Working in the wedding industry really is as magical as it sounds when you get to work with couples like Fran and Andrew. For their wedding celebrations last summer they created the most perfect garden party; the weather really pulled through and was gorgeous and sunny!
With the couples’ own children Imogen and Raffie being central to their celebration, they wanted to ensure that all of their guests (no matter their age!) were able to have fun and enjoy themselves together. The air was filled with bubbles and laughter as their guests enjoyed the long afternoon in the gardens enjoying canapes and prosecco and playing games on the lawn. There was also a brass band playing which was just so lovely and enjoyed by all in attendance.
We hosted a treasure hunt for the children which allowed them to explore the secrets of the building. Everything Fran and Andrew had planned was to create the ultimate *home away from home* feeling for all of their guests to enjoy.
“Thicket Priory is just breath-taking. The venue, the grounds, everything about it is so lovely. There’s so many little parts to the house that make it magical, it’s one of those places that you miss once you leave.
We always set out with the dream of creating a weekend that people would enjoy, that we could celebrate outside with all our family and friends…. We have lots of little people within our close circle so it was important to find a venue that could accommodate them and that we could find ways of entertaining them too….. And we sure did that, the gardens were amazing, exploring the house with a scavenger hunt was fab fun….from the youngest (18months) to the oldest (97yrs old) everyone loved the different aspects of what Thicket had to offer, and we sure tried to make the most of them all.
We fell in love with the place from the moment we first visited. And knew it was the venue for us.”
It has been so lovely to go through their photographs and remember all the little details that added to the magic of their wedding celebrations…
Fran and Andrew held their ceremony in our on-site Chapel. With such a rich history and beautiful stained glass windows that fill the space with warm light, our on-site Chapel creates the perfect backdrop to say ‘I do’ throughout all four seasons.
Whilst you cannot marry with a registrar in our Chapel, you can have a Celebrant led ceremony. Celebrants are able to create bespoke ceremonies with every aspect personalised; from the music and readings to the vows themselves, making them incredibly unique to each individual couple. Fran and Andrew chose to have their own Vicar hold a blessing style ceremony which was so lovely for the family to have this personal touch.
The couple’s daughter Imogen was a significant factor when deciding their colour palette. The soft sorbet colours used for the flowers and the bridesmaids dresses spanned the rainbow and were the perfect choice in order to add to the whimsical sense of fun created throughout their whole weekend!
Fran and Andrew’s guests all checked in with us on Friday afternoon and stayed until Sunday morning. Having all of their guests together for the two nights meant that they were able to extend their celebrations and make the most of their time spent together! We know that everyone who attended will have life-long memories of such a special and happy occasion celebrating their wedding.
One of the most significant lasting impacts for me after being part of Fran and Andrew’s wedding planning process was seeing the beauty of Thicket Priory though Imogen’s eyes: the fairy street, the secret staircase and the gold sparkly fairy soap in the toilets – being surrounded by the magic sometimes it can become a little mundane and expected but when you are able to relive the first time through some once else eyes you become aware again of just how special this place is!
I was then lucky enough to be involved with a photoshoot in January which we invited Imogen to be a part – a pretty lovely way to start the New Year, heading through the Buckingham Suite wardrobe to Narnia.
“The team there are just magnificent….. Jess was nothing short of amazing….always so easy to contact, friendly and helpful. And throughout the weekend Jess was pure magic, especially with the kids who just loved her and followed her everywhere. She has particularly made a huge impact on our daughter who absolutely loves her.
All the team, behind the scenes who work hard to keep the magic of the venue alive whilst you are there, are fantastic. Nothing is too much trouble.
It’s a venue you fall in love with so easily and it captivated us from the second we found it. It’s a truly special place with a special team of people who really do look after you whilst you are there with them.”
We have very limited dates left for 2024 and only one weekend left for the Summer season which is Saturday 13th July 2024; if you are dreaming of having your own fairytale garden party wedding just like the Wallis family please get in touch HERE.
With love,
Jess xXx
Suppliers
Caterer: Purple Chilli
Ceremony Lead by: Ed Pennington
Florist: Dreamboats and carousels
Photographer: Carla McClaren
Hair and makeup: Julie Mercer
Daytime Entertainment: Crazy golf (Ace Party ltd),
Singer: Abi Alton
Evening Entertainment: AMV music
