Meet Clare & James
I have to say, Clare and James are absolutely delightful and a little bit crazy! Clare got in touch with me as the Wedding Co-ordinator at Raithwaite Hall a few years ago. As soon as we met, I just knew we’d keep in touch, she had such a driven passion for weddings. She absolutely loved helping her Brides plan their dream wedding. When she got engaged herself, well her excitement was contagious and I couldn’t help wanting to help make their day as perfect! We kept in touch, usually over a cup of coffee (and cake!) in Helmsley and talked weddings on a number of occasions. She even visited a number of our fairs and booked some of our wonderful suppliers. Let me share their day with you at the stunning Yorebridge House with gorgeous images from Georgina Harrison Photography. You will love the warmth of the metallic purple and the centrepieces are to die for…
Bride & Groom: Clare & James Wilson
Wedding Date: Sunday, March 2, 2014
Wedding Ceremony & Reception Venue: Yorebridge House
Tell us a little bit about how you both met:-
We met back in January 2007 working at Aldwark Manor near York. James wooed me with his Chocolate Fondant, and by July 2007 we were dating. Everything happened very quickly and by January the following year we had both relocated to Guisborough to start, what was to be, our life together!
What made you fall in love?:-
We are like, as our Best Man said, Cheese and Biscuits…… We just go together! We are so different but we work! What I lack in calmness and tranquility James makes up, and what James lacks in ‘talkativeness’ and fieryness (I am a red head) I make up! We both love great food, chilling out, snowboarding and Criminal Minds! (I told you they were a little crazy: snowboarding!)
How was the inevitable question popped, where and who by:-
We went shopping for our ring together, but even though I knew it was coming it was still amazing! It was the May Day Bank Holiday, being a Chef James never gets Bank Holidays off, but this one he did. Whilst I was at work he slaved away at home all day to create the most amazing eight course meal! Our flat overlooks the Cleveland Hills, and the view from our living room is amazing. The sun was shining outside and at the end of the meal he presented me with a box of chocolates with my gorgeous engagement ring in the middle. Of course I cried and said YES!!!!!
What excited you about getting married and the planning process:-
Where do I start…… being a Wedding Planner, I LOVE weddings. Everything about them excites me. I couldn’t wait to get started!
Tell our readers about your wedding venue, where is it and why you chose it?
I had seen Yorebridge House at a wedding fair some years ago and we both fell in love with it. We had never been, but just loved the idea of the venue. When we visited we just knew it was the place for us. It is the most beautiful venue, located in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales in a village called Bainbridge. It oozes elegance, charm and sophistication, without being pretentious or OTT. Having both worked in Hospitality for years, the venue was the most important aspect to us, we simply had to have amazing food, a great atmosphere and wonderful service. Yorebridge House ticked all the boxes and we felt right at home immediately. The team were wonderful from the first moment, and Chef Dan Shotton and the team couldn’t have created a better meal.
Where did you get your wedding dress and why did you choose that designer or style?
I loved dress shopping, although after trying on approx 60 dresses I was about to give up! I was drawn toward Justin Alexander dresses from the start of my shopping, but the first one I fell in love with was over budget and didn’t have the desired effect on my mum! Although I loved the others I tried on none of them were quite right… There was always something missing. I then booked to go to Deborah Moore’s in Hessle, probably one of my last choices due to the website showing styles I wasn’t overly keen on. I went in and picked up three dresses…. My dress was the last one I tried on. Alegra by Intuzuri was everything I wanted, it had the gorgeous neckline, the fun fishtail, the fitted bodice, it was PERFECT! I still can’t believe how one dress can make you feel so totally fabulous.
Can you tell us about your Day, did you have a theme and what made it so special?
Because of the size of venue we had exclusive use, and had pretty much every room the night before the wedding as well. It was important to us to have all of our friends and family with us for the duration and wanted as many of our guests to stay with us, or near us, for the night before and the night of the wedding. We had a second celebration one month after so that we could invite guests who we would have ordinarily invited to an evening celebration, so we managed to include everyone we wanted in one or more of the wedding celebrations.
We wanted a winter wonderland, shimmering and glistening but without the ‘bling’! Having worked with lots of different suppliers over the years I had my favorites, and we knew exactly who would help create the look we were going for.
Everything went so smoothly, and what made it so perfect was definitely the company… We had everyone who meant everything to us there, and they helped to create the most amazing atmosphere.
We found ways to bring in elements of both our personalities, and also ways to remember those who sadly couldn’t be with us. Our Grande Finale of fireworks provided by Fuse Fireworks was the perfect end to the perfect day.
Each and everyone of our suppliers went above and beyond to create the personal and intimate wedding day we were looking for. The entertainment we provided worked excellent with our numbers (41 guests), having a magician throughout the drinks reception and a Jukebox for the evening. The flowers were the most beautiful I have ever seen, and our gorgeous little kitties iced into the back of our cake was just wonderful!
If you had the chance to do it all again and you could change one thing, what would it be?
Seriously…. We wouldn’t change anything…. Other than maybe wishing harder for snow!!!!!
If you were to give other Brides and Grooms three top tips, what would they be and why?
1. Don’t sweat the little things – The best piece of advice I was given a few months before my wedding was ‘Something will go wrong, no matter what you do, just don’t stress about it’! It was right, something did go wrong, but on the day I just shrugged, said hey ho, and made alternative arrangements and everything worked out even better! If you worry about things it will ruin your day, and lets face it no-one wants that!
2. Where possible book the professionals to do the job for you – The week before your wedding you want to be tying up loose ends and getting pampered, not stressing about making your cake, decorating your venue (they can’t always let you in the day before), writing place cards or practicing your makeup. The professionals are there to take the pressure off, let them do just that! Your photographer in particular should not be scrimped on…. Georgina made such a difference to our day, and the images that we have to treasure forever are just stunning. We couldn’t have booked a more professional, caring and hardworking photographer.
3. Take time during the planning to be together just the two of you. Sometimes the hectic planning of a wedding can ironically take away from what it is all about. Have a night off together, no wedding talk, and remember why you are doing all of this.
Can you please list the suppliers you chose to help you plan your Big Day
Venue – Yorebridge House, www.yorebridgehouse.co.uk
Photographer – Georgina Harrison, www.georginaharrisonphotography.co.uk
Flowers – Adam Prest, www.adamprest.co.uk
Stationery – Noble Fine Art, www.noblefineart.co.uk
Dress – Deborah Moore Bridal, www.deborahmoore.co.uk
Veil & Accessories – Truly Beautiful, www.trulybeautiful.co.uk
Grooms Outift – Moss Bross, York Designer Outlet
Fireworks – Fuse Fireworks, www.fuse-fireworks.co.uk
Videographer – Story of Your Day, www.storyofyourday.co.uk
Chair Sashes & Brooches – provided by Sheer Elegance, www.sheerelegancecovers.co.uk
Magician – Mark Waddington, www.yorkshireweddingmagician.co.uk
Jukebox – Sound Leisure, www.soundleisure.co.uk
Cake – Fluffy Cakes, www.fluffycakes.co.uk
Although its been over a year since Clare and James got married, (yes we have had a sneaky coffee and cake since) we wish them all the very best for a very happy future together and lots of snowboarding over the winter months too… they really are just the loveliest of couples.
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Real Wedding: A Winter Wedding at Yorebridge House