Abi & Joe: A Stylish Spring Wedding at Rise Hall

We got married at Rise Hall. We chose it because as soon as we drove into the grounds, we fell in love with it! It had everything we wanted, the space, the accommodation, and the staff couldn’t have done more to help us! During our first visit to Rise Hall, we were discussing dates, and the 3rd of May came up. Since it was a bank holiday weekend and available, we knew we had to have it!

I had a vision of what I wanted my dress to look like, and I ended up staying true to this! I tried on every style and fabric possible, and I think this confused me more! I could appreciate the beauty of different styles, but they just didn’t feel like me. I specifically went to Hoops A Daisy in Wakefield for my dress, and as soon as I tried it on, I knew it was the one! I ended up adding buttons the entire length of the train, as this was a detail I loved on every other dress. We also added a halter neck strap to provide more support and create that timeless, almost 50s look.

I always knew I wanted a plain, simple material, and this was solidified when I tried on laces and glitz; it just wasn’t for me. I surprised myself by liking a few more fitted styles, one with an overskirt that still gave me the big skirt look, but in the end, I stuck to my guns and came away with what I always wanted, and it was perfect!

We always knew we wanted the groom and groomsmen in black tie, too, so this was a non-negotiable!

I always loved sage green bridesmaid dresses, I think they’re timeless and elegant, and the colour suits everyone. I did waver a few times, thinking I should try something new, but I’m glad I stuck with what I thought I always wanted, and it paid off, especially for a spring wedding!

Our starter was a tartine of sun-blushed tomatoes, red onion, and mozzarella, accompanied by torn basil and rocket leaves. Our main course was a harissa-roasted chicken fillet with toasted barley and thyme oil, accompanied by roasted pepper coulis, crushed new potatoes, and buttered mixed greens, or a pithivier of roasted, layered Mediterranean vegetables with roasted pepper and paprika coulis. To finish, our dessert was sticky toffee pudding with honeycomb brittle and vanilla anglaise. We chose these three courses because they appealed to us as something we would normally enjoy and order from a menu anyway, and we thought they would please the most people as well.

Because Joe is a bit of a fussy eater and has some allergies, he had a steak burger with smoked crispy bacon and cheddar cheese, a sweet dill pickle pretzel bun, roasted new potatoes and rocket as his main meal.

Our photographer, Jasmine Paige, was amazing, and we would highly recommend her. Likewise, our videographer, Jack Smithies Wedding Films, was brilliant and went above and beyond for us on the day, which is evident in our perfect wedding videos!

I loved being able to wake up at the venue and have a stress-free morning getting ready, as I knew Kim and my bridesmaids were taking care of everything!

A truly special moment was immediately after the ceremony, when Joe and I were walking out. Kim took us straight into the library, just the two of us, for a drink and a moment to be alone together for the first time that day. This was a real moment of calm and the perfect way to start our new married life together. The reception was also one of my favourite parts of the day as the sun came out just in time for us all to enjoy the weather outside. It was glorious; some people even had pink shoulders at the end of this. The canapés and drinks available also made this an amazing experience!

It sounds cliché, but I would say to enjoy all the planning and months leading up to the wedding, because you really do miss it once it’s over. I would also try not to stress as much leading up to the big day, because it will be perfect no matter what; you won’t even notice if something is a little bit amiss. At Rise Hall, Kim wouldn’t let anything go wrong anyway, so you’re in safe hands!