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What better way to end the week than another gorgeous Real Wedding, this time from the North West and sent to me by photographer Martin Hambleton and real bride Sarah. Sarah and Nick actually chose a similar colour scheme to that I picked for my own wedding, so I was always going to love the classic elegance of their wedding styling – topped off with a stunning venue to boot!
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Over to Sarah: Nick asked me to marry him in July 2009 in Paris and we were married on New Year’s Eve – 31st December 2011 at Arley Hall in Cheshire.
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We chose the venue because it’s a beautiful place, but what sold it to us was how friendly the staff were. They had us feel at home immediately. Everyone did a fantastic job of looking after us from the first show round right the way through to the day of the wedding.
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We opted for a classic colour scheme of ivory and charcoal grey. My dress was an Essence dress from Chester Bridal Gallery. Very plain, but perfect!
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My six bridesmaids wore long strapless dresses from Monsoon. They were a bargain in the January sale last year and then we just paid to get them altered for a perfect fit.
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I was already at the venue so we didn’t have wedding cars, but we did have a wedding bus to transport our guests from a nearby hotel though!
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I carried a hand-tied bouquet of ivory flowers – spray roses, narcissi, hyacinths, freesias and veronica with variegated ivy, eucalyptus and asparagus fern foliage by 2Lips Florists in Stockton Heath.
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RW Bespoke did our catering. They are the preferred supplier of the venue and were equally brilliant. We’ve had so many great comments about the food!
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We opted for a traditional fruit cake made by my Auntie. Instead of favours we had a sweetie table at the evening reception with personalised labels and traditional stripped bags in our wedding colours.
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We had a harpist, Nerys Hewitt who played during the ceremony and reception and then a brilliant band called The Indie Killers in the evening. We had a confetti machine at midnight! At the strike of 12 o’clock a shower of silver and ivory paper flakes fell from the ceiling!
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Obviously the ceremony and the actual getting married part was great, but the surprise appearance of all Nick’s friends dressed in Top Gun flight suits coming on to the dance floor to serenade me with Take My Breath Away after our first dance is a moment I will never forget.
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We honeymooned in Sri Lanka and The Maldives. We had an incredible time, just what we needed after the busyness of the wedding.
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My top tip for other Brides Up North would be to get organised! Keep a wedding file to store all correspondence and ideas and write all key dates on a wall chart – dress fittings, supplier meetings, payments dates etc. You’ll be glad that you did!
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Congratulations Sarah & Nick! 
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Newly wed? Contact Brides Up North to share your Real Wedding memories!
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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © 2012 Martin Hambleton Photography
This is not a sponsored post
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