What made you decide Iscoyd Park was the venue for you?

We walked in and immediately felt at home. We both wanted a venue that felt cosy, not a big corporate hotel churning out several weddings per day. Iscoyd, and the staff have such a welcoming ambiance – we visited in the winter, not having decided on which time of the year we would marry, but the roaring fires, beautifully scented candles and pretty, frosty landscape sold it to us. We also felt like we were in safe hands – every single staff member I ever spoke to or met, was impeccable and knowledgeable. Charlotte (Charlie) was our dedicated planner and she is incredible – she kept me calm through 11 months of planning and having her there on the big day meant that I could completely switch off and enjoy it.

 

 

Favourite moment of your wedding day?

I genuinely couldn’t pick one stand-out moment as we both loved every minute of it. We got our dream day.

 

Venue/Styling; what were your inspirations when deciding your wedding theme?

I took to Pinterest and soon realised I was saving images of weddings at Iscoyd Park (after we had booked). I contacted Charlie and she let me know the suppliers of the particular wedding that I favoured. As it was a winter wedding, we wanted big floral displays full of burnt reds, pampas grass and lots of greenery. Candles were a must, so these were incorporated throughout. The interior at Iscoyd lends itself really well to a winter wedding, so most of the focus was on decorating the marquee and ceremony room.

Who were your suppliers and why did you choose them to play a part in your wedding?

I fell in love with a previous wedding at Iscoyd, so I set about hiring the exact same team of suppliers. My hair and makeup artist and our photographer were three main aspects I was nervous to get right; luckily I hit the jackpot with Wildflower Hair, Martine Smith makeup and Harry Michael photography. All three were not only talented, but calm, cool and collected, which is exactly what I needed on the big day. Wildflower Hair can turn the most awful bed-hair into something beautiful, Maxine Smith Makeup is like “Mother Wedding” – I felt in safe hands, she was always full of advice and managed to cover up my terrible skin.

Harry Michael Photography is a camera wielding genius – he made sure we caught the best of the late evening sunset for some really candid shots – I didn’t even realise he was there. He was diligent about ensuring he got pictures of everyone there and paid extra attention to the closest family members. He arrived with hair and makeup and didn’t leave until midnight after capturing the dance floor antics (a speciality of his!).

My florist was Red Floral; they are insane! From a few images on my Pinterest board, they worked tirelessly to create an abundance of dreamy floral displays. My favourite bit was around the neon sign I had which was stunning and provided a real wow moment for the guests! Our band was Truly Medley Deeply – a group of guys who do a mix of Dj’ing and live medleys, taking the best bits of songs. The dance floor was never empty; my only regret was not grabbing the mic to join in! You can choose a whole mix of genres, which helped keep every generation happy… I danced so much I tore one of the arms off my dress!

 

What was your favourite aspect of Iscoyd Park and why?

This is a hard one to answer! The interiors of the rooms at Iscoyd are stunning and are such a wonderfully special place to be able to put your nearest and dearest up on your special day. I loved being able to potter about the rooms whilst we all got ready and being able to have close friends/relatives out in the cottages. Every part of the house is stunning especially once Red Floral get their hands on it! Overall, the space worked brilliantly for us; it just feels like a home. I especially love the red Library; we went in there until 4am with a bottle of whiskey and indulged in some storytelling.

Top tips for future brides and grooms…

Try not to leave booking suppliers too late – all the best ones get snapped up. A lot of suppliers have worked with each other in the past, so do mention who else you’re thinking of booking or ask them for recommendations – I found that very helpful. You’ll want a great team on your day, so it’s worth getting it right! If you’re into flowers, have a decent budget – I spent big and didn’t regret it at all – florists work incredibly hard, so don’t expect something for nothing. Read reviews, definitely do hair and makeup trials (they may be great at what they do, but might have an irritating personality, as I found out with one!). Trust with a supplier is huge, if you have a niggling doubt, perhaps investigate another option? Most importantly though, relax and enjoy it!

 

Food, what did you have and what was your favourite part?

The food was fantastic – we opted for x5 canapés during the drinks reception after the ceremony (the staff saved us our own canapés for after we had had our photographs taken, we really appreciated that!). For the main meal we had the chicken liver parfait, followed by the steak and then a trio of desserts as we couldn’t decide on just one! Guests were so complimentary of the food saying it was the best wedding food they’ve ever had. We also had the pizza van in the evening, which guests really appreciated after lots of drinks! Again, so hard to choose one stand-out part as it was all delicious and beautifully presented – perhaps the fact that Iscoyd managed to cook 82 medium rare steaks to absolute perfection?!