The Beauty of a Covid-Safe Wedding at Brinkburn

In England, post Lockdown 2.0, weddings will begin once again (ceremonies and receptions for up to 15 guests can take place across tiers 1 and 2, with only ceremonies permitted in tier 3). As we await further details on the tiers, we couldn’t be happier for those couples who have big day plans in the coming weeks and we hope your day can go ahead as planned. It will be such a gorgeous sight in the run up to the festive season seeing all of the simple yet stunning celebrations and we, quite frankly, can’t wait!

If you’re planning your wedding right now and wondering how a Covid-secure wedding might look, then the wonderful folks at Brinkburn Northumberland are here answering some questions for us and showcasing a beautiful editorial inspired by the current guidelines for weddings.

Owners Mark and Emma wanted to create a visual story to show how their beautiful venue could be adapted, could be safe for you and your cherished guests, and ultimately how magical it can all still be…

What precautions have you put in place to make couples and guests feel safe in your venue?

Having cracked the logistical challenge of sending our venue into hibernation and enabling a team to work from their kitchen table, we now face a far more complex challenge. How do we dream up covid-secure weddings in an inspiring yet safe environment?

We started with a tape measure and masking tape to develop a 2m grid over our floor space. In doing this we realised that the challenge was to make a socially distanced environment which felt intimate. We started optimistically in June looking at a maximum number of 70 guests and ended in September with a maximum number of 15.

We brought in Sean Elliott, one of the leading Wedding Photographers in the North East to cast his innovative eye over our ideas. From the endless hours of assessing, creating and inspiring, out came this motivating layout that makes it hard to believe that the venue was ever meant to be for 120 guests? It easily allows for households to be socially distanced whilst feeling so close together.

As a Team, Brinkburn is more invested in the detail, the flow and the people than ever before to ensure your wedding continues to be extremely special.

What can couples do to make sure their wedding for 15 guests feels special and celebratory?

My best advice would be to turn to the pros. You can still do things like flowers, wedding cake and stationery. You may not need 100 name cards but instead, why not ask your stationery designer for thank you letters to each guest which outlines why you couldn’t get married without them.

I would also like to remind you that, now more than ever, it is important to make it personal. Ask your venue if they can serve your favourite cocktail, wear your grandmother’s broach, have your dog walk down the aisle – the opportunities to make your wedding meaningful are endless.

Many couples are just wanting to get married now, how much notice would you need to host a wedding at Brinkburn?

The notice that Brinkburn would require falls in line with how much notice the registry office or church requires.

For a White Room Civil Ceremony, you must give notice at least 6 weeks before your ceremony which is a legal statement signed at your local registry office.

For a Priory Church of England Ceremony, the usual preliminary for the wedding is the publication of banns. This is read in the parish Church 6 times within 6 months.

We are speaking to a lot of couples at the moment who are wanting to get married now so we have created a ‘limited edition’ offer to ‘Simply Marry’ which is available now for new couples looking to marry between December and early spring. You can read all about it here.

What impact have the recent announcements and now Lockdown 2.0 had on you and your couples?

Reducing weddings to just 15 guests again came as quite a blow to the industry. As I said earlier, we spent a lot of time innovating and inspiring which came together as a motivating photoshoot showing how many people ‘behind the scenes’ are included in a wedding day. Following the shoot, we truly felt some excitement begin to build again as we found our feet for 30 guests. As the announcement cutting this to 15 was made in the following week it almost felt like we were sent back to the drawing board.

We had a couple who had finalised all plans for the following weekend and had to redesign again. As a venue, we know that we are the life jacket that every couple needs. It is essential that we adapt quickly and calmly so that our couples can re-imagine how their day may look. Whether it be 15 or 30 our ‘Simply Marry’ design is cosy and extremely special.

To couples searching for their perfect venue (either for a micro wedding now or for a 2022 wedding), what top advice can you give them?

A micro wedding is about much more than saving money. Being smaller in size, it is more relaxed with an increased focus on guest experience. Find a venue that is adapting rather than sticking to their ‘traditional ways’ and that has good communication with you throughout.

As a Team, Brinkburn is more invested in the detail, the flow and the people than ever before to ensure your wedding continues to be extremely special.

Venue Brinkburn Northumberland

Photography Sean Elliott Photography

Florist Lavenders Blue Flowers

Catering Wilkins Fine Dining

Cake Sadie May Cake

Hair Tina Elliott

Makeup F.A.C.E Makeup Artistry

Dress Y.A.P Bridal

Suit Hotspur 1364 Alnwick