For a couple wanting an intimate wedding with close family and friends – London-based Aimee Dunne wedding planner discovered the perfect English location for her American couple. The historical picturesque Gloucestershire fortress, Thornbury Castle ticked all the boxes – with ancient values that are so appealing to our overseas companions.
The manor of Thornbury dates back to the 10th century and the time of the Domesday Book. In a disastrous ancient love triangle, Brictric – one of the manor’s earliest recorded owners – lost possession when he spurned the advances of Matilda of Flanders. Matilda later married William the Conqueror, who seized Thornbury, awarded it to his Queen and imprisoned her ex BFF.
These days you can take a pre-party nap on a giant four-poster bed, get ready for the ceremony in an ornate dressing room, and smarten up in a beautifully designed spacious bathroom. All of the bedchambers are regally decorated and appointed to the highest standard.
The castle is renowned for its 2AA Rosette cuisine, with their award-winning chef conjuring up mouthwatering dishes using the best quality – mostly locally sourced – ingredients.
Jennifer and Chris made their solemn promise to one another at Thornbury Castle in October 2018. The request for stationery came through the week previously – the brief: to design and handcraft bespoke menus, the order of services, notelets with envelopes for each guest. The menus were layered with GF Smith Marlmarque and Gmund Historical card (my favourite combination at the moment). Then tied with red lacquer ribbon bows and finished with gold ink hand-written guache calligraphy by Mary Noble. Notelets had the same principles applied and envelopes were given a whaft of gold metallic spray. All personal and individual to each guest.
The naked cake worked beautifully with the stationery.
Behind the pictures featured (and the lens) is Bristol-based White Villa Photography and Films Sam. He graduated with a First Class Film & Video Production degree in 2004 and has garnered credits in a variety of productions and winning the Sir Douglas Slocombe Scholarship in 2003 and the Co-Op Young Filmmakers Award. For direct enquiries contact sam@whitevillaweddings.co.uk
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