An autumn wedding at South Causey Inn was the perfect day for our happy couple, Emma and Cole as they tied the knot amidst the chaos of the pandemic and still had their perfect day.
We’re absolutely weak at the knees over the pretty lace details on Emma’s stunning Mori Lee gown; the V-neck, ball gown silhouette with intricate applique and lace details, and a delicate illusion back to show off her tattoos – it’s absolute bridal perfection and she looks completely unreal in it.
We also love that after searching for their venue in all the usual places, our couple finally found one they felt comfortable in. This is a great reminder that it’s not always about picking a wedding venue that seems like the obvious choice if you don’t feel it really suits you as a couple.
It’s this, along with the other little personal touches added into the mix – in Emma and Cole’s case that’s bits like the gifts, the sparklers and the super cool personalised Vans – that makes each wedding so unique, keeping us hooked, falling for the romance of the magical love-filled day every time, without fail!
With photography by Hayley Crone Photography
Proposal
Emma says: It was the 29th of July 2019. I was making dinner and saying to Cole that my car had no fuel so I was going to take his car to work the following day. He panicked as the ring was hidden in his car, so he said he was going to get his wallet before I took it. Then he asked me for a cuddle and got down on one knee and proposed in our kitchen.
Setting
We were married on the 11th of October 2020. We knew we wanted an autumn wedding as we fell in love with the colours and the potential for our wedding photographs.
We got married at South Causey Inn. We fell in love with this venue from the moment we viewed it as it fitted with the vision we had. We wanted a rustic and relaxed intimate wedding. We had explored other, grand venues but they didn’t match who we are as people and I particularly felt out of place with all of my tattoos!
Theme
We went for a natural and rustic theme with a colour scheme of burnt orange and dove grey. We chose orange to fit with the autumn season but this was just for our flowers and accessories. The bridesmaids and groomsmen wore dove grey to provide a nice contrast.
Dress
My dress was Katherine by Mori Lee purchased from Brides Dream in Walker. The dress was the first one to catch my eye when I walked into the bridal shop, but it was actually the fourth one I tried on. I fell in love with it immediately but was a little put off by the price tag. The girls in the shop were absolutely amazing and offered me an unreal discount! It really was my dream dress and everything I imagined that it would be.
Groomsmen
Cole wore a Moss Bros sage herringbone tweed suit. The boys wore Moss Bros blue Donegal suits.
Bridesmaids
My bridesmaid and flower girl wore Little Mistress dresses purchased from Boundary Mill at absolute bargain prices! I had one adult and one child to cater for but still managed to get them matching dresses which was a real result!
Beauty
Hair was done by Louise Batey at Lavish Lengths and makeup was done by my friend McKenzie Muir of Glamour by MK.
Transport
We stayed at the venue from Saturday til Monday so we were already there on the morning of the wedding.
Photographer
Our photographer was Hayley Crone. We would 100% recommend her without hesitation. She captured our day in the most perfect way and the final photographs were even more amazing than we could have ever imagined.
She made us feel relaxed, nothing was posed or staged and it was all very natural. We had such a laugh together as the day went on, and I can honestly say she fitted in just like one of our guests. We will be returning to Hayley for any upcoming shoots.
Styling
My bouquet was done by Roses Flowers. They were given free rein as the only thing I requested was “autumnal” and “wild”. They absolutely nailed the criteria and the bouquet probably received just as many compliments as I did!
The venue provided our centerpieces, which were various gin bottles filled with simple flower arrangements. We provided some sparkling pumpkins for the October vibes. Our tables and chairs were done in simple lace and hessian, and there were candles lighting the way down the aisle.
I’ve followed Brides Up North on Instagram for a long time and definitely used the platform for some inspiration.
Favours
The favours we gave guests were little jars of sweets.
Cake
Our cake was made by a friend who has her own cake shop in Bedlington called Confetti Cake Co. We were initially having two real cake tiers but, as our numbers were reduced due to Covid, we decided to have a false bottom tier. Our cake was a non-traditional coconut and lime flavour and absolutely gorgeous!
Dining
We gave our guests a choice of two options for their starter, main and dessert. They could choose from pâté or bruschetta, followed by roast beef or gnocchi and then cheesecake or Aperol Spritz. We also provided meals for our suppliers and added a vegan option for Glen. We never wanted a fancy menu, just nice simple authentic food, and it all tasted amazing!
Entertainment
Glen Roughead performed during our ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast. We first came across Glen at a wedding fayre at the South Causey, then saw him play at Stack in Newcastle. We actually messaged him on Instagram while he was on stage saying that we wanted to book him for the wedding. That was one of the best decisions we made.
Special touches
I bought Cole a pocket watch as a gift, which was engraved in memory of his brother. I wanted him to feel like he had his brother by his side.
Thanks to
All of our suppliers provided an excellent service so it seems unfair to single anyone out. Although Louise, my hairdresser, did come to the rescue with some lash glue in the morning!
We loved our venue. I know a lot of people who have booked the same venue and for very good reason. They were so accommodating, from the moment we arrived before the wedding. The venue is just so pretty, and provides a very personal experience.
Our Master of Ceremonies provided an amazing service too. He was running around getting anything we needed – even getting my wellies from our room!
Best bit
Mine was seeing the look on Cole’s face when I was walking down the aisle. It has to be up there with one of my favourite moments ever. I will never forget the emotion that we both showed. Also, having our first dance surrounded by our closest friends and family, with Glen singing, was also one of my favourite moments. There’s just too many to choose from!
Cole says: “I can’t choose a favourite moment as the entire day was perfect. Apart from the mild hangover first thing in the morning!”
Honeymoon
This is a touchy subject! We were supposed to fly to Sri Lanka two days after the wedding, but Covid had other ideas. We did rearrange this to February 2021 but we decided to just cancel this due to the restrictions. We might get there one day!
Advice
My advice would be to embrace every single moment in each and every part of the day because it absolutely flies! I wish I could have slowed down time. Also, drink as much as you want because it doesn’t seem to affect you on your wedding day!