Download Brochure
Book a Viewing
2nd February 2024
2nd December 2023
A winter wedding wasn’t the original plan for Luisa and Chris Hartley – until they viewed Ellingham Hall dressed for the festive season and soon changed their minds!
Our Northumberland winter wedding venue looked its festive finest when the couple visited for the first time. And that magical experience helped them decide to switch from an April spring wedding to a jaw-dropping winter wonderland wedding in December.
NOTES FROM THE BRIDE
So, a winter wedding wasn’t your plan?
“Not at all! I’d always dreamed of having a wedding in April; however, I do love Christmas time and when we visited Ellingham during the winter and I saw the venue dressed with all the festive décor, sparkling lights and roaring log fires in the reception rooms, I instantly fell in love with the idea of a winter wedding. I’ve never seen a venue make so much effort with their décor for Christmas – it was magical. It also saved us a lot of money as the grand staircase was dressed with a stunning large Christmas tree and the staircase was draped with a stunning garland and twinkling lights.”
Why did you choose Ellingham Hall?
“We really wanted our wedding to be a two or three-day celebration rather than just a wedding day, which is rushed and over in a blink. We wanted to spend quality time with our friends and family, some of whom we hadn’t seen for a such long time. Ellingham Hall is such a beautiful venue where you can relax the night before and we knew instantly it was for us. The venue is also dog friendly, which was an added bonus. Our little sausage dog, Mr Willie, joined us for the wedding weekend which was really special.”
How was the lead up to the wedding?
“I’m really organised and I made a lot of things for the wedding, including signs and gifts for guests, etc. which did take a little time organising. Chris didn’t get involved in things so much at the beginning but around six months in advance he sorted out all the food and drink requirements with the team.
Debbie, who is Head of Weddings at Ellingham, was amazing and helped us think about everything we wanted and brought it to life. On the night before, Alicia was brilliant and she helped me to put out everything we had made in the Hall and for the guest’s rooms, which really helped me to relax.”
Tell us about the wedding day?
“Our day ran perfectly. Not only was the Ellingham Hall team amazing from start to finish, but the dusting of snow that had fallen outside created the perfect winter wonderland setting, which we could never have imagined so early in December. Our guests really enjoyed our Champagne tower and sitting outdoors by the toasty fire-pit on the evening. We took blankets to keep guests warm and also hired the after dark party den to extend the party beyond midnight. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it as I’d been up since 4am for my morning run before the arrival of the hair and make-up artists. All of the guests loved it and said they had the very best time.”
How was your overall experience?
“It was simply perfect. Our guests all had an amazing time. One of our loveliest moments was when David, the General Manager, took us both up to the Chapel Mezzanine to enjoy some canapés and drinks together to have a short break from our guests.
On your wedding day all guests want to chat to you both, so it’s really thoughtful that the team at Ellingham gave us the opportunity to have some time to have a moment together.”
Advice for brides-to-be…
“Don’t make your own hangover kits as our guests forgot to use them and didn’t take them away as they thought they were provided by the venue! If you are thinking of making up something like this, you may want to consider adding a little tag on your gift to say ‘a treat from your newlyweds’ (which I didn’t do).
Enjoy the run up to the wedding and don’t spend time worrying about the small things – and trust in the Ellingham Hall team, as they have everything planned brilliantly.
Don’t rule out a winter wedding venue – Ellingham Hall as it is simply magical!”
Check out Luisa & Chris’ Wedding Gallery.
If you are looking for a winter wedding venue in Northumberland, contact us today to arrange a viewing appointment.
Credits
Photographer – David West Photography
Registrar – Northumberland Registrars
Dress – Designer Wedding Dresses & Accessories Newcastle | Marrime
Shoes – Rainbow
Bridesmaid’s Dresses –ASOS
Groom’s Suit – Suit Culture
MUA – Home | Marta Makeup | Luxury Bridal Makeup Artist | Yorkshire |UK | Destinations
Hair – @emilyhnealon
Flowers & Styling – Sprig and Thistle
Cake – @sweet.lovecupcakes
Band – Ibiza Soul Duo
DJ – Bride and Grove
Musician – Wayne on Sax UK
Party Signs –@junkyardgirlx
LED Sign – Low Fell Hire Company
20th April 2025
Spring weddings in the UK are increasing in popularity, check out our five reasons to choose a spring wedding!
