Perhaps one of the best bits about my job is that I get to collect friends along the way, and Meg and Nat are no exception. From the moment I walked into prep it was like hanging out with old friends and I absolutely loved their Autumn elopement at Cragwood here in the heart of the Lake District. Cragwood boasts easy lake access with views across to the Langdales which makes it the ideal for couples who want lakeland views for their portraits without having the leave site and of course the gardens have something magical to offer no matter the season or the weather (but it’s no secret that autumnal lakeland is my favourite!!!)

Nat and Meg chose to elope with just a handful and friends and family before returning home from a happy ever after party which I love – truly the best of both worlds!

HOW DID YOU MEET?

We both work in the operating theatres at a hospital and we met over a conversation about a denture pot!! But we fell in love after a tennis ball landed at Megs feet (a long and very romantic story!)

TELL ME YOUR PROPOSAL STORY

It was going to be really romantic, we had booked to go away to Cornwall, Nat had bought a ring and made a ring box shaped like a tennis ball out of Lego and planned to propose at sunset on the beach BUT we had to cancel the trip because COVID hit and working in the hospital we didn’t know how it would pan out! So, being impatient as Nat is, sometimes, she proposed to Meg in bed just after Meg had woken up from a night shift! I don’t know if Meg was crying because she was so happy or so tired!!

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE AN AUTUMN ELOPEMENT AT CRAGWOOD?

Cragwood was the first venue we visited. Having a tour around we fell in love straight away. Everything was perfect, the old building, the rooms, the grounds! Being so close to the lake and seeing all the hills knowing how beautiful it would look in it’s autumnal colours

WHAT WAS IT YOU LOVED ABOUT YOUR OUTFITS AND ACCESSORIES THAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THEM?

Nat knew she wouldn’t wear a dress, it’s not her style, she wouldn’t feel comfortable or be true to herself! The first outfit Nat chose was a relaxed smart look with braces but after months of deciding that was the outfit she had a change of heart and wanted to feel even smarter!

Meg on the other hand changed outfits, a million (at least 7) times!! Eventually staying with the choice she wore. In Nat’s opinion Meg blew her away with how beautiful she looked, the dress was perfect.

Meg got Nat a bracelet to wear on the morning of the wedding but Nat was too busy pacing around the room and forgot to wear it!!

TELL ME ABOUT THE VISION YOU HAD FOR YOUR ELOPEMENT

We knew we wanted an intimate, relaxed wedding. In the end we had 15 people there including us. It was perfect! We chose dried flowers for the bouquet and buttonholes. Best choice ever as they still look amazing sat in our hallway now.

WHAT WERE THE MOST WONDERFUL PARTS OF THE DAY FOR YOU?

Everything!!

Seeing Meg walk in with the boys will forever be in Nat’s memory. Our eldest boy handing over the rings. Seeing everyone who was there having a lovely time and all being together, which never gets to happen due to everyone living in different parts of the country.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE HANNAH HALL PHOTOGRAPHY AS YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER, AND WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE DAY?

We were recommended Hannah by about three different Lake District photographers. We are so happy that we found Hannah. Seeing Hannah’s previous work cemented the fact that we wanted her to shoot our special day. Hannah’s photographs are so natural and captures exactly what happens. Hannah’s communication throughout the lead up to the wedding and after the wedding, was fantastic. We realised that we had a lot in common about how we wanted to do our wedding and how our back stories were quite similar, it felt like we were meant to have Hannah as our photographer.

On the day, we couldn’t have asked for a better person to join our celebration, Hannah was not only a photographer she became one of the wedding party and felt like a friend we’d known for years, helping Meg get ready and Nat pin her buttonhole! To rallying the troops for the confetti!

When we spent time alone for our bride and bride photos in the woods and at the lake, Hannah wasn’t phased by the fact that we were both awkward as, posing!

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR BEST BIT OF ADVICE TO OTHER COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?

Don’t sweat the small stuff, it feels like the biggest deal at the time of planning that you don’t think you have enough eucalyptus vines, but you will have plenty!!

Be kind to each other, it is stressful but remember why you are doing it!

Don’t worry if what you are doing isn’t ‘traditional’ or the ‘norm’ do it how you want to do it not how you think you should do it for others.

Relax and enjoy… And book Hannah to do your photos!!

Are you planning to elope at Cragwood too?

I’d love to chat – you can get in touch here.