I had the joy of Stanbrook Abbey and Birtsmorton Court on the same day…

I was a little apprehensive in the build-up to Melissa & Stuart’s Birtsmorton Court Wedding. All the forecasts said rain and some even said thunderstorms!! Well, from what I heard from people who were not at the wedding, but living in the surrounding area, the rain did indeed come down hard. However, I am not sure what kind of deals they are doing at Birtsmorton Court, but it was glorious sunshine all day. Clouds in the distance always looked threatening, but they didn’t come our way. It was incredible!

My day started with Melissa at Stanbrook Abbey where she was expertly helped in her preparations by the wonderful Hair by Sair, who did an incredible job with her hair. Also, there was we were joined by the incredibly talented Sophie from Swan Beauty and Keeleigh from KB Makeup Artistry. They were great fun to work with and very professional…

For me, the highlight of the day was the photo shoot we did in the field at the back of the venue. With the heavy dark cloud and the brilliant sunshine, I class myself lucky to have been able to grab such lovely photos for them.  

Their Love Story

1. Tell me how you first met?
I was on a night out in Wetherspoons in Malvern with one of my bridesmaids, Chelsea. Stu was out for a meal with his Dad and it was actually the first time he had been in that particular pub, whereas I was a bit of a regular on a Friday night. It was a sunny evening and Stu and his Dad were sat having a meal at a table in the garden area and me and my friend were sat opposite drinking a bottle of wine each. Me and Chelsea spotted Stu and we spoke about how we didn’t recognise him from being from Malvern; I actually thought he was Spanish! He ate his meal and then left with his Dad.
Later on that evening a group of the local lads that we knew turned up at the pub and Stu was with them as he played football with them all on Saturdays. We didn’t really speak until he later approached me a bit worse for wear and put his hand out for me to shake and said: “Hi, I’m Stuart Nice to meet you.” He also went on to buy me and Chelsea a bottle of water. I then went home and we began to message on Facebook and arranged to meet up the following week and go for a drink. 2. When was it you knew they were the one?
I first knew Stu was the one from our very first date. We went for a couple of drinks at the Malvern Hills Hotel and despite being very nervous we got on really well. It was like we had known each other for years and I just had a feeling that I would end up marrying him. 3. Could you give us the story of the proposal?
The proposal started on a Saturday night; I was sat watching TV when Stu surprised me with loads of gifts. He walked in with a bottle of champagne, red roses, a new dress that I wanted, a padlock which was engraved and some false nails (knows me well!). He had also created a book with details in of a surprise trip to Paris the following Friday. Everything was beautifully wrapped and in a matching gift box, which I still have. I had a feeling that this wasn’t a spontaneous trip to Paris and that something may happen due to all of the extra efforts Stu had put in to make it so special.
We flew to Paris on the Friday and went for a lovely meal and visited a bar called Le Kong that I had always wanted to go to as it was on one of my favourite programmes, Sex in the City. We then put our padlock on the love-lock bridge. The next day we went sight-seeing around Paris and went on a boat cruise down the river before heading up the Eiffel Tower. After hopes of getting to the very top, I only managed the second floor which was where Stu proposed. Stu proposed very discreetly as I had always said that I didn’t want him to make a scene! And my reply was YES…. but can I get down now?! Disappointingly, I hated the Eiffel Tower. I was terrified of the height and almost had a panic attack in the lift going up! It took 20 minutes from beginning our journey up in the lift to when we had our feet firmly back on the ground again. Despite the Eiffel Tower experience, I had an amazing time and we made many happy memories that we will never forget. 4. Something quirky, funny or silly about your partner?
There are many things that I love about Stu, or StuStu as I call him. He always makes me laugh and is very quick-witted. We share the same sense of humour and we are always laughing. He is an amazing stepdad to my daughter Ruby and she loves him to bits! He is also really thoughtful and spoils me a lot with little surprises. 5. What is your perfect day together?
My perfect day together would be a simple day at home in our joggers watching a series on TV with loads of naughty food to eat. Pretty boring really! But I enjoy the simple things in life. 6. What are you most looking forward to on your wedding day?
On the wedding day, I am most looking forward to getting ready in the morning… It’s not every day that you get to be pampered by having your hair and makeup professionally done! I am also looking forward to the evening celebration. I can’t wait to laugh and party with my new husband and all of our close friends and family. 7. What was it that inspired you to go for the theme or decor of the wedding?
We have chosen a vintage themed wedding, mainly because when I researched wedding décor on Pinterest I fell in love with the vintage designs. When I researched the vintage theme a lot of birdcages were used. This fits in well with me and my friendship group as we call ourselves “the birds” so it seemed very fitting. We have used bird cages a lot in our wedding theme. We have them as centrepieces, invitations, save the dates and favour boxes. We have also gone for a blush pink colour scheme to match the vintage look. As a mad Disney fan, we have also incorporated small hints of Disney into our day, but I have been strict on not having anything tacky! We have used famous Disney quotes on each table and a red rose in a dome to represent Beauty and the Beast.

8. Please tell me one thing you wish you known at the beginning of your wedding planning process that you could pass onto future brides?
We have both enjoyed every minute of our wedding planning but if I was to pass any tips on to future brides; I would say making wedding favours are a job to be shared! I have spent hours folding, glueing and creating tiny handmade birdcages to fit in with our wedding theme. They do look lovely but wish I had asked for help. These hours could have been spent much more wisely elsewhere.9. When searching what were you looking for in a wedding venue? Why did you choose the one you did?
I wanted a classic fairy tale wedding and as soon as I saw Birtsmorton Court I knew that it was where we would get married. It was actually the very first venue we looked at. We did view a few more venues after but nothing compared to Birtsmorton Court. It has beautiful grounds, a lovely house with a moat and lake and the marquee for the wedding breakfast is stunning. I also really liked that the evening room is kept secret until the evening reception begins. It gives off the extra wow factor to guests when it is revealed. 10. Could you tell me the process you went through when you were looking for a wedding photographer?
We were in the process of speaking to a few photographers via email that we had either been recommended or spoken to briefly at wedding fayres, but neither of us was certain that they were right for our wedding. We went to Stanbrook Abbey wedding fayre and we walked past Duncan Cox’s stand. He politely asked us if we had booked a photographer yet in which Stu replied that we were speaking to a few people at the moment. Duncan then said, “Well would you mind speaking to me as well?” And the rest is fate. We viewed Duncan’s wedding portfolios in which the photos were amazing. Lots of different variations of shots and I personally really like the action shots that he had taken of guests who were unaware of being photographed. Duncan is also extremely friendly and witty in his emails which make him instantly likeable. We are both very excited to work with Duncan and view the photos which he takes on our special day!! 

 

UPDATE:  Enjoy the wedding trailer for Stuart & Melissa’s wedding, courtesy of my beautiful wife, at Polka Dot Productions.

 

Vendor List

Ceremony Location: Birtsmorton Court
Reception Location: Birtsmorton Court
Videographer: Polka Dot Productions
Florist: Simply Flowers by Catherine
Wedding Planner: Sophie Knight
Wedding DJ: Pete Stead
Dress Designer: Maggie Sottero
Wedding Dress Retailer: Bridal Boutique Worcester

---

Previous Post

This was a glorious, sunny, outdoor wedding at Wethele Manor in Warwickshire

Next Post

It was an absolute pleasure to photograph a wedding at Oldberrow House in Warwickshire!!