Real Wedding Feature - Cambridge Blue at the Castle

A few weeks back we hinted at a wedding which we had been lucky enough to work on at the stunning Lulworth Castle, Dorset, and today we can bring you images and a little more background into this beautiful day for Ian and Scotty. Thank you to John Howarth of Columbia Photography  and to Ian and Scotty for allowing to feature these beautiful images from their day. 

Our couple were searching for a venue outside of London which would present them and their guests with the "wow" factor and it really helped swing it that this stunning Castle just happens to be surrounded by beautiful rolling countryside, not far from the coast which was important to the Groom and we could have sheep incorporated into the day in more ways than one! 

Ceremony Room set up ready and waiting for the guests and the bride and groom 

The guys getting ready - well - in the most appropriate way! 

The Bride and Groom and some of their guests were very wise in having chosen the most wonderful local house to stay in for a long weekend over the wedding so they were really close to the Castle and could all relax in the build up to the wedding.  We all met the night before for a rehearsal at the Castle and we started to set up a few things the night before and then the next day the Bride and Groom could relax and get ready whilst we were at Castle with the florists and the Castle staff and the caterers which was provided by the ever fabulous Beales Gourmet who are a relatively new addition to the approved caterers at the Castle and were about to embark on their first wedding at the Castle for Ian and Scotty followed by another wedding the following day.  And what a feast lay ahead for the guests! 

The beautiful Bride arrives to greet her Groom for the ceremony

The ceremony had a really lovely feel about it with some great music chosen by Ian and Scotty.  They also asked a close friend to play the piano during the ceremony and another close friend who just happens to be a professional singer who sang a stunning version of "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera which was very emotional and brought something very personal to the ceremony.  

Sealing the ceremony 

Bride and groom leaving the ceremony for the great steps outside the Castle for photographs 

After the ceremony the guests were treated to cocktails and bubbly on the lawn and we were blessed with a sunny (if a little windy!) day on the back lawns behind the Castle.  

A happy and relaxed Scotty after the ceremony 

Guests were entertained with croquet and other garden games and the Bride and Groom got to have photos taken with the all important sheep which was a must to be part of their day! 

Well I think these chaps look like they are enjoying themselves having a go at one handed croquet!  Its multi-tasking though!

Love this one - Bride and Groom feeding Larry the Lamb! 

The wedding breakfast began with the guests bursting into song before food was served - the words for Jerusalem had been sneaked into their napkins and we have to say that the guests all took part and did a grand job!  

The dining room ready and waiting for the guests - simple and elegant dressing with the Bride and Groom's chosen colours of Cambridge Blue complete with a chocolate lamb on each place setting to continue with the lamb theme! 

What followed was a wonderful selection of dishes - ignore the next few images if you are hungry!

Tiger king prawn starter 

Vegetarian alternative starter - deliciously fresh

For their main course the guests were treated to a trio of lamb and a chocolate dessert and following the cake cutting it was on to another very important part of the day - the party!  The Castle was such a great venue to work with.  The staff were really accommodating and whilst we have worked with Beales Gourmet many times before at their resident venue The Italian Villa and on outside marquee weddings and events it was great to work with them here.  The food was amazing with so many great comments from the guests and in the evening the guests got to feast again with a hog roast with all the trimmings and a beautifully displayed cheese board and the all important cake! 

Cake cutting with the Castle Sword! Very brave! 

This wedding was such a pleasure to work on.  There were some distance issues to get around as Ian and Scotty are not local to us or the venue so we set about booking supplier and venue visits and meetings grouped together at weekends or meeting part way between here and them!  We work a lot on phone and email and keep our couples updated with timelines and progress reports and it works well.  Ian and Scotty had some definite plans on what they wanted and decided to deal with some of the planning themselves so we fitted around what they wanted.  They and their guests were such fun on the day and it was all about having a great day and a great party. 

We hope we delivered - many many congratulations to you both and lots of love and best wishes for your future together 

x

On the Day Co-ordination Service by Bellissimo - what does that mean??!!

We like to be very flexible with the services which we offer and appreciate that not all brides want to hand over all of the planning of their wedding to someone else and really like to have some creative input, so we offer an on the day co-ordination service.  The title is a little misleading however as this does not mean that we just turn up on the day!  Perhaps a change of title is in order to make this more clear but most planners in the business do call it that service and we have found a lot of brides ask for exactly that. 

