Doxford Hall, Northumbria’s only four red star wedding venue, celebrates its 200 year anniversary this year.
Designed by John Dobson, a local architect most well-known for his vision for Newcastle Grand Railway Station, the resulting house was the epitome of late Georgian splendour. Crafted from mellow stone, with its formal gardens and manicured lawns, featuring Europe’s largest yew tree maze, Doxford Hall is a dreamy, romantic and photogenic venue, and one of Dobson’s finest houses in the area. In celebration of the bicentenary, a creative team channelled their love of beautiful things and shared passion for the finer things in life, to create a Jane Austen-inspired styled shoot to capture the elegance and romance of this beautiful country wedding venue.
At the heart of the team is wedding photographer, Katy Melling (www.katymelling.com) Her images pay homage to the essence of the history and the bucolic setting of this country venue. Our brunette model, Laura, features throughout in an ivory Empire-line bias cut silk gown, overlaid in fine tulle, and trimmed with decorative French Chantilly lace, pearl detail and dainty, mink velvet ribbon by V V Rouleaux. Dress design by Sarah Kelly (www.MiaBridal.co.uk) from Carlisle.
Katy’s work, epitomised by her signature of natural light and ethereal style, perfectly captures the mood of the shoot and the Hall’s magnificent gardens and grounds, where photo opportunities and magic moments abound; including the terraced formal gardens, the stone terrace and balustrade with far-reaching pastoral views, a grand carriage entrance way with sundial, and enchanting secret walled garden.
The love story and romantic yearning is enhanced with a glimpse of a love letter from Darcy, presented by calligrapher Claire Gould (www.bymoonandtide.com) Bridal accessories include delicate cameo earrings, along with a seed-pearl and aquamarine engagement ring and hair ribbons, hand-dyed with natural pigments by Kate Cullen.
The wedding breakfast shot in the Frank Henry Mason reception room, illustrates the decadence and indulgent feasting that would have accompanied such a celebration, with original fine bone china (www.Everythingstopsfortea.co.uk) showing off fashionable Regency-inspired deserts and sweetmeats, enhanced with billowing English country garden-style floral arrangements by Helen Mawson (Belsflowers.co.uk) who also styled the exquisite hand-tied bouquet, both arrangements contained spray roses, lilac roses from David Austen, ranunculus, jasmine, rosemary, sweet peas and Dusty Miller, tied with hydrangea velvet ribbon (www.katecullen.co.uk)
The table setting is suitably enhanced with an antique Brass Ewer, table runners, napkins and ribbons by Kate Cullen, with the ruched ribbon, featured on the Charlotte Russe dessert, by V V Rouleaux.
Preparing for her wedding day, our model wears a blush silk chemise by Ghost, styled with an oriental style kimono, heavily embroidered with pastel silk in a floral design, just one of the many beautiful pieces in the shoot, sourced by Fran Boyd (facebook@GoodbyeNormaJean) who also helped to style the shoot.
Laura’s hair is styled by Tina Elliott (www.tinaelliott.co.uk) tousled with ribbons in the boudoir, and then swept into an elegant Regency updo, with braid trim. Danielle Hall (www.danimua.com) created an initial English Rose, dewy look for the boudoir, which was then enhanced with a smoky eye to add allure to Laura’s bridal make up and complement her porcelain complexion and cornflower blue eyes.
Other areas of the Hall featured are The Georgian Room, a beautiful sitting room with ionic column detailing and mahogany Grandfather clock and The Flower Room, where a stunning arched, leaded window provides the backdrop for an afternoon tea occasion. The deep pink and gold Georgian tea service (www.everythingstopsfortea.co.uk) is complemented by gold and duck egg blue sugared almonds (www.UKWeddingFavours.co.uk) with swathes of blush pink silk.
(www.KateCullen.co.uk).
The Details
Photography
www.katymelling.com
Venue
www.doxfordhall.com
Wedding Gown
www.MiaBridal.co.uk
Flowers
www.Belsflowers.co.uk
Vintage Fashion and Styling
www.goodbyenormajean.co.uk
Hair
www.tinaelliott.co.uk
Make Up
www.danimua.com
Accessories
www.katecullen.co.uk and
www.vvrouleaux.com
Calligraphy
www.bymoonandtide.co.uk
Crockery
www.everythingstopsfortea.co.uk
Sugared almonds
www.ukweddingfavours.co.uk
