Catherine & Craig: A Spring Blacktie Wedding at Thicket Priory

As a wedding planner herself, Catherine had high expectations, and Thicket Priory exceeded them all—from the breathtaking venue to the exceptional service provided by Anna and her team. The day was made even more memorable with a surprise reveal during the couple’s first dance, adding an extra layer of joy to the celebrations. Over to Catherine and Anna for all the details…

The Venue

Catherine: For years, I’d heard people describe their wedding day as the best day of their lives, and truthfully, I’d always thought it must be an exaggeration until I got married at Thicket Priory. It truly was the best weekend of our lives. Anna and the team are incredible and a huge asset to the stunning venue. Nothing was too much to ask, and Anna put my mind at ease from the moment we met her to view TP for the first time. We booked the wedding in a relatively short time frame (four months before the wedding), and Anna was unflappable! As a wedding planner, to say I’m particular is an understatement, but they delivered in every area.

With several catering options (which many venues don’t offer you), we felt we had control over what to serve, how it would be served, and the price point we wanted to work to. The bedrooms are all unique and kept to an incredibly high standard; the bar is very reasonably priced (especially to say they have you as a captive audience, so they could charge a fortune!), the grounds are second to none, the number of options for where to get married is a luxury many places can’t offer, and the team are just the BEST (cannot stress this enough). If you’re looking for somewhere beautiful to gather your loved ones under one roof for a couple of nights, stop looking and book Thicket Priory. You will not be disappointed!

The Planning

Anna: Catherine and Craig dreamed of being married outside, but would the 1st of April deliver the weather needed to host their wedding in the bandstand? Thankfully, the answer was YES! Seeing Catherine’s smile as she made her way down the aisle on her father’s arm was one of the best moments of the weekend!

As a wedding planner, Catherine knew exactly what she wanted for her wedding celebrations. With only four months from booking to the ‘I Do’s’, it was such a pleasure to work so closely with a fellow industry professional, but in a capacity where we could make her feel relaxed and at ease when planning her own wedding! It was a dream! I loved every minute of getting to know Catherine and Craig during the planning stages and I was over the moon when a small surprise was added to the mix, leading to us having our very first baby gender reveal during the couple’s first dance! To say it was an emotional moment is the understatement of the century.

The Fashion

Anna: With only four months to the wedding, Catherine found herself searching for an ‘off the hanger’ dress as there is generally a long lead time for dresses, and then there needs to be enough time for a seamstress to work their magic! Catherine found the PERFECT dress, and it’s safe to say she looked stunning on her wedding day! Catherine also did well when finding out that she’d be around 20 weeks pregnant when the wedding date arrived! This was such special news and would play a big part in the day’s celebrations! Craig and the gents went for the classic tux look, and boy, did they look dapper!