So Darn Hot!
Kate and George
June 2023 - Weather - So super hot!
Location: Cartmel
Tipi: Fjell Event Tipis
Ceremony: Cartmel Priory
Photography: Mindy Coe Photography
Catering: Karen Rhodes Catering
Hog Roast: Mansergh Hall Farm
Cake: Wren Cake Designs
Entertainment: Striding Edge and LA Events
Stationery: Rose and Bow
Hair: Daniel Gray
Makeup: Made up by Lottie
Transport: Lakeside Travel Services
In Brief -
Kate has been a trooper! With a lot going on with work and such busy lives, how they managed to plan this epic day is a testament to wedding planning dedication and excitement!
The site for this wedding was private land and had no amenities so truly a DIY challenge. It was worth it though as the location featured gorgeous views and a woodland retreat. With the help of Fjell Event Tipis the place was transformed.
Annabel mentioned “When I went for a site visit it was such torrential rain that we barely made it out of the car. We immediately looked at getting tracking to stop cars not being able to get in and out of site!! Who could have guessed that the wedding itself would be so incredibly hot! I mean, just stupid hot!!”.
How Kindred Spirit Cocktails and Karen Rhodes Catering worked under such intense heat, we don’t know. The usual pressure of glorious service and products plus surviving through the sweat… well done everyone!
“The woodland clearing I made into a destination, ribbons from the trees and blankets, and George provided whiskey and cigars! The band provided wonderful background reception tunes as well as a fun ceilidh while our DJ was like our personal sound tech and then rocked the place into the early hours. Team work at its best!”.
The day went so well and the guests were so full of love and support for the couple. A pleasure to be involved!
Testimonial:
WHAT. A. DAY. We had the best time ever and could not have done it without you. Thank you so much for being part of our day and for helping us make our dream wedding happen. We are so grateful and you were incredible.
Why did you hunt for a coordinator?
We had always dreamed of having a wedding that was totally unique to us. We wanted it to be relaxed and completely personal. This meant that we decided not to go with a classic reception venue and chose to have it in George’s field instead. However, what came with that was lots of different parts to come together in the lead up to the day- from loos to generators to water bowsers, there was a lot to think about. We made contact with Annabel as we wanted to be able to relax and enjoy ourselves on the day with the helping hand of somebody who was totally familiar with the industry and knew how to ensure everything would come together smoothly. Annabel had worked with most of our suppliers before and had an excellent working relationship with them. If we had any elements we were unsure about in the lead up, Annabel was quick to offer advice and point us in the right direction- this was exactly what we were hoping for in a coordinator.
How did you find Annabel?
Online through Google- We were desperately hunting for a coordinator who would fit our wedding vision. When we came across Annabel, she filled us with confidence and totally got what we were hoping for.
What made you choose Annabel for your wedding?
Annabel is just incredible. I (Kate) have a tendency to like to be in control. However, Annabel was a breath of fresh air and ensured that the wedding day fulfilled everything we imagined and more. She allowed us to completely relax and we were able to give her the reigns in the lead up to eliminate any stress. From the very first time of meeting Annabel, we knew she was right for us. She completely inspired confidence and we loved her “no nonsense” approach- she was practical, efficient and knowledgeable, all whilst being warm, laid back and calming. She made everything seem manageable, even when we weren’t sure how it would all come together! She totally got our vision for the wedding and ensured the reality on the day was exactly what we’d dreamed of.
What was the most difficult part of planning a wedding?
To be honest, we loved planning the wedding. There were a lot of elements to bring together which was probably the most difficult part, yet with Annabel on board plus us knowing what we were hoping for, this seemed to all happen relatively seamlessly.
What are your key memories of the day?
Everything running incredibly smoothly and us just having the best time ever. I don’t think we stopped smiling once (despite how hot it was during the day or when we had a dramatic 10pm thunderstorm). The atmosphere was completely relaxed and since our wedding, we have had so many guests commenting on how incredible the day was- it’s all thanks to Annabel for ensuring the day ran smoothly- she gave us nothing to worry about.
Would you change anything?
Not a thing. We just wish we could do it all over again as it was just the best day ever.
How was having Annabel there throughout the event?
Annabel was a “dream” (which Kate told her about 100000 times on the day of the wedding). Annabel just knew exactly where to be, when, and ensured that everything ran smoothly and everybody knew where they needed to be. At one point before the church service, the Ushers kept asking “where’s Annabel? What do we need to do now?” and there she was, making sure they were cool, calm and collected. There were elements that were running slightly late during the reception (due to speeches overrunning etc.) but we didn’t notice and Annabel managed to ensure everything that came afterwards ran perfectly and all suppliers were primed and knew what was going on. Annabel was also excellent in communicating with the suppliers before the wedding to ensure everybody had a breakdown of timings and were ready. Just fabulous. Everybody needs an Annabel.
What advice would you give others planning a DIY style wedding?
1) Get yourself an Annabel.
2) Start planning early to ensure all of your favourite suppliers are available and you can put your dream wedding into action.
3) Don’t worry if things don’t go 100% to plan- you will have the best time on the day regardless.
4) Don’t stress about the weather- even with a heatwave and a thunderstorm we were living on a dream cloud all day.
5) Plan a DIY wedding- they are just the best and are totally unique to you which is what makes them so special.
Would you recommend Annabel?
Without a doubt, yes. We cannot thank Annabel enough for bringing our day together. If you have Annabel with you on your wedding day, you can ensure that your wedding will be relaxed, seamless and glorious. You will absolutely not regret having Annabel for your wedding day.
Photography from Mindy Coe
