Natalia & Marouf 08/08/23
What made you choose Iscoyd Park for your wedding venue?
Marouf and I live in Toronto Canada, but when it came to getting married, I had my heart set on an English wedding vibe. So, we sent my mum to scout out all the suitable wedding venues in Cheshire, attending open days and site tours without complaint! We instantly fell for Iscoyd – it had that perfect cozy charm I was after. Stunning grounds, a beautiful historic home, but without that stuffy old-fashioned feel. Iscoyd felt like stepping into a modern fairytale with a touch of history.
Marouf and I are what we call ‘third-culture kids,’ so having on-site accommodation was a must for our guests flying in from across the globe. Iscoyd was an obvious choice for this, their rooms are like something out of a dream – quirky, stylish, and on par with any 5-star hotel. Once we locked in the venue, the real magic began. Huge shoutout to our coordinator, Ffion, who held our hands through every step of planning from all the back and forth emails to ensuring a smooth day. Wrangling a ‘destination’ wedding isn’t easy but with Ffion and the amazing Iscoyd team in our corner, it all fell into place beautifully.
Also have to mention the food is absolutely divine!!
What was your favourite part of your wedding day?
It’s hard to narrow it down because it’s true when they say it’s the best day of your life. Months of planning and stressing culminated in a day we’ll cherish forever. The ceremony was one of our favourite parts of the day and we were blessed with clear skies for the whole day so we were able to live out our dream of having an outdoor ceremony. We did a lot of research when picking our celebrant (Jen Walker) and it paid off because listening to her describe our story and the journey to that moment in front of all our loved ones was something we’ll never forget!
Another moment I’ll cherish is right before I walked down the aisle I was standing by the door with my dad, feeling all the butterflies and then, out of nowhere, he grabbed my hand and we started singing ‘going to the chapel and we’re going to get married.’ It was spontaneous, silly, and utterly perfect.
Tell us a little bit about your wedding theme.
I tried to capture an English Garden vibe for our wedding, kind of like a toned-down version of Bridgerton. Everything, from the dress to the flowers and decor, had to be classic and timeless. Think manicured gardens with vibrant blooms, a country home brimming with character and charm. Our main colour was white, which we kept for the ceremony but for the reception and staircase flowers we added in some soft pink and purple hues. This colour scheme was used across our stationary too from our invitations to welcome sign to menus.
My dad drove his classic car up to the venue so we could take some pictures and drone footage of us driving in it and that was absolutely perfect and some of my favourite shots of the day!
Pinterest and TikTok were my go-to sources for inspiration. I DIY’d a lot of details from the invitations to the food and drinks menu, seating chart board, and flower welcome sign. Not only was this fun to do but also a great bonding experience with my dad who helped me! To tie it all together, I used similar styles and colors of flowers on the menus and cake design. It was like bringing my Pinterest boards to life!
The Outfits; Who did you wear? What did your bridal party wear?
I wore Rita Vinieris ‘Lena’ dress, which is a local Canadian designer. It was everything I dreamed of – classic, timeless, with that perfect touch of elegance thanks to the beautiful bow detail on the back.
Marouf wore a custom tuxedo from Indochino that has his initials on the sleeve and our wedding date embroidered on the inside pocket.
We decided to skip the whole bridal party thing to keep things simple for our friends flying in from all over the globe. Instead, we asked our guests to wear colours and florals and I think they nailed it!
For my dad I bought a tie patch from Etsy and surprised him with it on the day which was a beautiful… and emotional moment!
The Flowers; Tell us some more about your blooms.
We used Fiore Dorato for our blooms and Gemma was so patient dealing with my endless back-and-forth about designs and color palettes. Flowers were a non-negotiable for me; they were the key to nailing that English garden vibe I was after. Ultimately we decided to go with all-white flowers for the ceremony, keeping it elegant and sophisticated. But I couldn’t resist injecting a bit of fun and colour into the welcome and reception flowers. We also stuck with local in season flowers.
One thing that I hesitated about but was so glad we did was the staircase flowers, it’s one of the first things your guests will see as they enter the venue and created a gorgeous natural scent. Gemma worked her magic with a whimsical, less structured design that set the tone for the whole day.
My favourite aspect of the flowers was my bouquet that was inspired by a family photo I found of my great-grandmother’s bouquet. Not only was it absolutely gorgeous but it also smelt divine and was like carrying a piece of family history down the aisle with me.
The Photography; Who were your photographers and why did you choose them?
My Photographer was Faye Wilde Photography and like most of my suppliers I found her work through Instagram. After our initial phone call, or vibe check as I like to think of it, we instantly clicked!
What I loved most about Faye is how seamlessly she blended into our wedding, almost becoming a guest herself. Choosing a photographer whose work you love is key because one day all you’ll have left are the memories and the photos to cherish. It’s all about finding someone who not only captures the moments but also understands and enhances the candid magic of your day.
The Evening; Give us the lowdown on entertainment.
Having a guitarist set the mood as guests arrived and during cocktail hour was such a nice touch. It really helped set that relaxed vibe we were going for. And for the evening, we hired DJ NC, but to be honest the playlist was pretty much dictated by guest requests! Our wedding was all about blending two cultures, and the music reflected that. Seeing my English family and friends dancing along to Arabic music was so special!
In the evening we also used Capture It Photobooth. Marouf and I might not have had much time to jump in ourselves, but seeing our guests having an absolute blast with it made it totally worth it. Not only was it a lot of fun, but it also gave everyone a little keepsake from the day.
Words of Wedding Wisdom?
When it comes to wedding planning, it’s crucial to keep the focus on yourselves and what you truly want which can be tough, especially if you’re receiving financial assistance from family, but setting boundaries is key. We made sure to insist on keeping our wedding small and intimate. It turned out to be the perfect day for us because we couldn’t imagine being surrounded by anyone other than our closest loved ones. At the end of the day, it’s your celebration, and it should reflect who you are as a couple.
Find out more about Weddings at Iscoyd Park
Photography by Faye Wilde Photography
SUPPLIERS
Photography: Faye Wilde Photography
Videography: Waterfall Weddings
Bridal Gown: Rita Vinieris ‘Lena’ Dress
Groom’s Suit: Indochino
Celebrant: Jen Walker
Flowers: Fiore Dorato Flowers
Photo Booth: Capture-It Photo Booth
Hair: Vicky M Hair
Make-up: Lauren McCabe
Cake: Sugar Cart Cakes
ROCK MY WEDDING
"Iscoyd Park offers as much gorgeousness on the inside as it does on the outside. It really is one of the best wedding venues in the UK."
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