The Stunningly Sophisticated Mr & Mrs Hinchliffe

On a beautiful summers day in August, this beautiful, inside and out, couple tied the knot

Sophie and Jamie had the day of their dreams on Friday 17th August 2018. With their friends and family around them, they got to celebrate their marriage with the people they loved the most.

As always, there’s a beginning to their journey… There’s started on their 4th anniversary together…

“On the morning before the proposal he said he had a small anniversary surprise date for me, which he had done each year for our anniversary, so I was excited but a proposal didn’t cross my mind.  I had no idea where we were heading but we pulled up to what I can only describe as a huge field, fairly empty and I was just really confused! But then down came a helicopter! He has surprised me with a helicopter ride! I was so excited! As we were coming in to land he had then arranged for both our immediate families to gather together ready for our landing. Together our families held a large banner “Sophie Barker will you marry me” I turned back to look at him and he was down on one knee. The most amazing proposal with our families there. We all then went for a celebration meal together as one big family and I loved it.”


What an amazing way to start such a special time in their lives! We’re all very jealous!

With the excitement at bay, Sophie wanted to get straight onto searching for that all important venue. However, having to put your sensible hat on, a budget needed to be discussed

“Jamie and I had a set budget for the wedding, and we wanted to make sure we stuck to it. We made a spreadsheet with many different tabs and we updated this every Sunday morning! Using a traffic light system to work out what was paid and what was owed. It actually became quite enjoyable! It was like our little project! And we stayed within budget … just ;)”

With that sorted… The venue search could begin!

“Our first step was venue hunting! I knew once we had the venue and date booked, I would be on a roll!

Dad strolled into our kitchen one day and said someone he knows daughter has just got married at Gosfield Hall and said it was beautiful. I’ll be honest I turned to my Dad and said ‘Dad, I’m not getting married in a hall’ he said its not a hall just go and check it out. So I did… and I had to eat my words!

We viewed many wedding venues across Essex but absolutely fell in love with Gosfield Hall. The feeling of home when you walk in, the bridal suite, the grounds, the long ceremony aisle, the detail and also having all rooms for my guests to stay there too. It was just perfect. It was my fairytale venue, the one I always pictured! Once we had booked our date, I then bought plenty of wedding magazines and a pretty new note book and made notes, ideas, and to do lists!”

With venue secured, it was then onto brain storming on what their perfect day would be like

“We looked at blogs and magazines to help with planning. I’ve always loved reading peoples wedding stories but also found the checklists inside the magazines really useful. They helped me to ensure I was on time with all the planning. I also used Instagram to save images that had caught my eye and I would look at how I could recreate the look for our big day.

This may sound silly but my aim was ‘Fairytale’.  I always wanted the fairytale wedding… big dress, beautiful venue, the four poster bed, the long ceremony aisle, pretty detail in each room, my beautiful bridesmaids and surrounded by my closest family and friends. I also have a secret obsession with Beyonce (who hasn’t?!!) So the table names were Beyoncé songs… it had to be done!”

Ideas were well and truly in the making, it was then time to start booking things in and making final decisions before the big day was finally upon them!

Sophie, Mum, Freda, Sister, Sam and Niece, Abbi all arrived at the Lady’s Chambers the night before the big day, used the hot tub and relaxed with the anticipation of the day to come!

On the morning of the wedding, the girls cracked on with their beauty regime’s bright and earlier! Once  ready to move, they headed upstairs to the stunningly beautiful Rococco Suite to have finishing touches, put on their dresses and have some pictures before the ceremony.

While they were busy, the house was taking form of what they had imagined for so long

The final few hours were now upon them…

While the girls pampered and prepared themselves upstairs, the boys were doing exactly the same elsewhere…

“Jamie wore a classic 3 piece made to measure suit in dark blue with a grey waistcoat and made to measure white shirt. All the material was lightweight wool, he brushed up very well.”

With them suited and booted, it was off to see the registrar, then onto the ceremony to await Sophie.

“I wore a lovely silver necklace and earrings form Next. Some lovely white lace underwear and because my dress was so big I managed to wear some flat lace ballerina shoes with satin ribbon tie ups. They were a life saver as my feet didn’t ache at all at the end of as you know is a long day.”

“I always had the style in my mind that I wanted but when I put my dress on I knew straight away that was the one and I felt like a princess so I knew it was the perfect dress for me.”

With everybody ready, they were just missing one person… Sophie’s Dad, Alan. All dad’s say they won’t cry, but as soon as they see their little girl in their big white dress, their a blubbering mess! Bless him, such a lovely moment.

With everyone one ready to go, all that was left was to make that all important walk to the ceremony room

“The ceremony was very traditional with just music, no readings. My dad walked me down the aisle.”

And there you have it! The very new, Mr & Mrs Hinchliffe!

