Couples from across the pond love the idea of housing all of their nearest and dearest under one roof for their wedding celebrations, and Thicket Priory is the perfect place to do that! Not only does it have great transport connections, but when you and your guests arrive, they are made to feel instantly ‘at home’!
The seasons in the UK all have their own moments in the spotlight; from the gorgeous blooms of Spring, to the magic of frost and snow in the Winter; as well as the changing colour of the leaves in the Autumn (or should I say “Fall”) and the glorious golden hours of the Summer…neither one more beautiful than another other.
Let’s take a look at 4 international couples who travelled from the USA to the England in search of their dream venue, only to find Thicket Priory nestled away in a stunning corner of North Yorkshire.
Dom & Sally, AKA. Mr & Mrs Brooke, residents of Chicago, USA. est. 12th October 2024 (Autumn)
With an American Bride & a British Groom it was so lovely to see the detail Dom & Sally added to their wedding day, to signify the coming together of two nationalities. From the native flags on the groomsmens socks, to the cornhole game they made with matching ‘home’ flags.
Where we are well practiced in the ways of a traditional English wedding it was great to see some American traditions brought to Thicket Priory by Dom & Sally. Having a later ceremony in the day meant that the Bride & Groom had an amazing ‘first look’, and also some photographs before the ceremony took place.
Drinks were something we discussed at length due to American weddings having different expectations to British weddings, where often guests do not pay for any drinks throughout the celebrations. Our best recommendation to ensure your bar tab goes further is something we call our ‘house rules’, ensuring guests get a wide range of drinks to choose from, but anything ‘top shelf’, or cocktails, they will pay for themselves. In a world where weddings are only getting more and more heavy on the purse strings, the expectation from guests for you to pay for everything is becoming a thing of the past.
Check out a few of the moments from Sally & Dom’s day captured by Katy Melling.
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Steph & Matt, flown in from Los Angeles, est. 18th December 2021 (Winter)
Having a destination wedding can mean that where you choose to host your friends and family is one of the most important decisions you have to make. When Matt & Steph travelled all the way from L.A. they made the right choice to have all their closest friends and family under one roof.
A lovely moment in the weekend of celebrations was seeing the groom and his groomsmen exploring the grounds, taking time to relax and prepare themselves for the merriments ahead.
To take a little step back in history, Steph & Matt were caught up in being one of our covid couples, having to reschedule their wedding from June 2020, to December 2020 and then finally going ahead in December 2021. Even though they were many many miles away, we kept them calm, relaxed and very knowing in the knowledge they were in safe hands.
When it came to the wedding, Matt even had the opportunity to bring a couple of bottles of his own wine all the way from the states, “Tri-Cal”, a special touch to share with their guests.
There are so many photographs of the happy couple greeting their friends and family, essentially hugs for everyone.
Words from the happy couple:
“Simply magical. No better way to describe this place. They made the entire Priory feel like it was ours for the weekend. And they were so amazing to work with. The staff are friendly and hospitable and the management is welcoming and personable but also professional. This place will always feel like a slice of home to us now. If you want the most amazing, impressive, and unforgettable experience, stop looking anywhere else and book this place!”
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Sammie & Mark, AKA Mr & Mrs Poole. residing in L.A. est. 25th May 2024 (Spring)
Getting married in the Spring at Thicket Priory means the gardens are full of life, and what better way to celebrate your marriage than to be surrounded by nature at it’s finest. A wonderfully American tradition followed during the ceremony was the have the bridesmaids and groomsmen stood either side of the Bride & Groom throughout the ceremony. It does add a certain style to the ceremony, I personally love it!
Hands down my favourite photo, bringing the USA very much to Thicket Priory, is the photo of Sammie during bridal preparations with her Starbucks in hand!!
Sammie & Mark hosted just under 70 guests, meaning that every one of their friends and family stayed at Thicket Priory for the entire weekend. With guests travelling from far and wide, the idea that they can arrive and settle in from Friday to Sunday was a dream. As you can see from their seating plan and the table itself it was an intimate affair with all their favourite people.
Mark, a fellow Brit, and Sammie a proud American enjoyed a classy celebration, with simple but elegant décor, from the flowers and candle light, to Sammie’s stunning dresses, and of course of groom dressed in black tie!
