THE POWER OF LOVE

loveThe power of

Bethany and Adam didn’t let the Covid-19 pandemic ruin their special day

Images courtesy of Tom Richardson Photography

Bethany and Adam’s exciting journey started online on a dating site. After messaging back and forth, the pair realised they shared many mutual friends and couldn’t believe they’d never met before. One Friday afternoon, Bethany and Adam decided to have drinks together in Newcastle and discovered that they shared a strong bond. Bethany says, “We were both single-parents and ended up visiting different soft plays with the boys, while getting to know each other better. After a few days out, the boys were inseparable and so were we!”

At the start of January 2020, Adam decided to propose at Bamburgh Beach with Bamburgh Castle in the background. Bethany comments, “Adam managed to sneak a bottle of champagne inside his jacket onto the beach; he must have been quite confident I was going to say yes and of course I did!”

SETTING THE SCENE

When planning their wedding, the pair ensured the day would perfectly represent them both and be full of laughter. The original plan was to say “I do” a year after they got engaged, but Covid-19 restrictions meant that the date had to be changed twice and a new venue needed to be selected. Bethany says, “Our priorities changed from wanting to have this perfect wedding to just wanting to be married.”

After booking Hexham House for the ceremony, the restrictions started to ease and allowed the couple to have a reception in the evening. Beaumont Hotel was the perfect option with a private dining room, The Sele View, which had just become available and the couple were over-the-moon.

Bethany stayed in the apartments within Hexham House the night before the wedding with her bridesmaid, mum and youngest son. Adam travelled to the wedding in a relative’s Lamborghini, which was a dream come true!

The bride’s bouquet looked incredible on the day and featured a mixture of burgundy and blush tones with proteas as the main feature, plus some eucalyptus and olive branches too. The florist, Laura at Peony & Gold Floral Design, did an excellent job and stayed in touch with the couple throughout the process while discussing different options. The bridesmaid had a matching but smaller bouquet, while the groom and best man had blush buttonholes to contrast with their suits.

The couple were restricted to 30 guests and could only have two households per table for the reception. They ended up opting for a sweetheart table for themselves, two tables for both the bride and groom’s family and then a table for friends. Each guest could find their seat via wooden, laser-cut place names.

Peony + Gold Floral Design created a table runner using foliage interspersed with flowers and it trailed beautifully off the end of the tables. There was also rose-gold candlesticks and tall-taper candles on each table, which created such a romantic atmosphere.

Each adult guest received heart-shaped flower seed favours that said ‘let love grow’ while the little ones received activity packs filled with crayons, colouring books, glow sticks, sweet treats and a couple of small toys to keep them entertained throughout the wedding breakfast and speeches.

A lovely touch on the day were two wooden signs purchased on Etsy saying, “We finally welcome you to our wedding.”

When it came to the wedding cake, Bethany baked a three-tiered sponge and decorated it with blush butter-cream icing, rose-gold leaves, fresh flowers provided by the florist and a cake topper.

The couple provided canapés as guests arrived at the reception to keep them from going hungry, followed by a main course and dessert for the wedding breakfast. In the evening, guests could dig into some bacon sandwiches and potato wedges.

LOOKING THE PART

When it came to finding a wedding dress, the bride knew she didn’t want a traditional-styled gown and discovered the perfect option on Monsoon’s website called Vera. Bethany says, “I loved the cape, the laid-back style, the satin fabric and the long-flowing train – I’d never seen a dress like it before.” After realising Monsoon stocked dresses in their stores, the bride-to-be and her

mum dashed over to find the gown. She comments, “The lady in the shop was amazing; she ushered us into the big personal changing room and grabbed the dress, shoes and two glasses of Prosecco.” Bethany knew it was the one straight away and had the dress altered twice by a local seamstress to ensure the perfect fit.

She finished off the look with white-leather Converses, a Jenny Packham bag, earrings, a hair vine and a gold CARET* London bracelet that was a wedding present from her husband-to-be.