So - what do we actually do when a couple books us for that service?  Its such a HUGE range - we find ourselves doing everything from rushing around on the morning of the wedding changing shoes which dont fit for the bridal party and setting up cakes and flowers right through to cleaning toilets and getting down on the hands and knees and cleaning the dance floor before people arrive!  You could say that its certainly not all glamour!  

Final details pre-wedding with Groom and Best Man 

Image credit - Jennifer Sinclair Photography 

We certainly make sure that we mop up all the duties which no one has had assigned to them or that no one else either wants to do or are doing.  This makes sure that our clients' wedding runs as smoothly as possible and that the detail is never missed. 

I thought that what might be helpful is a brief run down on what will happen if you decide to use us for this service:

1.  We receive an enquiry which is usually on a recommendation from previous bride or venue (which is lovely!) and we have a brief chat with the bride or groom about how far they have got with their wedding plans.  We set up a time to meet to have a full consultation to discuss the plans which we like to do around 2-4 weeks before the wedding and preferably on site at the wedding venue so we can do a full "walk through" the day. 

2.  At the meeting we go through our detailed fact finding questionnaire and take full details of the day, the plans, the suppliers and start spotting anything which is left to be resolved and ends to tie up. 

3.  A lot of couples at this stage then like us to add to our on the day service by helping out with last minute supplier searches if things have been overlooked or if the busy couple have just not had time which is not uncommon!  We can do that - we are happy to be flexible with our services and add in where we need to along the way.  Don't forget that we are well connected with suppliers so we can often put our hands on suppliers at the last minute for you.  

4.  Once we have a full picture of the day and all details of the suppliers we start to work on a detailed time schedule for the day which our couple approve and once they are happy we distribute this to all suppliers so that everyone knows where they are mean to be and when and it gives everyone an opportunity to say if they think they need more time for something or if something needs to be changed.  We amend until everyone is happy then we work strictly to this during the day and this is how our weddings run to time!  Its all in the planning! 

5.  For the final weeks we encourage our clients to leave the contact with the suppliers to us so that they get to relax and we deal with any last minute issues.  

6.  If its a dry hire venue or a marquee where things need to be set up such as tables and chairs and chair covers, table centres, decorations - anything really - then we are on hand to do that the day before if we can or the morning of the wedding if we can't.

7.  We would usually go to the wedding rehearsal if there is one and encourage the photographer and videographer to go to.  We find this means that we get a feel for what's happening during the service and we get to meet the bridal party and introduce who will be covering the wedding on the day so that best man/ushers/parents know who we are and they can come to us for anything during the day.  At this point best man usually is not clear on what he has to do and when and likewise with the ushers so we do reminders here (or on the morning of the wedding if there is no rehearsal) to put everyone at ease. 

Sorting out the guys!

Image credit - Christian Michael Photography 

8.  On the day we start early and do any finishing off at the venue.  There are always flowers to deliver somewhere, checking of tables and table plans to do, dropping off of buttonholes to the guys and making sure they are on properly and they are all dressed correctly - vital point!  Buttonholes don't tend to look that great when not put on properly and hankies and ties or cravats not done properly is really annoying in photographs if not finished properly!

One of the most important jobs - the Groom's buttonhole

Image credit - Christian Michael Photography 

9.  During the day we would usually have 1 or 2 or us there depending on the requirements of the day - if one is needed at the ceremony perhaps to back up the photographer for photography calls or getting guests on and off coaches without missing anyone then 1 would be there and 1 at the venue making sure everything is set up, all the suppliers turn up when they are meant to and then there can be communication when the first guests are on their way from the ceremony to the reception so that the caterers can be ready for their arrival with drinks and canapes. 

Room set up in a barn for a countryside wedding - chair covers all done! 

Image credit - Jennifer Sinclair Photography 

10.  Usually we are there throughout the day until all formalities have been completed ie first dance, cake cutting - sometimes later if we are needed to stay until the end to help with clearing up and out if its a venue which has to be cleared on the night - what bride wants to be doing that at the end of her wedding day?  All day we will back up the venue staff or catering staff - we never tread on anyone's toes or tell them how to do their jobs.  We are there to compliment what they do and back up where necessary.  If there is wine to be poured or plates to be cleared and the caterers are busy then we will help and do that.  We are always looking out to make sure that our couple (and we always look after the parents very closely) are very well looked after and of course the guests as well.  

Set up for the ceremony which then had to be turned around for the wedding breakfast

Image credit - Christian Michael Photography 

11.  We are closely watching the timing and making sure that any line-ups are done to do, seating is done swiftly and the speeches run in the correct order.  We do announcements if there is no MC or Toastmaster to do this.  

