After a season on heartbreak, lockdown, lost opportunities and disappointment we decided to grab the few dying days of summer and come back in style…

As soon as we got the ok from Boris to emerge from lockdown and our talented make-up artists and creatives could get back to doing what they do best, we let our imaginations run wild and planned a stunning summer shoot at one of our favourite locations.

So on the hottest day of the year (the temperature hit over 35 degrees) we gathered our ‘dream team’ together and made the short drive down to Shropshire for a day filled with flowers, fabulous dresses and lots of fun….

The Location

Nestled in an awe-inspiring setting in the heart of the Shropshire countryside, Hawkstone Hall is a truly breath taking venue. Still a relative new-comer to the wedding scene, 2020 should have been the first full season of weddings for the team until the ‘C’ word got in that way.

A luxurious hideaway with stunning original features, the whole venue is packed full of the most glorious spaces for your big day. From the magnificent ballroom complete with original artwork and incredible décor, to the magnificent chapel and light-filled ‘Winter Garden’ we were spoilt for choice when it came to locations for the shoot.

In the end, with the sun beating down, we made the most of the magical gardens and based our main shoot in the beautiful Tapestry Room. With its pink hued marble columns and large arch windows looking out over the estate, it provided the perfect backdrop for our blush based theme.

The Theme

With a strict brief from our bridal gurus at Bellissima Brides – ‘we want wow’ we started to pull together an epic mood board of ideas to fit in with our rose gold and blush theme. Alongside the magnificent backdrop of Hawkstone, we knew we wanted a world-class installation – enter Mat Hepplestone, the creative genius behind industry leading floral giants, Red Floral and the rest is history!

Mat understood the brief from the word go and when we saw a sprinter van, packed to the rafters with fresh flowers edge up the drive, we know we were going to see something pretty exceptional.

 

 

We had a range of exquisite accessories with hand-crafted veils and headpieces from Adorn By Ashely, gorgeous bespoke bridal pieces from Bob-Bon Bride and bridesmaid crowns from Evelyn and Rose.

The gorgeous Robyn Evans and Claudia Platt were our beautiful bridesmaids on the day and the true stars of the show came in the form of the absolutely epic Bride Tribe Photography team.

Louise Coppello and hubby Alex are not only super-talented photographers they are just about the nicest people to have on set and I can only imagine they would be a wonderful addition to any wedding day.

We think the wonderful images really ooze class and this is largely down to Louise and Alex’s passion, talent and gorgeous on-set demeanour.

Get The Look…

When wedding planning guru Dale Alexander decides to pull together an autumn inspired shoot, you know it’s going to be pretty special….

Stunning location, check, epic décor, naturally, beautiful models, of course! But this super-creative styled shoot had something most other shoots can only dream of. Say ‘hello’ to the real star of the show, Dale’s very own fur baby, Mr Harry Bobbins!

A Dreamy Day At Delamere

As Delamere Manor’s retained Wedding Director, Dale obviously knows this stunning venue more than most so it was an obvious and very beautiful choice of location for the day.

Set in an awe inspiring position in the heart of the Cheshire countryside, Delamere is one of the region’s most exquisite wedding venues. Its elegant spaces, glorious ground and quirky backdrops help make it one of the most aspirational venues in the North.

A Super-Squad Of Suppliers

With his extensive network of suppliers and legendary eye for detail, its hardly surprising that Dale was able to pull together an epic team of super-suppliers to help turn his styling dreams into reality.

Delamere’s exquisite courtyard space was beautifully enhanced with stunning lighting installations from Luminate Events and epic floral creations from Boujee Box.

Tables were decked to perfection with elegant crockery and glasses by Whitehouse Crockery and the stylish chairs came courtesy of Chair Man Hire.

The dreamy stationery and ‘on-the-day’ table plan, menu & name cards was designed by the talented Natalie from Jelly Press.

The dreamy designer gowns were supplied by acclaimed Cheshire Designer Balthazar By Gary Hayes paired with gorgeous accessories by Cassie M Bridal and the gorgeous groom wore a suit by Groom Formal for the day.

The super-talented Lizzie Griffiths was in full charge of all hair and make-up looks in keeping with the dreamy Autumn theme and the show-stopping cake came courtesy of the amazing Bloomsbury Cakes.

The final look was completed with a fun selfie mirror from Exceed Events and on- trend LED backdrops from the guys at Love Lights The Way.

We are on to the fact that venue inspired design is hugely popular right now….

More and more couples are channelling the vibe of their wedding day location through their stationery. We caught up with Wirral based stationery expert and all-round design guru Cheryl from Pink Sherbet Stationery to find out what the trend is all about……

“It’s the very first clue guests get about your big day. It should give them a flavour of what’s to come – a sneak peak of your style. 

Choosing your stationery should be a key part of your wedding planning journey.

Along with your colour and theme for your wedding, your venue can provide a huge amount of inspiration for your overall look.  

Whatever design route you go down its really-important to bear the character of your venue in mind. A grand country estate wouldn’t suit an edgy, urban style design and vice versa.”

So What Is Hot?

Architecture

If your venue has stand out architectural features such as show-stopping windows, romantic arches or fairy tale towers, these features can all be mirrored in the design.

Setting & Season

From rolling countryside settings to inner city gems, your venue’s surroundings will change with the seasons so do consider incorporating some of the flora and fauna, views and colours that will reflect your venue in your chosen season.

Setting the scene and creating a beautiful ambience is key to a truly unforgettable wedding day. Whether you have a super-clear vision of what you want or you are still unsure about your final look, getting some expert advice during the planning stages can really help turn your dreams into reality.

Sharon and the team at Coverstory offer a full range of venue dressing services from quirky accessory and décor hire to full blown styled masterpieces. Passionate about creating show-stopping looks, the team have a superb reputation and their venue transformations are planned to perfection.

Our Decor and Design Items

Choose from a mesmerising range of stunning décor items including:

• Bows & sashes
• Table cloths & table runners
• Napkins
• Centrepieces
• Backdrops
• Ceiling swags
• Love letters
• Fresh flowers
• Bridal party flowers
• Aisle décor
• Blossom Trees
• Hanging wisteria trees
• Pedestals
• Wedding post box
• Balloons