The groom looked dashing in a dark blue and burgundy suit from Master Debonair; the team was so helpful and made the process much easier. He opted for a shirt with burgundy piping, a tie and a pocket square to bring everything together.

Adam’s brother Connor was his best man, he wore a suit and a contrasting waistcoat from Suit Culture. After initially not intending to match, he and Adam ended up with almost identical suits! Both Adam and Bethany’s sons looked adorable on the day; Isaac escorted the bride down the aisle while Reece was a mini best man.

There was only one bridesmaid on the day, Bethany’s sister, who wore a beautiful silk dress in a dark purple/ burgundy shade, a pair of Converse and a bracelet that the bride bought her as a thank you gift. MEMORABLE MOMENTS

The couple were so excited to finally be Mr and Mrs, it truly was the best day of their lives. After the difficult task of planning their wedding, Bethany and Adam were both so excited to see all their plans unfold and share the day with their children and loved ones. She says, “We were both extremely nervous the night before and on the morning of the wedding, I was watching from the window as people were arriving and getting more anxious by the minute.” The couple were worried about walking through the park after the ceremony to their reception venue, but this ended up being one of the highlights of the day. Having quality time together with just their photographer was so precious to them. Many companies worked hard to make the day extra special. Bethany says, “Our suppliers were amazing and everyone managed to accommodate us when our dates moved around. Our photographer Tom really stood out, he was amazing with the kids and we didn’t want him to go home!”

HONEYMOON

After having two honeymoons cancelled due to the pandemic, the couple decided to say local and visited The Studio at Shellbraes Holiday Rental in Northumberland for two nights. The bride says, “The space is owned by the same company who runs the apartments at Hexham House. After the wedding, we headed straight to the cottage and were greeted by just married bunting and champagne.” She adds, “We finished our minimoon with a spa day at Ramside Hall Hotel before heading home to the boys.” The lovebirds are planning a belated honeymoon in the sunshine for their first wedding anniversary.

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A perfect venue for your wedding reception in our beautiful 19th Century Town Hall Facilities include hall, full catering kitchen, gallery, lounge and courtyard www.newbroughtownhall.co.uk email: newbrough2018@gmail.com 01434 674315

Thinking about getting married, forming a civil partnership, renewing your vows or having a naming ceremony for your children? Then look no further than picturesque Northumberland as the perfect setting for your special day!

Northumberland boasts an extensive selection of licensed venues for your civil ceremony. Whether you’re looking for an idyllic castle on the spectacular coastline or a stately home in the tranquility of the countryside... Northumberland really does have it all.

Not only does Northumberland have over 70 licensed venues, we also have some fantastic Register Offices and Council owned venues. Including; the historic Hexham House with its luxury self-catering holiday apartments, the newly refurbished Northumberland Hall which is available for ceremonies and receptions and the impressive Town Hall of Morpeth which can hold up to 80 guests.

Visit our website to view all of our venues.

Here at Northumberland Registration Service, we pride ourselves on delivering a unique and personal service to every couple who chooses our stunning County for their special day.

BETHANY AND ADAM’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK

Venues, www.mynorthumberlandwedding.co.uk/venue/hexham-house and www.thebeaumonthexham.co.uk | Photographer, www.tomrichardsonphotos.com | Bride’s dress, www.monsoon.co.uk | Bride’s shoes, www.schuh.co.uk | Bride’s bracelet, www.caratlondon.com | Bride’s Earrings, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/emiliaraebridal | Bride’s clutch bag, https://jennypackham.com Make-up, www.facebook.com/tarashentonmakeupartist | Hair, www.facebook.com/keepitpinnedhairstyles | Bridesmaid’s dress, www.ghost.co.uk/bridesmaids-dresses | Groom’s suit, www.masterdebonair.com | Cake, www..facebook.com/baked.by.beth19 | Flowers, www.peonyandgold.co.uk | Stationery, www.vistaprint.co.uk | Accommodation and minimoon cottage, https://woodenstarcottages.co.uk