Sophie & Graham

September 2024

Photography by Michelle White
Instagram // @michelle_white_photography

“This venue really is extraordinary and gave us everything we wanted to have a one of a kind wedding. With accommodation for 18 guests, a range of wedding packages and the freedom to choose our own suppliers we knew this was the one for us. Our excitement was real and we had found our dream wedding venue.”

“At the end of the evening reception, we went back to the honeymoon suite which was simply magical. The suite was decorated beautifully with balloons and petals and some additional treats had been left out for us. The ceiling is hand painted and something we spent a lot of time admiring and there is also a secret garden which forms part of the suite. The house has 4 other gorgeous bedrooms which our guests absolutely loved. We also used the 3 charming cottages on site where our guests were also greeted with luxury treats.

The day after the wedding we all gathered for breakfast in the house before checking out and it was nice to spend the morning reminiscing about our day in the company of our loved ones.

The owners, a wonderful family, couldn’t do enough for us to make the whole experience a fun and relaxing one. Always available for advice, supporting our suppliers and making planning a wedding with them a pleasure and completely stress free. They were also very present with their staff on the day itself to ensure it was delivered to perfection, which it was.

Normanton Park Gardens is truly exceptional (wow wow wow) and we highly recommend anyone looking for a unique wedding venue to check this place out. We promise you will be blown away, just like we were”

“Prior to the big day, we enjoyed a fabulous wine tasting evening with the owners where we enjoyed wines, beers, champagne and nibbles. We were made to feel so welcome and we knew we had made the best decision of our lives.

We arrived at the venue the day before our wedding so that we could spend time settling in and doing any last minute wedding preparations. We were greeted with a massive hamper of goodies and some other lovely touches. The house is incredible with a huge kitchen, dining and lounge area allowing us plenty of space to enjoy a family gathering the night before the wedding. This is something we all loved and got us in the mood for the big celebrations ahead.

Our wedding day was like a dream come true and we were over the moon to be spending it in such a special place. I had a spacious boudoir for myself and the bridal party to get ready in with two dressing table areas for us to use. All the suppliers were completely blown away by the set up and had soon found their new favourite venue.

We started the day with canapés and music in the gardens and then moved through to our wedding breakfast in the sail marquee which faced onto the water. We hired this through Willow & Forde Marquees who we highly recommend. The marquee is covered in thousands of lights and is truly spectacular, especially as it gets dark.

We enjoyed a gorgeous BBQ and mini desserts for our wedding breakfast followed by a pizza van in the evening, both of which were exceptional creating the relaxed vibe we were looking for.

Our guests thought it was the best wedding ever and all commented on the wonderful venue and service provided by the owners, staff and suppliers”

Happily Ever After

What was the most memorable moment of your wedding day?

Being surrounded by so much love from our family and friends in such a beautiful setting and saying I Do!

Who made your wedding dress, and why did you choose that particular designer?

My wedding dress called Pearl was by the designer Enzoani which I purchased from a shop called Blush in Ely. I loved all the Enzoani dresses so it was just a case of choosing my favourite one.

How did you choose your wedding venue, and what made it special to you?

We viewed a number of venues as we wanted something a little bit quirky and different with a relaxed feel. Celestial View was just that and we instantly fell in love as it’s such an extraordinary place.

What song did you choose for your first dance, and why?

Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay, no meaning behind this other than we don’t like dancing so wanted something upbeat and to kick in quickly so others could join us on the dance floor

Were there any unexpected moments during the day that turned out to be special?

Walking down the aisle without my Dad, not deliberate of course, which set the tone for a very funny and happy day. Our video has over 2.5 million views on Social Media!

How did you decide on the theme or style of your wedding?

We got married at the end of September so we went for an autumnal theme with oranges and rusts.

Who were your key vendors and what made them stand out?

Florist: The Country Garden Florist - 27k Instagram followers and unreal floristry skills.

Caterer: Simon Pollendine - excellent local chef providing fresh ingredients with all sorts of menu choices so we opted for some lovely canapés, a BBQ and trio of desserts.

Evening Caterer: Amo La Pizza - regularly serves pizzas at local pubs/Burghley etc, exceptional pizzas.

Charlotte Smith Hair & Make Up - booked after seeing her work on Instagram.

Mark Stevens Music - Mark has been a wedding singer for 8 years and is also part of a duo/band. I work with Mark and love his music!

Marquee - Willow & Forde - as soon as we saw images of the sail marquee online we knew we had to book these guys. So professional providing an excellent service.

DJ - Strobe Disco Roadshow - Rob has been DJ’ing around this area for 20 plus years and is a fantastic DJ! Our dance floor was full all night, say no more!

What advice would you give to couples currently planning their weddings?

Enjoy the process and keep it simple. We planned our wedding from start to finish in 9 months. If you choose the right suppliers who are trusted and reliable this takes away any worry.