12.  We will then make sure that bands/ DJs and any other suppliers arrive on time for the evening and ensure they are set up in time and fed and watered and are happy!  We will set up for the cake cutting shots and encourage guests to take part in this and same with the first dance. 

13.  After this - if we can and the party is in full swing - we may leave!  Usually the day can be anything from 10-18 hours on your feet. 

Glamour it is not.  Its all about very hard work, making sure no details are missed and if anyone does not turn up when they are meant to or there is a problem that we quickly react to that and solve it before the bride and groom even know. 

So far this season we have worked on quite a few marquee weddings which take a lot of preparation and set up and we will oversee all of this and tweek things as we go along.  There are always things to set up and tea lights and candles to light and replace and details to add.  A guest book or wishing tree to make sure people sign.  We always keep an eye on the wedding cards and gifts and make sure these go away safely either back to the house or wherever they need to go. 

We have some weddings come up where our services will extend to making sure guests do partake in some activities during the drinks reception which is really important to the couple.  We have quite a few more marquee weddings and some weddings where the timing is very tight because the ceremonies are quite late so its really important that we are there to ensure the day runs to time.  Otherwise, a couple could be paying for a fabulous live band who are due to do 2 x 1 hour live sets and if the day runs late you eat into this time and may miss half of it and it would be such a waste of money and a real shame.  We are always on hand with our emergency kit and you will be amazed what's in it and what people ask for....

So - does that sound like enough?  Its quite a comprehensive service and we are pleased to say that our couples love it!  Take a look at some of the testimonials  we have had for this and our other services. 

Why is this service so popular?  Well hopefully the above will speak for itself but we feel it gives couples real peace of mind that there is someone "in charge" on their wedding day - who people can go to and ask questions and deal with issues rather than bothering the bride and groom on their special day.  Descriptions for this have been "fairy godmother", "Wonder Woman" and "don't you ever sit down - you have not stopped all day!".  At one recent wedding the mother of the bride said that she felt that she had "been to some of the best hotels in the world but had never been looked after so well as I looked after her at the wedding and could ".  All of the comments we get mean that we know that the service works.  On the day co-ordination whilst its the smallest service we offer is in fact the most difficult as you are stepping in late to someone else's plans so our advice is always to consider full plan and let us take care of things from the outset - you would be surprised how much money and stress we can save you!

Clipboard in hand with that time schedule 

Image credit - Clay Photography 

Hope that does some way to let you into our world and what we do for just one small part of the services we offer.  Any queries or comments - we would love to hear from you!

x

Expert Feature - Diana Saxby - Grace the Day - Civil Celebrant

Diana Saxby, Grace the Day 

"What IS a Celebrant?" is one of the recurring questions since I started out, along with "So you are a Humanist?" and "Are you a Registrar?"

So, along with a smattering of public speaking accompanied by my trusty short presentation film, I welcome any opportunity to address these misconceptions, starting with what a Celebrant is NOT!

I am not a wedding planner

Wedding day co-ordination, seating plans etc are definitely the responsibility of the wedding planner or the venue co-ordinator and if these have not been addressed early on and a celebrant is asked to advise, then it may be wise to re-think who you have engaged for these priorities. As a trained celebrant I will only take responsibility at the venue for choreographing the entrance, exit and positioning of the bridal procession throughout the ceremony and officiating on the day by performing the ceremony as agreed with the bride and groom. While it's important to have a good working relationship with everyone involved, it's equally important that I don't tread on anyone's toes in the hope that they won't tread on mine. Everyone has a useful purpose and a valuable role to play which I respect.

I am not a Registrar

Celebrants offer alternatives to Church and Registry Office weddings and have a great deal more freedom than registrars, including the freedom to conduct ceremonies indoor and outdoors without a licence. Their ceremonies can contain religious or spiritual readings and music. A registrar is still required to legally register the marriage and authorise the marriage certificate in a simple and inexpensive visit to the local registry office, either before or after the ceremony. A celebrant ceremony will include all the meaningful exchanges of rings, vows and pledges and will finish with a blessing or reading which can be spiritual, religious or non-religious.

I am not a Humanist.

My own opinions are not reflected in the ceremony, which is designed entirely for the couple and no one else.

