Inspiration

The Normans wedding venue is instantly recognisable with its insanely beautiful high ceilings and fairy light backdrop. Add the creative skills and visions of Crystal and Ed who DIYed a wooden pallet wedding sign in keeping with the rustic venue, and opted for a cheese tower and pork pie tower instead of a traditional wedding cake. Plus, there are amazing golden hour portraits captured by Will Patrick Weddings to make this one joy-filled, personal day to pore over.

What Made Our Day Unique

We took our time looking at various venues until we found The Normans, which we both just felt as though it was the right venue for us. Alongside that, the staff at The Normans seemed genuinely focused on making our day special so they were a big part in helping us celebrate the day as we wanted. Likewise, we generally opted for suppliers who were both accomodating but also had good ideas themselves on how to go about the day. Lastly, the old cliche, but there's no other day when you get all your friends and family together and that's what made it really unique and special

Crystal & Ed

The Normans Wedding

If you want your wedding venue to leave a lasting impression on your guests then you should definitely choose The Normans. Full of twinkling lights and surrounded by wonderful countryside, perfect for those all-important couples portraits. Crystal and Ed made their day personal by choosing local suppliers who were flexible and could accommodate their ideas. Including having a pork pie and cheese tower alternative wedding cake. Because, if you're not a fan of cake, then you shouldn't feel like you should have one. It's your day, your way. Always.

Inspiration & Styling

The inspiration for the day was the fantastic working farm venue at The Normans. The ceremony barn and all its surroundings created a rustic, cosy feel so we went with that vibe. Our stylings and additions we kept fairly minimal to allow the beauty of the venue do most of the work. Our favourite moment during the day would have to be just after the ceremony in the courtyard of the venue saying hello to all the guests with canapes and fizz! My favourite moment of the evening would have to be when we were lifted up on the dancefloor with all our friends and family and given microphones to sing along to Backstreet Boys!

Crystal & Ed

Advice

I would say don't rush to make any decisions, take some time to think about cost and whether it is something you really will regret if you didn't have it. Don't be afraid to ask your suppliers for advice as they've done it before and usually know what works well. We saved lots of money using sites like Ebay and Etsy and by making decorations ourselves. e.g buying vases and twine and enlisting the help of my mum who is extremely creative. Also adds a nice personal touch to the day.

Crystal & Ed

We've been fortunate enough to share many a wedding at The Normans. See Laura and James' December wedding complete with botanical wedding stationery and balloon covered ceiling. And if you fancy making your own DIY pallet sign like Crysyal and Ed, read our easy tutorial.

Lorna Shaw

Written by Lorna Shaw

Venue: The Normans | Bridal Boutique: Confetti & Lace | Bridesmaid Dress: Chi Chi London | Grooms Suit: Moss Bros. | Ties: Charles Tyrwhitt | Bridal Shoes: Dune | Grooms Shoes: Brogue Trader, Leeds | Food: Hog and Apple | Pork Pie and Cheese tower : Cryer and Stott | Florist: Dulcie Butterfly | Makeup: Becky at Brittany Jae | Stationery: CatiriaDesign via Etsy | Entertainment: EchoDisco | Bread & Brownies: Bluebird Bakery

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