Homespun Happiness! A Real Wedding In The North West – Sarah & Phil

Posted on: 20/02/2013

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It’s the simple yet lovely – and locally sourced – details that make today’s intimate Real Wedding celebration special.  That, and an absolutely knock out leading lady!  With images by Brides Up North Featured Supplier Richard Milnes Photography. 

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Sarah says: We got engaged in Paris on 30 September 2011 (our 8 year anniversary!), and were married on 22 September 2012 at Mellor Church, Cheshire.  Our reception was in Mellor Parish Hall next door to the church. 

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We chose the venue primarily because of the beautiful panoramic views across the countryside. It was a bonus that it is about 100 metres from the church! There has been a church on the site since the 14th century so it really is a very special place. It is amazing to think that we got married on a spot where countless other ceremonies have taken place for hundreds of years.

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We didn’t really have a ‘theme’ as such – I wanted everyone to feel relaxed and happy. We decorated the whole of the hall and the grounds around the hall with homemade bunting and ribbons to make a very ‘homespun’ feel to the whole day.

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We didn’t want a strict colour scheme so we opted for colours that complimented each other, even if they didn’t always match. I wanted to use as much colour as possible during the day as getting married near to Manchester in September could have meant grey, wet weather. It rained for two weeks before the wedding but we felt very lucky when the sun shone throughout our wedding day (surely the last day of summer in 2012) and our photographer was able to take some fantastic shots of us with the sun setting behind us at the venue that are our favourite pictures.

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My dress was the first one I tried on and was lace and vintage inspired. It was strapless and long with a bit of a train. I wore a lace bolero, back to front which sounds odd but which I loved as it showed my back at the top of my dress. I didn’t wear a veil but opted for a 30’s style head piece which I plan to wear again whenever I get the chance! My dress and bolero were both supplied and altered by Julie at Village Bride in Marple Bridge who was fantastic.

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My four bridesmaids wore light pink long dresses and looked fantastic. Two of my bridesmaids were pregnant and one had given birth to twins four months before the wedding so the dress had to be a design that complimented everyone. My bridesmaids came from Sheffield, London, Moscow and Bangkok to be with me on the day and I was overwhelmed by the efforts they all made to be a part of the day.

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The groomsmen wore navy blue morning suits with ivory waistcoats and soft pink neckties and handkerchiefs. I think the blue really complimented the colour of the bridesmaids’ dresses.

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I travelled to the church with my Dad in a convertible Morris 1000 covered in soft pink ribbons. My bridesmaids followed in a Morris Minor Traveller. The cars were provided by Geraldine and Kenny Regent at Regent Classic Cars. I chose them because my first car was a Morris Minor Traveller which used to belong to my Uncle and was refurbished by my Dad and given to me as an 18th birthday present. It made the journey to the church with my in the sunshine with the top down on the car very special and a memory I will always treasure.

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I carried a beautiful trailing bouquet including roses, gypsophila, ivy, rosemary and lizianthus by Val at The Greenhouse. 

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My favourite part of the day was undoubtedly exchanging our vows. I know that’s pretty corny but it was such a special moment when it felt like everything around us stopped.

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We tried, as far as possible, to use suppliers that were based in or around Mellor and Marple Bridge. My wedding dress and the bridesmaid dresses were all provided by Julie at Village Bride in Marple Bridge. The flowers were provided by Val two doors up from Julie! The caterers were The Travelling Gourmet in Marple. Our photographer was Richard Milnes Photography and Rebecca Reville Wedding Films filmed the day for us.

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We added personal touches with home-made bunting, vintage china, vintage glassware for the flowers on the table which came from my Mum’s garden in Cornwall, ribbons lining the dry stone wall that lead from the church to the reception and miniature Eccles cakes (to celebrate my husband’s name and my new married name) served on vintage cake stands. 

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Our friend, James Stafford played the piano for our guests and later we a local band Sold to the Sky got everyone on the dance floor!

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We had a ‘mini-moon’ just after the wedding in the Lake District where we stayed at Armathwaite Hall. We found out afterwards that Phil’s grandparents had stayed there on their honeymoon in 1948 which was quite a surprise as we had no idea when we booked the break. We’ve just got back from our ‘maxi-moon’ in Thailand where we went island hopping before staying with one of our bridesmaids and one of the best-men in Bangkok.

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Congratulations Sarah & Phil!

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Fancy seeing your own Real Wedding featured here?  Here’s how.

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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © Richard Milnes Photography 

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