The ceremony script is written either for them or by them and their input, contribution and approval makes it totally bespoke and unique. My practice is to keep the script absolutely private and confidential until it is delivered on the day of the wedding. I have learnt from bitter experience not to work when a third party is present as my brief is taken from the couple and much of what is discussed is intimate and private until shared on the day. I will include any reading or vows which the couple choose as appropriate to reflect their own identity, beliefs and hopes for the future.

In my opinion, a good celebrant should be open-minded, flexible, adaptable, creative, articulate and a confident orator. They shouldn’t be bigoted or prejudiced, nor should they impose restrictions, particularly when working with other professionals, such as photographers and film-makers. A registrar or vicar may limit the number of photographs taken during a service and stipulate where a photographer should stand. I don't make stipulations and believe in working in harmony with others, so that we enhance each others work, not hinder it.

My previous work history included the organising of functions attended by the Royal Family and liaising with members of the Royal Household, so while I have knowledge and respect for protocol, I am neither bound nor restricted by it as a celebrant. I’ve valuable links with reputable professionals who I’m happy to recommend once I’ve worked with them and can personally endorse their work and professionalism. I also have links with a number of beautiful venues, some of which are private homes with large and beautiful gardens, and I'm listed as an approved supplier with a number of well known and well-kept secret venues in several counties.

A creative mind helps to visualise beautiful, elegant ceremonies in unusual and romantic settings and I am happy to suggest locations and venues from my portfolio when we meet personally to discuss planning the bespoke ceremony for two unique individuals. 

Diana Saxby is a Civil Celebrant and is the founder/owner of Grace the Day 

We work with Diana and have great pleasure in doing so and believe that Diana's ceremony services offer a really personal and unique element to your wedding day.  

You can contact Diana to discuss your own personal ceremony requirements 07760 110007 or email ceremonies@dianagrace.plus.com 

You can also visit Grace the Days website

Getting the timings right for your wedding day

Now, no one would want their wedding day to feel like its a military operation but a little bit of military precision with your timings will go down very well - believe me!  Great preparation in advance of your wedding day on the timings will be a huge key to the smooth running of your wedding day.  Part of all of our planning services are working with our couples to create a detailed time schedule for the day which we usually put together as an Excel spreadsheet but there are lots of ways of doing this.  We work to 15 minute time slots and we start from early in the morning when the bridal preparations start - right through to the end of the day when guests leave the wedding and make their way home.

Timings are not only important for the peace of mind of our couples but also for all of the suppliers/vendors who are helping to make your wedding day a success.  People like leadership and organisation and your suppliers will work better for you if they know what they are doing and when you want them to do it. So, even if you only have a few weeks left until your wedding day - get cracking with that time schedule! 

Think carefully about how long everything will realistically take - here are some good tips for you:

 - If you are getting married during the busy summer season/school holidays (especially in the Dorset area where we have a lot of holiday traffic) remember to allow additional time to get from A to B in case of traffic.  Remember also that if you are travelling in a vintage car over a fair distance they don't tend to travel at normal car speed so it will take you longer that you would expect.  Speak to your wedding car company to ask exactly how long they would allow on timings for this.  

Not a sight you want to see on your wedding day 

Image credit - www.dailymail.co.uk

 - Always allow plenty of time for getting ready before the wedding for hair and make-up.  Make sure that you plan to be ready (hair, make-up and dress) around 1 hour before you are due to leave in your wedding car for the ceremony.  Leave yourself time to enjoy the moment and relax and have some pre-wedding photographs. 

 - Getting people from A to B always takes longer than people think.  People don't tend to move quickly - especially at a wedding when they are relaxing.  Make sure you have agreed a list of essential group shots with your photographer and if your photographer works alone assign someone to help the photographer gather people together after the ceremony for these essential shots.  So much time can be wasted waiting for people to get together for photographs.  This section of the day can get quite boring for guests so you really need someone in charge to help with this task.  If you have a wedding co-ordinator they would usually help you with this section of the day.  Its a valuable place not to loose time - surely you would rather be spending time with your guests at your drinks reception, wedding breakfast or evening reception so don't waste time here which you can enjoy later. 

 - For a typical drinks reception post ceremony and pre-wedding breakfast we usually allow 90 minutes - we find that 60 minutes is too short as you will want to have some more relaxed photographs taken during this time and perhaps bride and groom going off on their own with the photographer for some shots.  You also want to have enough time to enjoy at least some of the drinks reception with your guests.  2 hours can be a little too long - but if you have to have this much time (perhaps your ceremony room is being turned around for the wedding breakfast) then include some entertainment during this time to keep your guests happy and entertained.  Don't forget during the wedding breakfast that its best not to give you guests too much alcohol without offering soft drinks as well (ladies often like to switch between bubbly and water or how about an Elderflower presse or something light) or feed them too - so canapes on the cards we think! 

