She’s so personable and so lovely and on the day she knew all of my potential reservations and made me forget all of them! She was so much fun!

Tucked away in the countryside just outside Oundle lies one the best kept wedding venue secrets I know of; Kingsthorpe Lodge Barns is the ideal ‘blank canvas’ wedding venue, because it is a total blank canvas… without just being an empty space with white walls! Gorgeous exposed brick, oodles of patina and with cool industrial backdrops as well as rolling countryside, for me it doesn’t get much better. I was invited to exhibit at a Kingsthorpe Lodge Barn wedding fair by Events in a Box in 2017 and instantly fell in love with it… And that was when I first met Leanne and I just knew from talking to her that her and Jonny’s wedding plans were making for an incredible day.

I’m a huge advocate of couples having the day that they want, not what anyone else thinks they should have and their day is a brilliant example; dress how you want, eat what you want, style it exactly the way you dream it… It really makes for the perfect day,.

How did you meet?

Jonny followed me on Twitter one day and after liking each other’s tweets and replying to each other for a year or so (we both had different partners for some of that time) we had so much in common, and after I added him on Facebook so I could see more photos and judge him, he asked me on a date!

Tell me your proposal story:

Well – a few weeks before he popped the question my dad accidentally let it slip by calling to tell me he had just had a surprise visit from Jonny where he asked for his permission to marry me. He didn’t know that he hadn’t actually asked me yet! On the day he proposed, it was close to our five year anniversary and after my American football practice he took me to the zoo where we had our first date. He asked me multiple times if I wanted to go home and get changed first (he knew I would be mad at a proposal where I was sweaty with some lovely helmet hair!) but I insisted it was fine and met him there straight from practice. He waited to find an enclosure that had the least amount of people because he knows I don’t like to be the centre of attention, and while I was looking at the maned wolf, he got down on one knee and asked the question!

Why did you choose Stamford Corn Exchange and Kingsthorpe Lodge Barns for your wedding day?

We wanted a cinema wedding, but there weren’t any cinemas near to us that were licensed for ceremonies. Then we found Stamford Corn Exchange who hold movie nights and were more than happy to set the stage up with their cinema screen for our big day. For the reception, we really wanted somewhere that was a blank canvas that we could make our own and Kingsthorpe Lodge Barn was an absolute gem just down the road from our house.

What was it you loved about your outfits and accessories that made you choose them?

My favourite accessories were the custom bangles for myself, my bridesmaids and my mum from Lady Jo Bangles, a friend of a friend and an absolute superstar. I also liked our matching creepers when my heels got too much for me! Jonny’s bolo tie was a great find on eBay, from a Native American chap, to give that Pulp Fiction feel to our heavily Tarantino themed day.

Tell me about the vision you had for your wedding including your theme/colour scheme/styling/flowers:

My main inspiration was Tarantino, so red and yellow featured heavily as well as tropical and leopard prints to pay homage to one of our favourite films – True Romance (see our amazing cake!). The decoration at both venues had an Americana/cinema theme and I absolutely loved everything we managed to do – we did it all ourselves with the help of family. I’m not really big on flowers, but I do love sunflowers and they matched our yellow and red theme perfectly. I also love a good cactus so there were plenty scattered around!

What was your first dance and why did you choose it?

Our first dance was The Stray Cats – I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You because it’s a great song and this version is just amazing with Brian Setzer’s voice. It took us a long time to find the right song. There were a lot of great options that we thought of, but this one was just very us – we love our rockabilly and psychobilly and it just fit. Also we didn’t think people would expect it from us!

What were the most wonderful parts of the day for you?

Jonny: Top moment of course was seeing Leanne walk down the aisle, she looked incredible. I enjoyed my morning with my boys. Having some breakfasts getting ready, writing speeches, giving them their gifts and having some beers. Driving back in the car with Leanne was lovely too. It was the first time it sunk in that it had actually happened and I got to spend some time with her. At the reception; the food was incredible and having everyone tell us that the whole venue and stuff was “so us” was really cool. After that, it was just having everyone special all around and having a great time. I loved the band and dancing with everyone, I loved beer pong, I loved the naked worm.

Leanne: the naked worm! I really did not think he would pull it off and we were all pleasantly surprised, if not a little confused!I loved the morning with my girls, even though I was starting to get a little stressed and stroppy. Luckily they know me well, made me pancakes, poured me a glass of prosecco in my favourite cactus margarita glass and told me to shut up! The venues just looked incredible while full of our favourite people and all of our hard work the days before paid off. It was just perfect and exactly how I had imagined it. The band were absolutely incredible! Huge thanks to my mum for booking them and for the band for facilitating a rather strange request from the bride – changing up some of the words to Elvis songs to sing our friend Rob Kemp’s Elvis Dead (a comedy show singing about Evil Dead 2 to the tune of Elvis classics) versions, even though they haven’t even seen Evil Dead 2! Absolute heroes.

Oh, and I can’t forget all of the barn cats! They were a big hit with everyone!

Why did you choose Hannah Hall Photography as your photographer, and what was your experience of your photography on the day?

I met Hannah at a wedding fair at Kingsthorpe Lodge Barn and instantly fell in love with her style – photography and personal! She’s so personable and so lovely and on the day she knew all of my potential reservations and made me forget all of them! She was so much fun!

What would be your best bit of advice to other couples planning their wedding?

 Definitely do it your way! We were so lucky that we did not have any resistance along the way, and were free to make the day our own. I’m so grateful that we both have such supportive families who know what little weirdos we are and helped us to reflect that in our day!

High five to the fabulous suppliers on the day:

Hair: Karis Cook // Makeup: Liza Smith // Dress: Vivienne of Holloway // Florist: Twiggs & Bows

Cake: Pat E Cakes // Caterer: Nibbles Corner // Band: The Houndogs // Jonny’s shoes: TUK Shoes

Bracelets: Lady Jo Bangles // Veil: BMillinery // Second Shooter: Kindred Wedding Photography

Planning a Kingsthorpe Lodge Barn wedding of your own?

I’m your girl!