Your North East Wedding - November/December 2019 (Issue 35)

REAL WEDDINGS 41  a dress, either. I ended up trying on a range of gowns in one boutique, having no idea what I wanted or would suit my figure. In the end I found a sleek and elegant gown that I knew I’d walk down the aisle in.” The bridesmaids’ choice of gown proved somewhat more difficult. “Me and my three closest friends, Becky, Katie and Cat, spent many nights looking for different styles and colours they could wear. Cat even arranged a surprise night with us all together – no easy feat as Becky lives over 140 miles away! She’d ordered three dresses in different colours and styles, but we still couldn’t settle on one. I was beginning to despair until I stumbled across a lovely dusty-blue maxi dress on ASOS, which luckily all three girls loved!” PARTY PEOPLE The couple wanted to make sure their wedding was one to remember, starting by using the venue’s tipi to ensure guests had maximum room to celebrate. “We wanted to party in the tipi, using the Priory’s White Room as our main bar and chill-out area,” continues Faith. “We furnished the tipi with sofas, flowers, wooden boards and bar barrels, as well as adding a ‘Snap and Stick’ Polaroid table. We also loved the idea of bringing the outdoors in, using lots of foliage to decorate, along with copper lanterns, Perspex table numbers and hand-made table menus made of log and copper piping.” When it came to evening entertainment there was only one choice for Faith and Niall. “We both wanted a live band, booking a group called Festival Sons,” says Faith. “They played acoustic folk and then an electric festival set in the evening. We’d recommend them to anyone getting married – our dancefloor was literally jam-packed all night long!” “Stay savvy! Don’t be afraid to shop around and barter to help with your budget – you can even get your DIY on!” – Faith