Ben & Hannah celebrated their marriage in a rural Northumberland manor with all of their loved ones near.
A DREAMY DAY OFF
Being a busy business woman, Hannah only had one day off in December, making it a perfect, unexpected moment for Ben to propose. Hannah reminisces “a cold, icy morning at one of our favourite beaches, no fuss, just us and the dogs. It was perfect!” They settled for 23.09.22 for their nuptials, with the 23rd marking a special date to them both. Luckily for the pair, they were blessed with autumnal sunshine on the wedding day itself, “it was blue skies all day!”
ECLECTIC ESTATE
Finding the right venue is no easy feat, but Ben and Hannah fell in love with the rural Charlton Hall in Northumberland straight away. “It’s not your classic wedding venue, which I think is what drew us in,” the bride gushes. “The grounds, the décor, the whole vibe was exactly what we were looking for!” The quirkiness of the venue set the scene. “With black and white floors and a giant giraffe on the wall, it meant we never needed to add too much more. We kept all the tables quite simple, with foliage and candles to let the venue speak for itself.” The bold, charismatic glamour of Charlton Hall complemented their muted sage, navy and ivory colour palette beautifully. At their showstopping ceremony, the monochrome floors dazzled beneath a fairy light canopy, and a message of true love hung in the air as they raised their glasses from a cosy sweetheart table for two.
DRESSED TO IMPRESS
Hannah stunned in a flowing V-neck tulle gown with sheer cap sleeves from YAP Bridal in Newcastle, while her bridesmaids picked out sage-hued pleated dresses from ASOS. “I could not have been more thrilled with the end result,” the bride smiles. Ben and his groomsmen matched the classical attire with hired checked navy suits from Woven Durham.
HEART’S DESIRE
The couple reveal their best decision was to ditch the traditional top table for a table for two. “We both agreed a sweetheart table was the best decision for us, as it meant we got time just the two of us throughout the meal and speeches.” Following the sweetheart theme, the pair chose for a stylish sweet bake: “our cake was more on the retro side, with intricate piping on a two-tier heart-shaped cake, topped with cherries and ‘The
Clarkes’ scribed on the top.”
DANCING FEET
The newlyweds and their 140 evening guests danced the night away until the lights came on. Hannah has a solution for any weary soles: “another good tip, buy flip flops for the evening!”
GREEK ISLAND GETAWAY
Hannah and Ben set off to the Mediterranean after the big day with a honeymoon in Greece. “We were lucky enough to head straight on our honeymoon which was amazing. We wanted a week of pure relaxation, so booked Stella Island in Crete. It was absolutely incredible, we could not recommend it enough!” WH
THE DREAM TEAM
VENUE: Charlton Hall Estate PHOTOGRAPHY: Hayley Crone Photo VIDEOGRAPHY: M.I.N.E Photography HAIR: Bridal Hair by Cheryl MAKEUP: Charlotte O Makeup DRESS: YAP Bridal, Diva Designs For You FLOWERS: Wild With Love Flowers EVENT DRESSING: Birdcages and Dragonflies DJ: Steven Maddison DJ SUITS: Woven Durham BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: ASOS PHOTO BOOTH: Studio Social North CAKES: Lucy Young Cakes