Read More
26th March 2025
The 300 mile distance between home & Ellingham Hall was no obstacle for Rachel & Jordan’s beautiful Spring Wedding
Read More
28th February 2025
Alanah and Scott Wallace were planning their spring wedding, Alanah already had the perfect wedding venue in mind but everything changed!
Read More
23rd January 2025
Rachel and Michael Moran headed south from Scotland for their dream wedding at Ellingham Hall in Northumberland.
Read More
31st December 2024
Natasha & Phil lived the American Dream when they chose to have their amazing two night wedding at Ellingham Hall in Northumberland.
Read More
29th November 2024
Ellingham Hall’s creeping Virginia gave a gorgeous glow to the Hall, providing a perfect backdrop for Alexandra and David’s Autumn Wedding.
Read More
29th October 2024
Fun, bright colours met a traditional elegant backdrop for Lewis and Rebecca’s stylish summer wedding weekend at Ellingham Hall.
Read More
30th September 2024
Rachael had dreamed of a Church wedding, but the couple also needed a venue with plenty accommodation for family and friends – Ellingham Hall ticked every box.
Read More
24th September 2024
Humes Outfitters found their perfect North East Location Venue, Ellingham Hall for their Autumn Winter Countrywear Campaign.
Read More
24th August 2024
When Dominic and Mark decided a weekend wedding in Northumberland was their dream, they found their perfect wedding venue, Ellingham Hall.
Read More
5th July 2024
You can’t help but fall in love with Amy & Sean’s perfect autumn wedding at Ellingham Hall in Northumberland.
Read More
18th June 2024
Supplier Spotlight – Jade Mullen, owner of Walk and Woof Dog Services shares what couples can expect when they choose to hire a dog chaperone for their wedding.
Read More
We’re now back from our honeymoon and we just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for everything you did to make our wedding day so special.
The entire team was incredible from start to finish and we especially appreciate the flexibility you showed in accommodating my wish to have the ceremony outside, it meant the world to me!
Thank you again for helping create such an unforgettable day
Lisandra & Stephen, 26th June 2025
Ellingham Hall is the most stunning venue, and we knew it was the one for us the moment we stepped inside. We travelled around 3 hours in search of the perfect venue, and after a long search without finding “”the one,”” Ellingham instantly stood out. The staff are absolutely amazing, they went above and beyond to help us create the most perfect day, and it truly was perfect. We honestly can’t thank them enough. From recommending suppliers (since we lived further away), to answering all our questions, to helping us set up for the big day, they were always there for us. We loved that Ellingham is a two-night wedding venue and that it’s exclusively yours during your stay, which made everything feel so personal and intimate. One of our favourite touches was the Poochie Parlour, our dogs are a huge part of our lives, so having a space for them meant everything to us. We’re really hoping they host another Dine & Stay around Christmas or Valentine’s, any excuse to go back! All our guests had such lovely things to say about the staff and the Hall itself. Thank you again for the most amazing day.
Jordan & Jack, 25th March 2025
Jenny & Jordan Skeels, 21st December 2024
“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
“We like to do something different, and Ellingham Hall is certainly out of the ordinary. We had a fantastic time for our staff party and team building. The activities were fantastic and enabled us to get our teams mixed up and get everybody bonding and having a good time together in an amazing environment. We would recommend Ellingham Hall to anyone, the guys here are fantastic.”
Ben Quigley, Group Chief Executive – Everything Different Marketing
What a beautiful venue! Me and my partner just got married at Ellingham and we could not have chosen a better venue. From booking the venue, to our special day everything was just amazing. Staff have been so great with us and were always there to answer any questions we had leading up to our day. Our special day ran smoothly thanks to all the staff here and all the staff were just so nice from start to finish. All our guests commented on how amazing the venue was and how amazing the staff had been with everyone. We cannot thank everyone there enough for helping to make our day so special.
Rebecca & Aidan Morrison, 13th February 2025
