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Happy New Year! The normal wedding blog schedule will resume on 3rd January 2012, but while I nurse my hangover with the best of you, here is a burst of Real Wedding freshness, with one of my favourite Spring weddings from 2011. Happy New Year Jordan and John!
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Wedding blog favourite Karen McGowran Photography sent Brides Up North Jordan and John’s beautiful Real Wedding at Close House Hotel to share with you. I adore the duck egg blue colour scheme and fresh floral styling. It’s all in the detail girls!
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Over to Team J: We got engaged at Ramside Hall Hotel, Durham, in April 2009. John took me for a surprise treat to celebrate our anniversary and popped the question! We were married on Easter Saturday, 23rd April 2011 at Close House Hotel, Heddon on the Wall.
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We looked at loads of venues but as soon as we pulled up to Close House we fell in love with it! When we went inside it just felt right and we knew it was the place for us. It has such an amazing intimate atmosphere and we could immediately imagine it filled with our families and friends. The light airy feel and the gorgeous grounds fit with the type of wedding and colour schemes we wanted.
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Another key factor was the staff – Laura, Close House’s Wedding Coordinator was so reassuring and down to earth, and all of the staff are friendly, professional and can’t do enough for you. We just felt certain everything would come together and all our guests would be looked after.
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Spring is my favourite season so we wanted a light, fresh and colourful wedding with lots of spring flowers and colours. Since our wedding was on Easter Saturday, Springtime Easter became our theme, with duck egg blue being the main colour. Our place cards were little eggs and we had an Easter egg hunt during the drinks reception for the kids. We hid Easter bunny cards around the house and gardens, which they then swapped for an Easter egg when they found them.
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My dress was Maggie Sottero’s ‘Alannah’, which I got from The Wedding Wardrobe in Chester-le-Street – a fabulous service, I’d recommend them to anyone!
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In keeping with the light floaty feel, my bridesmaids wore gorgeous tea length dresses from Monsoon. It turned out the colour we’d chosen was very difficult to find and match in the perfect shade – so when I spotted them I was over the moon!
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Their gifts were pearl bracelets with their initials on from Not on the High Street, pearl earrings and a cute necklace from Oasis.
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Instead of a guest book we had a wedding wish tree – which was really popular with our guests.
I gave my two young bridesmaids ‘My Day as a Bridesmaid’ albums with cameras, which gave them certain things they had to take pictures of on the day to add into the album… they loved it and it even kept four year old Lily entertained all day.
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We handed a quiz with funny questions about myself and John out during the wedding breakfast – I’ve never seen our families and friends get so competitive!
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My bouquet was a domed, hand tied posy of champagne roses, pale pink roses, cream double lizzianthus, cream freesia and pale pink blush and lemon tulips. I was so excited when the flowers arrived – it finally felt real!
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Even though I love cake, when we prioritised our budget near the start neither of us saw the cake as something we wanted to spend a lot on. So I was over the moon when it turned out to look so impressive on the day! My Grandma baked the bottom tier fruit cake, while ‘Kirsty’s Cakes’ made the top three sponge tiers, and iced all of the cakes plain ivory. We then added a gorgeous pearl and crystal brooch and some ivory ribbon, and Wedding Flowers for You added fresh flowers.
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It looked stunning and if we’d had a bigger cake budget is exactly the kind of cake I’d have chosen anyway!
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It’s so hard to choose but if I had to pick my favourite moment from the day I’d say the ceremony itself. I never expected that would be the case as you spend so long planning all the other bits, but it was beautiful. This sounds cheesy, but it felt like it was just me and John in the room, and every word the registrar said meant so much.
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Another thing I have to mention that I just loved about the whole day is the way that everyone just mixed with each other and laughed all day. I’d be looking around and see two people chatting who didn’t know each other and just loved the friendly relaxed atmosphere. I think Facebook helps! Everyone finds it easier to go up and chat to people as they already know a little bit about them and have a conversation starter!
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Two weeks after our wedding we went on Honeymoon on a Caribbean cruise on the Allure of the Seas. We’d never been on a cruise before and were blown away by it.
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My top tip for other Brides Up North is to decide in advance that from when you wake up in the morning nothing can spoil your day and you’re going to enjoy your day as much as your guests will!! The floaty fabric of my dress was quite fine and after a few group photos I was covered in grass stains and had a tiny rip right at the bottom of my dress. I quickly decided I could either stand still and worry about my dress all day – or forget about it and have as much fun as possible with all my favourite people! The little things don’t matter – when the formalities are over, enjoy yourself and be a guest at your own wedding!
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Little Black Book:
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Venue: Close House Hotel
Photographer: Karen McGowran Photography
Dress: Maggie Sottero at The Wedding Wardrobe
Bridesmaids: Monsoon
Men’s attire: Slaters
Chair Covers: Simply Bows & Chair Covers
Flowers: Wedding Flowers For You
Cake: Kirsty’s Cakes
Cars: Parkers Execulink
Gifts and accessories: Not On The High Street and Oasis
Stationery and table decorations: handmade
Bride’s Make Up: Kate D at MAC
Bride’s Hair: Toni Wardle Mobile Hairdresser
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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © Karen McGowran Photography
Karen McGowran Photography is a Brides Up North Featured Supplier
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