Berwick Lodge Wedding Photography - Chris + Vicki

How did you meet?
Chris and I first met at work. We were situated in a large office, on different floors and different departments. On a daily basis I travelled across town to get to the office- usually running late because of traffic. Chris and I would arrive at similar times and bump into each other in the carpark (Chris only lived 10 minutes away, I’m not sure what his excuse was!) He would hold the door open into the building and I would glide past thinking what a gentleman he was (and very handsome of course) but we didn’t really talk, it was just a polite “thanks” or “hello”.

Fast forward to a night in Bristol, we were both with our separate groups of friends. I saw Chris across the other side of the bar, I decided to go over and say “hi”. I tapped his shoulder and we got talking. The rest they say is history!

Where was the proposal?
We’d recently become new parents to our first daughter. It was the day before Chris’ birthday and our first night out since the baby was born, Ellie was 8 months old. We went out for dinner together and came home afterwards. Later that evening Chris proposed to me at home, just us. The baby was fast asleep! We were incredibly happy to make that commitment to each other and strengthen our family unit.

What were you most looking forward to about your wedding day?
The most exciting part for both of us was to say our vows and officially be married in front of our family and friends. We’ve waited a long time to have our day, regardless of a worldwide pandemic. To have no restrictions and spend the occasion with guests we know and love, was an absolutely incredible feeling and well worth the wait!

Why did you choose this venue?
I found this venue a long time ago. It isn’t too far from where we live, not many of our friends and family knew about it. Berwick Lodge was different, nothing we’d seen before and none of our friends had chosen to get married there, we almost tried to keep it to ourselves in the hope that one day we could have it as our venue. I also loved the fact it was opened in September 2009 the same time our first daughter was born. Over the years, we have stayed, eaten, celebrated there and on all occasions they’ve never failed us. We just knew it was the right place to get married.

Our favourite parts of the day had to be when we were walking the grounds alone, having photos at a distance. We kept saying “we’re married!” It was a good opportunity to immediately reflect on what had just happened, a very surreal moment. Another favourite part was the wedding breakfast, it was so perfect. Everything we’d spent hours planning unfolded in front of us. The food was amazing, the drinks were fantastic, I loved how the tables looked with our beautiful flowers. It all came together, including the favours, stationary, the music playlist etc. Various guests complimented us on the details, it was important to us that everyone enjoyed themselves and had a good day too.

Any tips for future couples on their wedding day?
Once you choose your venue, start following them on social media for ideas/ inspiration. The venue will also provide you with a list of key suppliers. I also found it useful to follow other local venues to help locate photographers, florists, cakes, styling, make-up artists, hair stylists etc. Give yourself a generous 12-18 months to begin anchoring key parts such as a florist, photographer/videographer, styling etc. Consider using Pinterest, you will instantly find lots of ideas!