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Dominique & Mike, est. “21st Night of September” 2024, from New York to Old York (Late Summer)
With a Bride from New York, Groom from Old York, this was a marriage written in the stars! Mike & Dominique took advantage of the beautiful city of York with a pre-video-shoot with their talented videographers (Hello There Films), and it just felt that it brought their whole story together! Not only is it great that the couple get to explore the city of York but any international guests travelling also get to visit our beautiful city too! It makes the wedding not only a wedding but a vacation! Winning!
Words from the Bride & Groom:
“From the en suite rooms to the acres of gardens and grounds, it’s the perfect setting to host overseas and English guests all under one roof for a weekend wedding. But what sets it apart is the level of service the amazing wedding team and staff provide from planning to wedding day. Yes, we’d highly recommend Thicket Priory. Overall, this was the wedding of our dreams in the most perfect venue. The reviews don’t exaggerate the experience and we’re happy to add to the high praise.”
With love
Anna xXx
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FAQ’s
How many guests can the venue accommodate?
Thicket Priory can accommodate up to 76 adults, plus 8 children and 4 babies as we have z-beds and cots that can be added to bedrooms for families. All bedrooms are individual decorated, and even have a story to tell…
Is there a minimum or maximum rental duration?
The minimum is a one night stay, and although there is no maximum stay, generally a 3 night is the maximum number of says that a wedding party would stay.
One night stays can be Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturday*
Two night stays can be Monday/Tuesday, Tuesday/Wednesday or Friday/Saturday*
Three night stays can be Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday or Friday/Saturday/Sunday*
*minimum of a two night stay applies in certain months on the weekend. Check out our venue hire prices HERE.
Is there an on-site coordinator or events manager?
Yes, Thicket Priory has a small team of coordinators who will guide you through your wedding planning from the initial venue tour, to the day(s) itself. We do not profess to be wedding planners, but with our wealth of knowledge and experience you are in super safe hands. With a well managed spreadsheet we can help point you in the right direction of everything you need to plan for your wedding. We also have an online planning portal for you to use throughout the planning which means Thicket Priory has no bridezilla or groomzilla moments! Stress free weddings is what we specialise in! Check out our blog: “You’ve booked Thicket Priory for your wedding – What’s next?!”
Supplier Shout Outs:
Dom & Sally
Photographer: Katy Melling
Videographer: Adam Chetter
Caterer: Nomad Catering by James Brown
Ceremony Lead by: Friend – Meredith – Bridesmaid*
Florist: Mint & Moose – Laura
Venue Stylist: Ambience North Yorkshire – Lydia
Hair: Colette – Hair by Tosetti
Make-Up: The Costa Chic – Marta
Cake: Flamingo Bakery
Daytime Musician: Stephanie – Harpist
Evening Musician: Rolling Keys – Band/DJ
Transport: Coach – York Pullman
Steph & Matt
Photographer: Dan McCourt
Videographer: Hello There Films
Ceremony Lead by: Karen King
Hai & Make-up: Friend
Cake: White Rose Cake Design
Daytime Entertainment:String Quartet – The Lancashire String Quartet – Alive Network
Evening Entertainment: Band – Tremé
Boothomatic – Photobooth Guest Book
Sammie & Mark
Photographer: HowarthMiller – Chris & Natasha
Videographer: HowarthMiller
Caterer: Purple Chilli Events Catering
Ceremony Lead by: Richard Wood
Florist: All in Bloom Floristry
Kim – Dreamboats & Carousels – Flowers
Venue Stylist: Ambience North Yorkshire Coast
Hair: Collette Rafferty
Make-Up: Laura Dickey
Cake: M&S Cake
Daytime Musician: The Wedding String Quartet
Evening Musician: DJ – AMV
Other: Photobooth: Viva La Booth
Dominique & Mike
Photographer: Gill of Unfurl Photography
Videographer: Hello There Films – Craig & Charlotte
Caterer: Purple Chilli Events Catering
Ceremony Lead by: North East Wedding Celebrant – Donna Hartley-Redfearn
Florist & Venue Styling: Willow & Bear – Helen
Hair & Make-Up: Claire Alexandra Hair & Make up
Cake: Blossom Tree Cake Co.
Daytime Musician: The Rolling Keys Duo
Evening Musician: The Rolling Keys/DJ
Transport: York Pullman – Coach
