Childhood friends turned sweethearts, Alex and Ant’s love story is something that can only be described as epic. They celebrated their love in October 2023 with the most beautiful Autumnal wedding and had a two-day party perfectly fitting for their fairytale happily ever after.
‘Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same’ – Emily Brontë
Why did you choose Thicket Priory for your wedding venue?
“Initially we viewed Thicket Priory because the practicalities that it had the perfect number of bedrooms to allow us to have all of our friends and family under one roof, for a full weekend and was small enough that it didn’t feel commercial or lose the personal touch.
However, after visiting for the first time, we booked because of the feeling you get as soon as you walk through the doors – it’s magnificent and stunning, but homely and welcoming all at the same time. There are countless little details which add to the whole experience and show just how much the whole team cares about the little things.
The team were also a huge factor in us choosing to book, everyone we came across was so helpful and genuinely friendly, they couldn’t do more to make you feel at home – which was exactly the feeling we wanted our guests to have.”
Being able to be a part of someone’s wedding planning journey is always very special, we are here to make your planning process as stress free as possible. Meeting your coordinator prior to your wedding means that you are familiar with who is going to be leading your wedding at least 6 months in advance and so you can relax knowing that they know your details inside and out and during your pre-ceremony prep that they can be that calming presence you might find you need!
What was your favourite detail about our building/grounds?
“There’s too many to choose! Aside from everyone’s favourite Fairy Door, we love the driveway – it’s such a grand welcome and we never tire of the anticipation and excitement of reaching to the gravel driveway and seeing the building and its beautiful architecture.”
Where did your styling inspiration come from?
“We both love Autumn, which is the main reason we chose October, and we wanted this to be carried throughout the whole feel of the day, we went for rich burgundy, deep blue and accents of gold – with a few gold pumpkins dotted around to tastefully satisfy Ant’s love for Halloween. This was matched with the whole wedding party’s outfits, the bridesmaids had burgundy velvet dresses and the groomsmen/pageboys had deep blue suits with burgundy ties, so everything came together.”
One of the things we always encourage at Thicket Priory is for you to make the venue your home for the duration of your time with us. It always amazes us how each of our couples puts so much thought into every space and through their personal touches, make the venue their own.
As part of their night prior celebrations, Alex surprised Ant with a fancy dress Halloween party which was enjoyed by all.
Embracing the Autumnal season for their wedding, they opted for jewel tone colours for their bridesmaid dresses, suits and décor to perfectly compliment the hues of the Autumn leaves.
We particularly loved the addition of the horse and carriage which really added to that fairytale feeling and created a grand entrance for the newlyweds as they arrived back from their Church ceremony.
Another detail that must have a mention is the traditional Viking sword used to cut their wedding cake- we’d expect nothing less from Viking obsessed Ant! This was a particularly special moment as Ant had crafted the sword with his Best Man as part of his stag celebrations.
Their evening celebrations included Donkey Derby (which encouraged guests to partake in some *friendly* competition), a 360˚photobooth which saw the coolest of dance moves and the most beautiful sparkler send off. The partying concluded with live music played by their family and friends in the Gryffin Bar, singing until the early hours.
What was your favourite memory/s – together or separately(!) from your wedding day?
Alex: “Mine has to be the band Ant had put together – after the sparklers outside, (with the help of Jess) Ant and some of our closest friends gathered around and sang ‘our song’ acapella style to me, it was a total shock and incredibly emotional to have them all involved in such a special moment.”
Ant: “Other than the ceremony in church, being able to stay in the Gryffin Bar singing and playing instruments with our favourite people in one room until the early hours was something we’ll never forget.”
What would you say to someone who is thinking of booking Thicket Priory for their wedding venue (to hopefully convince them to!)?
“If you are looking for a truly magical, one-of-a-kind wedding day, look no further.
Every single one of our guests were blown away not just by how stunning the venue is, which speaks for itself, but also how amazing the whole team are, from the bar staff, to the housekeepers, groundskeepers and especially the event team everyone was simply wonderful – we couldn’t have asked for a more knowledgeable, insightful and genuinely lovely wedding coordinator in Jess, she was invaluable to our wedding planning experience and helped us to navigate everything perfectly – we can’t thank her and the Thicket Priory Team enough!
You only get one wedding day, just go for it, you won’t regret it.”
If you are dreaming of having your own fairytale Autumnal wedding at Thicket Priory please get in touch HERE.
With love,
Jess xXx
