When you’re in the military, plans have a habit of changing! Even weddings…
‘We got married at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa in Clayton-le-moors on Friday 29th March 2013. It was originally planned for August 2014 in Cuba but Alex is in the military, and in November 2012 we found out he was going away in May 2013. Everything had to be done by then! That helped with picking a date because we went for a Friday that everyone would be off work and able to attend, Good Friday!
We love the spa at the venue, and had been a few times. Every time you come up the long drive at the Dunkenhalgh you can’t help but think wow! It’s extremely grand and looks ridiculously posh. With everything being so last minute, Kelly the wedding co-ordinator, got us a really good deal and was able to accommodate everything we wanted for our wedding. The Towneley Suite is beautiful, windows on three sides of the huge room overlooking the countryside and the hotel’s grounds. We didn’t really have a colour scheme; we picked 3 colours that would look great in the room! Red, cream and gold looked great with everything. Anita from the Dunkenhalgh made everything run so smoothly. Her timings were better than any Sgt Major!
During the day and ceremony, we kept it very intimate with 42 close friends and family. Then at night it was party time!!! With 122 guests, a DJ Mick Long and Steve Ferringo band.
All the stationery, table plan, post box was beautifully made by Bride’s Little Helper in Clitheroe. Flowers were put together by Rowlands in Rawtenstall. The cakes were amazing and very well received! 75 cupcakes, giant cupcake and cake toppers were made by Cupcake Boutique in Clitheroe. Lots of cake tasting was needed to pick the 9 different flavours.
Our hair was done by Matt at Freddie’s, Rawtenstall.
The rings were beautifully made by my Uncle, Gary Tranter, from 1849 in Prestwich. My ring is actually my late Grandmother’s, engraved with my Grandad’s name and their date of marriage but was yellow gold. Gary filed down the yellow gold, put a white gold ring over the top and then rhodium plated it, keeping all the engravings. Alex’s ring is a solid white gold band.
Me, my mum Karen and little sister Georgi had been all over Manchester and Lancashire to find the wedding dress, finally ending up in Crystal Eternity, Burnley. The service from everyone in the shop was impeccable, making everything so easy and enjoyable that we bought Georgi’s prom dress there too. The dress was Amanda Wyatt, shoes were raspberry coloured L.K.Bennett court shoes, and borrowed diamond earrings from Mum Karen (made by Uncle Gary).
The best part of our wedding was the memories we get to keep, in the form of photographs. Jules was so worth the money. She snuck around the wedding ceremony like a ninja! Nobody saw or heard her, but the pictures she took when people were unaware are brilliant. Everything from the E-shoot to the wedding day, the delivery of the photos to the cases they come in; professional, creative, amazing value for money, and artistic. Her style is very person-centred which directs the shoot without coming across as bossy. We found she captured us perfectly and adapted to our requirements with ease.’
Images featured with the permission of Jules Fortune Photography.
I agree completely with Kate’s comments. This wedding was put together in a very short time span but nevertheless, each and every supplier was extremely professional, efficient and value for money. Thanks to them all Kate and Alex had a lovely wedding.