Where do I begin with Kat and Guy’s Deene Park wedding? These two are such fun and their day in April was everything they deserved after nearly two extra years of waiting after covid scuppered their plans and their original venue shut down. However, I truly believe that things happen for a reason and if it weren’t for the venue hurdle they’d never have ended up finding Deene Park, which is truly a well kept wedding secret when it comes to wedding venues in Northamptonshire! 

A Deene Park wedding really lets you have it all; a historic stately home for portraits, beautifully varied and pristinely manicured gardens for you and your guests to enjoy and the blank canvas of the walled garden which is set up for an outdoor ceremony with a marquee ready for you to decorate in your own style… The perfect combo in my opinion. The walled garden has been specifically designed with weddings in mind, including wet weather options; if it looks like rain they can errect a clear canopy over the seating so your guests stay dry and your walk down the aisle isn’t a soggy one! Deene Park also offer the lakeside setting for larger weddings, as well as a woodland wedding setting called Dibbins Wood, and the best bit is that you get all the glory of the countryside just a few minutes from towns like Stamford, Corby and Kettering which offer multiple accomodation options for you and your guests.

AND it’s a dog friendly wedding venue… So Gus was in attendance, which made me a very happy girl indeed!

HOW DID YOU MEET?

On a night out in Northampton outside of Hakamou bar – I was dressed up in full sugar skull fancy dress (a cat suit and full face of make up) and he had a wolf mask in his back pocket. He walked past me and my friend and I suggested he was who I was looking for and my friend ran off to talk to him. I waited 20 minutes before trying to find her. The first question I asked him was “Is your name really Guy?”

TELL ME YOUR PROPOSAL STORY

On the last day of our holiday in Sorrento we went for lunch at a quiet little restaurant we had found earlier in the holiday. After the lunch, we walked back up the steps to a part that looked out across the other ports and he got down on one knee.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE A DEENE PARK WEDDING FOR YOUR DAY?

After our first venue went bust in lockdown; we found Deene Park by going through every venue on the Northamptonshire registered venues list. When we went to see it, it was quiet, peaceful, open and close to nature. Everything was so relaxing which was the vibe we wanted. Plus we had the added benefit of getting married outside; which is something we really wanted to do, but couldn’t in our previous venue.

A DOG FRIENDLY WEDDING VENUE IN NORTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

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

I won my headpiece in an Instagram competition and then decided to ask her to custom make my earrings as I loved it so much. My other earrings I brought to fit in with those from Etsy (as I wanted something handmade and to support small businesses) and Tesco (as I was running out of time and forgot about my other piercings). My necklace was my borrowed item; which was my Nan’s pearl necklace (so I had a piece of her with me on the day). I then wore my Pandora bracelet as I always wear it. My shoes were my bit of blue and were Irregular Choice; I wanted something unusual, colourful and comfy to wear on the day and actually had two pairs to choose from. My dress was my something new and was found at Vow Bridal.

Guy loved his suit as it was made to fit and we got one just like it for Gus. His pocket watch was borrowed from his Dad and was to symbolise the McKeag side; and the dock token was to symbolise his Mam’s side (Cummings). His Barbour boots were named Seaham’s – after Seaham harbour; which is where his family is from.

TELL ME ABOUT THE VISION YOU HAD FOR YOUR WEDDING

The whole idea was to have a relaxed Disney celebration with all our friends and family with combined little nods here and there to things we had done, places we had been and people who have influenced our lives.

So the lanterns were a nod to our first holiday together in Marrakech; the flowery archway was a nod to our holiday in Italy as was the first course at dinner as it was a charcuterie board. After we got married we picked Kia Royale’s as our first drink as that was what we constantly drank in Marrakech. The wood in the table centres were from a fallen tree from my (Kat) parent’s garden that my Grandpa had planted when they first moved in.

We chose blue and purple themed colours as they are our favourite colours and the tables were named after our favourite movies with the top table having two names for each of our favourite movies. For the flowers, I wanted bright mixed colours to really stand out and pop. I wanted them to be free flowing and not tightly bound up. I brought the tiny Disney Mickey heads to add in as a little sparkle.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST DANCE AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE IT?

You’ve Got A Friend in Me by Randy Newman. Toy Story is Guy’s favourite film; and I love Pixar Disney movies. Listening to the lyrics; it really suited our relationship and our friendship. Our relationship was built on a friendship (and watching Disney and Pixar films)

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

Seeing everyone’s reactions to Aaron, the painter! And seeing our final painting in the evening – it was fantastic and made me really emotional… Being able to see all our family and friends together in one place and making everyone cry when I walked down the aisle (including Guy)… FINALLY getting married after Covid postponed us by two years and being able to have everyone together! Taking moments together to just take everything in – most notably in between starters and mains; we both sat there people watching all the people we love in the same room and full taking a breath… Gus not recognising me until half way through the ceremony and suddenly barking and trying to get to me and then getting to hug him afterwards (as I’d been away from him overnight)… Doing my speech and noting all the love in the room and being able to commemorate those we had lost.

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

Loved, loved, loved your style of photography; and how much time you spent with us over the day (you were the only one who would stay late). Your relaxed, no bullshit way of dealing with it all with no stress; you’re approachable and a genuinely nice person who cares about the people you shoot. You understand the family dramas and do your best to help the couple best avoid the politics! You have the couple’s best interests as the most important thing and that shows. You truly care!

Once we got into the evening; it was like you disappeared into the crowd and took the best action shots of everyone! All the little extras that you put into everything – e.g. sending us a Rosemary plant during Covid on our original wedding date; phoning to make sure we were ok and handling lockdowns; always being on the end of the phone; having the best photo ideas all whilst keeping up with home life (planning your own wedding; raising two amazing kids and just generally being a rockstar). Basically becoming an amazing friend!

(Guy said having taco’s at your 5 year birthday celebration!)

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

Kat – Every now and again, take a step back and look around at your situation together. Take it all in and give yourself time to process what is going on on the day and around you.

Guy – Fucking chill and do what you want as a couple.

Kat – Make the day all about you two as a couple; having little things that mean something, and don’t let anyone else input and change things (especially at the last minute).

Kat + Guy’s brilliant Deene Park wedding happened with the help of their amazingly talented suppliers

Hair Rockabelles / MUA Lux Beauty / Dress Kenneth Winston from Vow Bridal Gallery / Florist With Love and Roses 

Cake Kat’s Mum / Transport Bridal Carriages of Northamptonshire + Classic American Wedding Cars / Catering Portfolio Events

Styling Stingray Events / Music Mango Acoustic Duo / Painter Aaron Jacob Jones / Hairpiece + Jewellery Viviembellish Bridal

Booked Deene Park for your wedding and on the hunt of a photographer?

Look no further – get in touch!