the end, we were extremely grateful for their help!

Now you’ve Planned a Wedding, what’s your Advice to Couples?

I’d say book Ellingham Hall!

From start to finish, everything was amazing. All the staff were helpful and always on the end of the phone. They answered emails quickly. I felt like I was nagging them, and I had so many questions, and they really put me at ease throughout the planning process.

Explore more beautiful images from Katherine & Stephen’s wedding here

If you are looking for a Summer Church wedding in Northumberland contact our team today to arrange a viewing appointment.

Wedding Day Suppliers

Photography – 2 Tone Photography

Videographer – Unveil Films

Church – St Paul’s Alnwick

Bridal Gown – Wed2B Bridal

Bridal Seamstress – The Little Seamstress

MUA – Melanie Hedley Make Up Artist

Hair – Bridal Hair by Cheryl

Suits – Suit Culture

Bridesmaids Dresses – Ever Pretty

Florist & Stylist – Made Simply Perfect

Wedding Car – AB Wedding Cars

Musicians- Andrelli Strings

Singer – Dave Red Music

Band – Hip Operation

Cake – Homemade

Wildflower Seeds – Etsy