Image credit - Columbia Photography 

 - Formal receiving lines.  Well - we can talk about these for ages!  Not a huge fan I have to say but they do have their place and purpose I know.  If you really feel that its necessary for a formal receiving line to greet your guests on their way in to the wedding breakfast beware of how long this can take.  As a rough guide - if you have the main wedding party greeting your guests (bride, groom, bestman, bridesmaids, and 2 sets of parents) with x 100 guests you can take anything from 45 minutes to an hour to get everyone in and its not the most exciting time for guests waiting in line.  If its necessary then consider only the bride, groom and parents - this can take less time.  Or, what about not having a formal receiving line but bride and groom visiting guests table by table and perhaps having a photograph with each table during the wedding breakfast? 

Receiving line - image credit - www.weddingtropics.com

 - Speeches.  I have a theory - whatever a groom or bestman tells you when you ask how long his speech will take - double it.  With my experience I tend to find this is correct no matter how nervous they say they are.  Fathers of the bride tend to be pretty accurate.  Get speeches done and out of the way pre-wedding breakfast if you have nervous speakers - provided that you have it well organised in advance with the caterers and you pre-warn the speakers they cannot go over time otherwise you could have food delivered to you in not the condition you would like!  

Best Man Speech - www.weddingspeechmatters.com

 - Try to get the formalities of cake cutting and first dance fairly early on into the evening reception - and evening reception is nice so that evening guests can share in some formalities if you have extra guests arriving - and then the evening belongs to the bride and groom to enjoy themselves without being called for anything. 

 - If you think your guests would benefit from knowing a bit more about the schedule of the day draw up a Schedule/ Order of the Day and issue in advance or with your invitations or put it up on your wedding website if you have one 

Hope these tips help you to get the timings right on your wedding day - if you need help - just contact us 

Melanie 

x

Selecting Your Wedding Breakfast Menu

There are so many hints and tips out there for selecting your menu for your wedding breakfast and many a bride-to-be has probably got her hands on lots of lists.  BUT - we wanted to share just a few of the recent very important things that we have been picking up along the way at some reason weddings which could help you on this very point (and being a BIG foodie this is something which is very close to my heart to get right on the day!):

Image credit - www.bealesgourmet.com

 - Do pick foods which you love as the couple of course but also remember that if you are feeding a lot of guests something which may be quite unusual  may not appeal to everyone so try to select dishes with please you but will also please the majority of your guests

 - Remember you will never please everyone all of the time so don't beat yourselves up about this.  If you feel you are going for a menu or a dish which is slightly more "out there" in terms of adventure then include a short mention with your wedding invitation ie "we will be serving lamb at the wedding breakfast - please let us know if you prefer an alternative" etc

 - We find at pork is usually not so good a choice because of religious issues so that could be a meat to avoid unless is in a more casual setting such as a hog roast for an evening do or if you mention in advance as above 

 - Think carefully about where your speeches will take place during the day - particularly if you have given your caterers strict instructions on rare beef or pink lamb don't then go for pre-dinner speeches which could quite easily run over and mean that your caterers don't have a good chance of delivering the good quality of food you expect - its not fair on them and will only mean that they cannot bring you the quality they would like to.  Time your speeches carefully.  If you do prefer to have the speeches completed pre-dinner why not opt for a meat which is less likely to spoil if speeches do run over 

 - You must insist that you have a full tasting in good time before your wedding.  Try a number of dishes to make a selection and try to taste with your selected wines too so you can ensure that the wines compliment the dishes

 - Try to select ingredients which are in season and local if you can - not only will you be bringing some environmentally friendly elements to your day but your guests will appreciate the seasonal and local touches and you should hopefully help to keep costs down and your dishes will be fresh, current and tasty 

 - Communicate with your caterers and make sure that your full menu compliments each course - its amazing how many times we see canapes and starters which clash with the main course or the evening food - think about the day as a whole and take their advice on a well balance menu for the whole day 

 - Make sure the pudding compliments your wedding cake - there little point in having a chocolate dessert if your wedding cake choice is chocolate.  

