It’s not uncommon here at Belle Bridal for brides to tell us that the highlight to their Wedding Day was that moment when they walked down the aisle to see the man they are about to marry looking back at them, their eyes full of love, hope and awe. Sarah, who married Lewis in November, is no different: “Seeing his face and the way he looked at me as I walked down the aisle, it was all just so perfect,” she gushed.

The couple, who hadn’t spent a night apart for 7 years before their Stag and Hen parties, fell in love at first sight when they met on an evening out with friends. They married at County Durham’s South Causey Inn, celebrating with family and friends in the recently refurbished Old Barn, before ending the night with “the best hot tub party ever” with 16 people in one tub!

Unique Venue:

Sarah and Lewis fell in love with the unique accommodation at family-owned hotel South Causey Inn, which has transformed a former equestrian centre into a 9,000 sq ft wedding venue named The Old Barn, with original beams and beautiful wooden floors. Sarah said: “We’d heard about the place through word of mouth and when we visited, The Old Barn hadn’t been built, it was just an image on a piece of paper, but we fell in love with it straight away and didn’t need to look anywhere else.

“I would definitely recommend South Causey Inn to any other bride - in fact I keep asking my friends to get married there so we can experience it all over again as guests!”

Dress Shopping:

Sarah knew she wanted something unique and, after trying on a variety of styles, chose a striking Riki Dalal dress with crocheted lace crop top, pearl neckline and long sleeves. “As soon as I tried it on, I was in love with it - I still am - it is so unique. The comments people made about it on the day were lovely,” she said. She complimented her look with long-sleeved, dusty pink embellished bridesmaids’ dresses, from ASOS.

The Photographer:

Sarah went to school with photographer Ray from award-winning Sawyer and Sawyer, and the pair have remained friends, so there was never any question who she and Lewis would choose to capture their special day. “I’ve seen plenty of Ray’s previous wedding work and his photos are out of this world. The images he has taken for us are amazing,” said Sarah.

 

Advice for other brides and grooms?

“Enjoy every second because it really does go so fast and try not to stress, because if it’s not done by the day then it’s not done!” said Sarah.

For more inspiration take a look at our dedicated real weddings section, or take a look at the glossy pages of our regional magazine.