We’re bringing you bucket loads of boutique, urban vibes today with Susannah and James’ gorgeous wedding in the heart of Chester last September.
Another micro wedding during these Covid-stricken times – we love seeing how our couples have switched up their plans to bring their big day to life. Susannah admits that most of her original ideas had to be dashed, but in the end, all that matters is that the bride and groom are together. And we couldn’t agree more with this heartwarming sentiment.
The couple chose a beautiful Georgian townhouse hotel in Chester for both their ceremony and reception, which offered something intimate, contemporary and very quirky for their special day.
They didn’t pick an overriding theme as such, other than keeping things non-traditional and simple, and this contrasted perfectly with the venue’s characterful decor. We’re definitely here for those whimsical, design-led vibes!
There’s lots of fabulous settings to pore over in their wedding day pics, from cobbled streets and a secret garden to the hotel’s striking interior that’s brimming with personality and panache, complete with crystal chandeliers and mirrored wall art.
Tempted to hear more? Here’s Susannah to tell us all about it.
With images by UNVEILED Network Member Bailey and Mitchell Photography
Proposal
Susannah says: We got engaged at Aether’s Tilt in Shropshire on 7th August, 2018. We were staying in a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere (perfect for us!) and on our first night after tea, James went inside to get us doughnuts, but instead came back with a ring!
Setting
We tied the knot on 5th September, 2020. We wanted a late summer wedding so September seemed perfect. The 5th is also special to us, as we first got together on 5th January 2015!
Our ceremony and wedding breakfast took place at Oddfellows Chester. We wanted a quirky, non-traditional venue, and when we visited Oddfellows we fell in love and knew it was perfect for us! It is full of quirky décor and crazy decorations that make it such a unique venue.
Theme
We didn’t have a particular style or theme – we just kept it simple and non-traditional. The main colour scheme was forest green and white, mainly because green is my favourite colour, but also because my favourite flowers are gypsophila and eucalyptus.
Dress
My gown was from WED2B in Liverpool. I originally wanted a simple boho style dress, but after trying on what would become my actual wedding dress, I fell in love, even though it wasn’t what I had dreamt of originally! My gown featured a high neckline/halter style, which was something I really wanted, too.
Groomsmen
James wore a blue checked suit by Racing Green. Our groomsmen, which included the father-of-the-bride and best man, wore a green tweed jacket and blue trousers, also from Racing Green.
Bridesmaids
My bridesmaid, also my maid of honour, wore a forest green dress, also from WED2B in Liverpool.
Beauty
Gillian Roslan-Oates styled my hair, and we all did our own makeup.
Transport
We stayed at Oddfellows the night before the wedding, so no transport was required.
Photographer
We used Bailey and Mitchell as our photographers. I would 100% recommend them. They were the loveliest, friendliest couple, yet incredibly professional. The photographs turned out exactly as I imagined. We really wanted warm-toned candid images, which is exactly what we got!
Styling
Our flowers were supplied by Wild Floral Design. I carried a bouquet of eucalyptus and gypsophila, while my maid of honour carried a bouquet of just gypsophila. The button holes were gypsophila, too.
The decorations were also provided by Wild Floral Design, and we used our own glass bottles and jars, and filled them with even more eucalyptus and gypsophila.
Cake
We had the most perfect vanilla and berry naked wedding cake made for us by Laura’s Cakes and Cupcakes. Not only did the cake look and taste perfect, Laura came to the venue on the morning of the wedding to assemble it and ensure it was as fresh as possible.
Dining
Our wedding breakfast was provided by Oddfellows’ in-house kitchen, with drinks supplied by their own bar, too. We didn’t have any entertainment due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Thanks to
Oddfellows is perfect for any couple wanting a quirky non-traditional venue, and we’d highly recommend it.
Best bit
My personal highlight was the bit just after the ceremony, before re-entering the room for the wedding breakfast and being announced as a married couple for the first time, as James and I had a few minutes together, just the two of us, and it was perfect!
Honeymoon
We had originally planned to go on a road trip to California, however, this was postponed due to Covid-19.
In the end, we spent a few days in Edinburgh and a few days in York – both of which were perfect. We explored the sights, ate amazing food, and spent quality time together with nobody else distracting us!
Advice
A lot of my wedding plans went out of the window due to Covid-19. I learnt (the hard way!) that you simply cannot plan for everything, and to be flexible and willing to change things last minute. As long as the bride and groom are together, nothing else matters.