 - If you are working to a budget you could ditch the dessert and use your wedding cake and have that cut down and serve with a Chantilly cream or coulis.  This could save on costs.  Or, why not opt for a cheese wedding cake which can be cut down and served after the wedding breakfast or in the evening with a selection of breads and fruits in a lovely display - you can even add to the cheese wedding cake with soft cheeses in the kitchen - best not to have soft cheeses as part of the cheese wedding cake display as they can become too soft when on display and look unsightly. 

 - If you are choosing canapes during your drinks reception, think about how many you should serve to your guests based on (budget of course) how much time they will have to wait before they will be served their wedding breakfast  - this is particularly important if you are planning to have your speeches before the meal is served as guests will be waiting long and guests don't like to wait to be fed!  If you are giving them too much to drink and not enough to eat this is a recipe for disaster - especially in hot weather.   We would suggest that 4-5 canapes per person for a 60-90 minute drinks reception or if you are planning on keeping them waiting for a little longer then increase by another 2 per person.    Have a good selection and make sure you have plenty of non alcoholic drinks on offer as well such as an Elderflower presse or non alcoholic punch or sparkling waters with fresh cordials and fruits

 - Think about presentation and how the food will be presented to your guests.  Ask your caterers how the food will arrive to the table ie will all the vegetables be plated on the same plate or will this arrive separately - how much room will you need on the tables?  If you are restricted for space then avoid having separate vegetable bowls arriving and ask if this can all be presented neatly on the same plate

 - If you can't decide on a single pudding to end your meal (or this can even work well with starters too) how about a duo or a trio - smaller portions but a well balanced selection of dishes for your guests. This can also work well on a tapaps/mezze style of dining for your guests so rather than a single plated dish why not serve your guests 3 or 4 smaller starters each which guests select from passing around the tables.  This works well for breaking the ice with guests who may not know each other so well

 - There is nothing to say that you can't offer different puddings - one for the ladies and one for the gents?  That's a good way to offer something different. 

We hope you find this useful for your own wedding - we would love to hear your comments

Above all - eat well and enjoy!

Photo credit - Creative Catering

Photo credit - Creative Catering

Lulworth Castle wedding - including the sheep!

On the 13th May 2011 we had the great pleasure of seeing all of our hard work on our first wedding at Lulworth Castle, Dorset come together.  We had been looking after one of our lovely couples, Scotty and Ian, for around 6 months and we had started work for them with a venue search during which time Scott and Ian settled on Lulworth Castle.   Lulworth Castle - for those of you who don't know this venue -  is a stunning 17th century castle set in beautiful grounds in the deepest Dorset countryside.  It was originally built as a hunting lodge and became a country house at the centre of a large estate.  

 The outside of the Castle now 

Photo credit - Columbia Photography

The exterior of the Castle has changed little over the years but a fire in 1929 gutted the interior but the ruin was beautifully restored by the Department of the Environment and completed by English Heritage and re-opened in 1998.  On-line you can see images of the interior before the fire and whilst the interior has been restored beautifully I do love to look at these pictures to see what life was like inside the Castle as a hunting lodge and the differences now when the venue is set up for a wedding.  Its wonderful for others to share this space for their wedding but it must have been such a beautiful place to be pre-fire too!

The Saloon as it was pre-fire in 1929 - now this room is used for wedding ceremonies and celebrations and we will feature photographs soon of how this room  now looks dressed for a ceremony

Photo credit - www.lulworth.com

We had great fun working with Scotty and Ian and bringing to them lots of venue suggestions to fit their brief and this ticked all the boxes for them.  We were instructed that lambs had to be part of the day and as you will see with pictures to follow in future blogs on the wedding - lambs were very much part of the day! 

Guests got to enjoy pre-wedding drinks at the Weld Arms just outside the Castle gates and a wonderful day in the Castle with a sumptuous meal, speeches and dancing with lots of personal touches throughout the day.  The bride and groom and guests then stayed locally in the most wonderful property - The Lindens - for post wedding celebrations.   We thoroughly enjoyed being part of this wedding - having worked with the couple from the beginning to locate their venue, to helping with supplier sourcing and structuring the day and co-ordinating throughout the day right until all of the formalities had been concluded.  

We worked with some wonderful suppliers who made the day such a success including Paul Pinnock and his team at Lulworth, Tony Beales and his team from Beales Gourmet on the catering side, John Howarth from Columbia photography and the talented team from Parkwood Flowers who made the venue  look even more beautiful to name just a few. 

Keep watching for images of this wedding - can't wait to share more with you!