Blustery Wedding Week!
Names: Alex & Dan, Liverpool
Month: March 2023 - Blustery with rain
Venue: Silverholme Manor
Catering: Karen Rhodes Catering
Photography: Cath Prescott- Develing
Decoration: Wilde and Romantic
Bar: Kindred Spirit
Ceremony: Cumbria Registrars
Entertainment: Simon Vogt
Beauty: Hair and Makeup by Ely
Transport: Mountain Goat
In Brief -
From over the pond, Marcia Mother of the Bride, reached out when they had found their dream venue, Silverholme Manor (epic mansion overlooking Windermere). With Alex, Bride to Be, run off her feet with work, it was becoming apparent that this wasn't any old wedding planning. They needed advice and the best suppliers for the many tasks. They also wanted to ensure that those travelling so far would get not just a day to enjoy the surroundings.
There was a few days worth of fun stuff going on like golfing, walking, sightseeing, games, plus plenty of eating and drinking! This meant a ton of logistics surrounding a DIY wedding day! Annabel’s thoughts included…
“As usual I was on hand to offer advice and recommendations as Marcia and Alex went through the process of deciding what they liked. That alone isn’t an easy task! It’s easy to just go along with the usual format of a wedding but I loved how conscious they were about their guests and how they wanted this celebration to unfold.”
After a lot of lists and plans later, we let the week roll out and wow, it was brilliant! The good old Lake District weather tried to squash their enthusiasm but they smiled merrily through it all.
On the wedding day, the venue transformed for each element with the help of some fantastic suppliers. Having a great team behind you means the most for these style events. Pick wisely people!!
Testimonial - Marcia (Mother of the Bride)
Why did you hunt for a Coordinator?
Our daughter, Alex, lives in the UK. She and her fiancé hoped for a wedding in the Lake District. Her dad and I live in New York and we had no idea how to plan a long distance wedding – especially when the bride and groom were so busy with their work and school obligations.
How did you find Annabel?
I searched the internet for wedding planners in the Lake District and identified several. I read about each of them, explored any on-line ratings, and then interviewed a few.
What made you choose Annabel for your wedding?
I liked what Annabel had to say, her approach to the planning, and her prices. We liked Annabel’s energy, enthusiasm and knowledge.
What was the most difficult part of planning a wedding?
Having it be long distance. We know everyone in New York in terms of venues, caterers, florists, etc. but not in England. Every last little detail needed to be arranged without in-person or on-site meetings.
In addition, the wedding event took place over 5 days and 4 nights and included self-catering lodging for 50 people – and we needed help with it all (caterers, venue staging and decorations, lighting, fire pits, flowers, bartender, hair and make-up, music, photo/videographers, tipi, commercial kitchen, tours/transportation, etc.)
What are your key memories from the day?
The wedding event started on Monday and ended Friday, with the wedding itself on Wednesday. Annabel was there from the minute we arrived on Monday afternoon until we left on Friday morning (we did let her go home to sleep at night). She greeted guests, helped sort all our deliveries, checked on each vendor and ensured that they were coordinated with no gaps, helped everything flow smoothly over the 5 days, etc. She got people to their respective tour buses, greeting late arriving guests, and even ran out to get a few last-minute supplies.
On the wedding day itself, she started with getting everyone to their hair and make-up on time, coordinated all the last-minute deliveries, managed the registrars, got all 50 people from place to place while everyone was having a great time, etc.
Most impressive was seeing the coach house transformed from a pre-wedding game night on Tuesday to a wedding ceremony on Wednesday and then to a sit-down dinner and then later to a reception.
Would you change anything?
We would not change a thing. It was the most perfect wedding we could have ever imagined.
How was having Annabel there throughout the event?
Outstanding as described above. She just took charge giving us confidence that she had it all covered.
What advice would you give others planning a DIY style wedding?
I did not realize in advance that Anabel’s approach was DIY. For each component of the week-long wedding event, Annabel gave us 2-5 potential vendors and we then had to evaluate and make a decision on each of them. The people we ended of choosing were incredible. I don’t believe we could have found them on our own. It was somewhat of a challenge to sort out where one vendor ended and another started to ensure nothing got missed. Annabel did help us sort this all out.
Would you recommend Annabel?
Absolutely! 5 stars!
Some images from the fabulous Cath Prescott- Develing