With the hard part over, it was time to enjoy their friends and families company, grab a drink, then off to take some pictures together

For Sophie and Jamie’s welcome drinks and canapes reception, they chose;

Canapé Selection

Buckwheat Blinis with Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream

Free range honey chilli Chicken skewers

Rare roast Beef served on Rye bread with a Horseradish cream mousse

Brie and Red Onion Crouton

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Caramel Profiteroles

 

Welcome Drinks

Bellini

Mojito

Cosmopolitan

Mocktails

 

Friends and family settled themselves whilst Sophie and Jamie headed off around the grounds and house to have some gorgeous photo’s taken

“Jamie’s groomsmen were best man Alex and ushers Andy and Russell.”

“I had 8 bridesmaids including my sister Samantha who was my maid of honour. They were Tanya, Collette, Annick, Georgia, Faith, Leanne and Natalie.
All of my bridesmiads wore classic silver grey multi-way dresses. I asked my bridesmaids by sending each of them a personalised card.”

“We also had 2 junior bridesmaids Abi and Hollie our nieces and our beautiful flower girl Emy who is Sophie’s god daughter.”

“We also had Billy our page boy who is Jamie’s nephew.”

“Sophie searched Gosfield Hall’s Instagram and found the famous window shot of a couple standing in the windows. That’s how I found Jasmine Jade Photography…

She was worth every penny!”

Having explored the grounds, it was time to start greeting family and friends up to the Ballroom to enjoy there hand picked three course sit down meal

“I would say our biggest saving was on flowers, as my mum is a florist (Talking Flowers in Maldon) and we had a lot of flowers!”

Starter

Prawn and Crayfish Tian

Prawns and Crayfish bound in Marie Rose sauce served with sliced Avocado, dressed leaves and Lemon Dressing

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato

A silky Tomato soup with the smokiness of slow roasted Red Peppers

****

Main Course

Free Range Breast of Chicken

Stuffed with Chorizo served on Sweet Onion and Potato Lyonaise with a Roasted Tomato and Smoked Paprika Sauce

Roasted Fillet of Salmon

Served with chargrilled Fennel and a Lemon Emulsion

****

Dessert

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Brownie

With dark chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream

Eton Mess 

Strawberries & cream simply irresistible

 

After full bellies, it was then time to sit back and enjoy the speeches made by Sophie’s Dad, Jamie and Best Man Alex

“The wedding breakfast was delicious! We had so many nice comments from our guests about the food which was great! The speeches were hilarious, especially the Father of the Bride’s. Sophie even surprised me with a short speech which was very emotional.”

After speeches, it was off downstairs to ceremonially cut the cake and have the dreaded first dance!

“We had no routine, but one day Jamie and I were driving to Milton Keynes with the radio on and on came this fairly old-ish song, yet we both found ourselves attempting to sing along to it, making sure he was attempting to be Brian and I was trying my best to be Mariah! It was a fail, however we wanted to listen again! It was just the one! Brian McKnight and Mariah Carey – Whenever You Call.”

Sophie then danced with her Dad after her’s and Jamie’s first dance

After the first dance, the party was in full swing!

It was safe to say an amazing day was had by all! Sophie and James, aka Mr & Mrs Hinchliffe, had the best day of their lives!

We asked Sophie and Jamie… ‘Based on your own experience, give us some top tips:’
“Every two hours Jamie and I went and either sat on the bench in the courtyard together alone for 5 minutes or walked around the grounds alone. Only ever for 5 minutes but it was the best thing we could’ve done, we had time to talk, smile and laugh together alone on our wedding day and I’m so pleased we did.”

 “If we could do it all again, we’d change absolutely nothing!”

Sophie and Jamie are off on Honeymoon at the end of this month to the Maldives… We hope you have an amazing time and we wish you all the best and a happy married life together!

Credits;

Wedding attire:  Dress – Confetti and Lace – Lakeside
Suits – Anthony’s Formal Wear
Bridesmaid bags: Katie Loxton London
Bridesmaid’s dresses: La Closet de Chanel
Flowers: Talking Flowers
Wedding rings: The Vault Hatton Garden
Wedding cake: Natasha’s Kitchen Bakes
Table Plan, Ceremony Pillars, Lanterns, Wish Tree: Lacey’s Events
Invitations:  Lavish Wedding Stationary
Photographer:  Jasmine Jade Photography
Band/disco/DJ: Gosfield’s DJ
Magic photo mirror: MDM entertainment
Balloons, order of service, table names and place cards: @Binkyboodesigns
Light up Letters, Welcome Easels: Perfectly perfect weddings

To get in touch with a member of the team, please email or call us via the contact details below. Alternatively, if you'd like to request a brochure or enquire about date availability, please click 'request a brochure' in the menu at the top of this page.

Linda

T: 01787 472 914
E: info@gosfield-hall.co.uk

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