Alcumlow Barn // Verity & Greg
Alcumlow barn is situated in the heart of rural Cheshire, surrounded by open fields and views towards the ruins of Mow Cop Castle, sits Alcumlow Wedding Barn, a truly unique Wedding Venue!
With love and attention, our traditional Dutch Barn has been transformed into a Rustic Wedding Venue, perfect for any couple dreaming of an untraditional day! As the Barn is an Exclusive Venue we only offer a limited amount of weddings per year, this allows us to always be proudly and quietly overseeing the most important day of your lives.
Describe your wedding in three words:
Loving, Relaxed, Intimate
Why we chose the date: 29th April 2022, its (almost) to the day we had our first date, 10 years prior. Greg’s birthday falls on the 27th April and its always a sunny weekend too, so we thought it would be ideal.
Anything how you met/proposal:
Greg and I have been a couple for what will be 10 years almost to the day of our wedding. We met through work, where his business valeted the company cars, his sister, Hayley was at the time my boss. A year or so later, I attended a Christmas party, where Greg was also in attendance. I told him I thought it was lovely that the company had invited the valletor out on the Xmas do, only to be very embarrassed upon speaking to Greg that he now worked for the company and had started a few weeks before! Ooops! Our relationship developed from there, starting as ‘Hayley’s brother’, to friends, then being in a relationship and now to be husband and wife.
Greg proposed in Santorini just after sunset, on a trip to Greece in June 2019. We travelled to Greece to visit both Mykonos and Santorini, where we also met up on occasion our friends who were on their honeymoon. Greg had tried to propose before our arrival in Santorini, and even arranged for our room to be upgraded so we could sit out and see the beautiful sunset of Mykonos, where he had planned to propose. However, after arriving in Santorini, he knew it was the best place. After a gorgeous meal watching the sunset, we took a stroll to the famous sunset viewing spot (I complained that he had chosen an expensive wine throughout the meal – now I realise why!). After explaining that he loved me, he went down on one knee, and proposed! (The ring was ridiculously big – I still don’t know to this day how he got the size so wrong!). I am not proud to say that upon our arrival in Santorini, I was feeling rather delicate after enjoying drinks with our friends the evening before (who were on their honeymoon), Greg thought all was lost and his chances of proposing slim, but he still managed to woo me into feeling well and seized the moment!
Inspiration/Style/aspirations:
The venue is so beautiful it didn’t need much adding to it. We fell in love with the Spanish courtyard at the rear (we love Spain), and the open plan setting of the outdoor/indoor barn. We opted for floral green leaf invitations and design on the stationary, as we thought it best suited the venue, and also our house is full of plants, so suited us too! I love lots of different flowers, and worked with The Flower House to incorporate those into the day bouquets, milk churns etc . I still have the pampas grass from the wedding in the house!
Memorable/emotional/funny moment of the day:
It was all amazing! The best gift we could have asked for was the weather, we were very lucky and it meant we could get married outside and our guests could enjoy the beautiful outdoor area. The Bridesmaid speeches had me is stitches of laughter, I watch it back all the time, it was brilliant. It was most memorable how relaxed I felt on the day, and all the guests too (I hope). Greg was very tearful at the beginning of the ceremony (bless him), he didn’t even turn around until I was next to him!
Oh, and the magician was brilliant – Nick Rushton
How I discovered you and why you chose me to be your photographer:
When planning a wedding, the first thing your advised to do is look for a photographer. I set out contacting photographers that my friends had used in the past, but they were not available on my date. Sarah Horton suggested Jess, and when I reviewed her website, I was instantly sold on her ‘relaxed vibe’. We didn’t want the formal, we wanted relaxed and natural photographs that everyone would love to scroll through. Luckily you were available and we couldn’t have chosen any better.
Wedding Song
Our official dance was ‘Do You Love Me, The Contours’ – However – Our friend is a musician and played during reception drinks. He does a cover of an American song, which I call “The Chinese chicken song” – Thats not what its called obviously, in fact, I have no clue what its called, but that basically became our first dance as, well, I just bloody love it!!
Dobie Gray, Out on the floor – This one got everyone dancing after the first dance so was also memorable
Any advice for couples planning a wedding:
I found it stressful as I am one of those people that likes everything to be super organised, but on the day it paid off because I didn’t worry about anything. However, do what you think is best for you and your partner, try not to take everyone’s opinion.
Honeymoon:
We went to Mauritius, and it was absolutely stunning, magical, memorable…. I want to go again and again.
Anything else….
Just a massive thanks from me and Greg!
