Have we mentioned that we love all things Christmas? So with less than 12 weeks to go until Santa visits us once again we thought it was high time for another festive themed big day on the blog.
Taking place in the charming city of York, we adore how Alex and Stacey’s stylish wedding gives subtle nods to the season without a single piece of tinsel in sight!
We’re also big fans of the atmospheric venue and choice of simple white blooms and cake. The star of the show for us though just has to be Stacey’s gorgeous bespoke, lace detailed dress, complete with floor-length veil and glamorous red lips. Pure perfection!
With images by Photography34.
stacey says:
We got engaged on the beach at Alnmouth, in Northumberland. We’d been staying in a cottage nearby and had gone out for a walk when Alex asked the question. It was 5th November in 2014, and a really crisp cold day with blue skies and very few people around.We set our wedding date for 28th November 2015, as we liked the idea of getting married in the same month that we got engaged.
Our chosen venue was Merchant Taylors Hall, in York. We live in York and wanted somewhere central that our friends and family could easily travel to. We looked around several venues and loved this one. The beamed ceilings and open fire seemed to be perfect for a winter wedding. The layout of the hall was also great for the number of guests we wanted and allowed us to have both the ceremony and reception all in the same place.
We initially didn’t really have a theme to the wedding but then we discovered that the week we were marrying would be when the Christmas tree would be put up in the Merchant Taylors Hall. We therefore decided to with a bit of a festive feel, adding lights in the hall and having Christmas crackers as favours.
We didn’t set out to have any specific colour scheme either, at first kept it simple with everything in white. However, we then decided on a deep blue/purple colour for the bridesmaid dresses and so incorporated that hue into the wedding and matched the ties, invitations and table names.
For my wedding dress I chose a floor-length design with lace sleeves designed by Bridal Rogue Gallery, in York. It was the second dress I tried on and I loved the style and fit. The dress was one of their own designs which we adapted by adding lace to the body and sleeves and a silk waist band too.
On the morning of the wedding Blake & Butler Hairdressers did mine, my mam’s and all of my bridesmaids’. We then did our own makeup after attending a makeup lesson at Bobbi Brown at Monks Cross, in York. The staff there were so great in the run up to the big day that I felt comfortable doing my own bridal makeup.
Alex chose a blue morning suit for his attire, which he hired from York Hire Wear. Our groomsmen also had matching morning suits from York Hire Wear, and matching brown brogues from John Lewis.
My lovely bridesmaids all wore a Fife knee-length purple dress from Hobbs with nude shoes.
Prior to the ceremony Alex and his groomsmen walked from The Judges Hotel in York, to the Merchant Taylors Hall, while my bridesmaids, my mam and dad and I arrived in two Mercedes, which we hired from Poppleton Executive Travel.
Tony Wilson from Photography34, captured our wedding day and without doubt we would recommend him to others. His photography style is so natural, capturing every moment perfectly. We didn’t want anything that was too formal or structured. Tony totally understood and made us feel really comfortable, both on the pre-wedding shoot and on our wedding day. He really thought about how to get the absolute best shots, and planned a short walking route around places like The Minster and The Shambles, which created some amazing photographs.
For the wedding flowers my bridesmaids and I had white tulips, and Alex and his groomsmen had white rose buttonholes. They were all from Ello Flower, on Goodramgate in York.
Our decorations consisted also of mostly white flowers, along with candles and lights, which were dotted all around the hall. Ello Flower provided all of the flowers and candles, and our caterers, Poppy’s, supplied some candelabras for the front of the hall.
We also had a big photo frame on display which held lots of photographs of Alex and me, and documented the different things we’ve done together and with family and friends over the years.
For the wedding favours we made our very own Christmas crackers and filled them with chocolates, paper hats, puzzles and jokes.
We had a four-tier, white wedding cake made by our very talented friend Lydia Sweeting from Love Rouge Bakery, in Leeds. We then used some of the flowers from Ello Flower to decorate it.
As we married during the winter we went for warm and hearty food for the wedding breakfast. We had Scotch egg starters, roast beef for main and finished with a trio of desserts. Later in the evening we had a cheese board, which was served up with the wedding cake.
To kick-off the evening party we hired Hi-Life Entertainment, based in Leeds, who DJ’d from 7pm. Their website looked great and the owner Mark Hepworth, was really helpful in making sure we had a playlist that included all our favourite songs as well as taking any requests from friends and family on the night. The DJ read the audience really well and played music that reflected what we all liked. We’d definitely recommend Hi-Life to others looking to find a good DJ.
For those in search of a fabulous wedding venue, we’d have to recommend the Merchant Taylors Hall. Its central location makes it so easy for people to get to and the setting, just behind York Minster, also makes it a great area for photographs. Poppy’s Caterers, who run the events at the Merchant Taylors, help to organise your day from start to finish, so you feel like your wedding is fully taken care of.
Looking back we’d say that our favourite part of the day was having all our friends and family in one place to help us celebrate our wedding.
Following our big day celebrations we went on a six-night honeymoon to New York. We managed to fit in all the main sites and were lucky enough to be there for the Rockefeller Centre Christmas lights switch on.
My top tip to other Brides Up North is not to over stress. Before the wedding, it’s easy to worry about things that you might have forgotten, or things not being quite as you planned. But on the day none of it really matters. Getting married and having all your friends and family together in one place is what makes the day special.
