Nick & Steph’s October wedding at Cain Manor & why Captain Corelli’s mandolin ?
Cain Manor, a historically sustainable Tudor wedding venue.
It was my first wedding booking at this Elizabethan barn style wedding house for Nick & Stephanie’s October wedding & I hope is the first of many more to come.
Amazingly some of the beams used in the construction of this Tudor manor house are recycled from ancient ships. So they are older than this fantastic building itself ! Hidden away at the end of a winding woodland driveway this 16th century wedding venue had been on my wishlist for a while…..
After Steph & Nick found me on Bridebook we arranged a zoom call & just clicked !
They also discovered Cain Manor, their dream wedding venue on Bridebook & immediately decided it was the one for them.
After meeting online & dating for 3 years Nick & Steph moved into their 1st home together, Nick proposed & 22 months later it was their wedding day !
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin..
Steph & Nick chose to inlcude a reading from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin in their wedding ceremony because it was also the reading at Steph’s grandparents vow renewal.
The excellent registras from Hampshire registration office took into account Steph’s chronic fatigue and found subtle ways for them to sit down to rest, making it seem part of their ceremony.
Steph says that her dress chose her, it wasn’t what she had in mind but once she’d seen it, that was it & for Nick, his first sight of Steph walking up the aisle in it was an unforgettable highlight of their wedding day. Steph’s lipstick was carefully chosen to match her flowers & her moonstone jewellery complimented her dress perfectly.
What was Steph & Nick’s favourite part of their day & why ?
Taking the Sunset photos out in the grounds of Cain Manor, with Emma. Not only did they turn out beautifully, but this felt like a really relaxed time of the day after the ceremony and all the group photos, it was where we could spend time together.
The wedding breakfast itself was a real highlight. We knew the food was good from the tasting days, but in the six months or so between tasting and the day itself, you start to worry that you may have misremembered it. We were really delighted that it exceeded our memories.
If Nick & Steph had any tips or words of wisdom for anyone planning their wedding, what would they be ?
Have a sweetheart table seating just the two of you for the meal. It was really nice to have an opportunity to talk just to each other during the day.
Choose suppliers, not just based on their skill and prices, but their personality. We decided not to go with a florist who had great ideas when we had a consultation with her and her price was in-line with what others were quoting, but she was somewhat exhausting during the consultation. The reality is, some people that you hire , you will spend more time with on the day,than you do with a lot of your guests.
In hindsight we would have arranged for our bridal party stay at the venue the night before to maximise the time they had to get ready in the morning.
We had a playlist rather than a DJ and whilst we don’t regret this , If your budget allows for it, get a DJ. In addition to contributing their own skill and experience, it is someone that can say “no” to your loved ones worst suggestions, saving you from the awkward conversation with your uncle about why you aren’t going to play the obscure 12 minute Pink Floyd song he wanted.
What was it like working with Emma & Beautifullight Photography ?
We were amazed at the quality of the photos and loved working with Emma both on the day and the couples photo shoot prior to the wedding.
