Helen & Sam had a beautiful, intimate wedding with around 15 guests at Combermere Abbey in Cheshire. It was a magical day and one that I felt very privileged to be a part of! Helen & Sam opted to throw out a lot of wedding traditions (yay!) and stick with a laid back, personal day full of beautiful details.

We began the day at one of the lovely cottages at Combermere Abbey, where Helen, her two sisters & Mum helped her to get ready. Helen's sisters did her hair & makeup which I thought was a lovely & memorable way to start the day! It also meant I got plenty of photographs of all the girls laughing together. Helen opted for non-traditional wedding details which I absolutely loved! Her bright orange Zara shoes popped against her white dress and matched the orange theme of these amazing tropical flowers by Holyrood Flowers!

The wedding ceremony took place in the Glasshouse at Combermere Abbey which is the most beautifully light space! It was a very emotional & intimate ceremony full of laughter and tears. Helen & Sam read personalised vows to each other before we headed outside for some confetti photographs!
Afterwards, we all headed to the walled gardens for a relaxed drinks reception & some group photographs. Me, Helen & Sam then had a wander around the estate at Combermere Abbey for some photographs. We headed up to the Abbey itself which was impressive! But I have to admit, I equally loved all the red brick cottages and gardens in the estate - there's just so much variety for photographs!

Helen & Sam had a lovely, relaxed meal back at the Glasshouse. I love it when all the guests sit at one long table, it makes for such an intimate setting. The evening then finished with the most fantastic firework display - a great alternative to a first dance!

Thanks again so much for having me as part of your wedding day Helen & Sam.

A few words from Helen & Sam:

"Our photos are just wonderful! Full of smiles, laughter, some happy tears and lots of funny faces and family moments. I could share every single one as they all capture our day so perfectly! Thank you so much Maddie! We could not have wished for better photographs!"

How did you two meet?: Sam coached at the CrossFit gym I joined in November 2013. We started spending time together (outside of the gym) in March/April 2014 and became "official" on 3rd May 2014.

Describe the proposal!: Sam proposed next to our private swimming pool overlooking the Algarve whilst on holiday in September 2017. It was the first holiday we'd had since opening our business, 2 years earlier and we'd managed to escape for 5 nights together.
The morning of the 2nd day, we had a lazy breakfast and afterwards, stood by the pool drinking coffee, he got down on one knee. He managed to capture it all on video, too!

What is special about your venue?: We love spending time outside in the sunshine so really wanted somewhere that could offer us a unique outdoor setting. Combermere Abbey has such a beautiful outdoor space with the Fruit Maze and Walled Gardens but also provides a stunning indoor option with the Glasshouse.

Any details of note about your big day?: We're getting married on our 4 year anniversary.
We've been very selective over our wedding whilst trying not to make things too difficult so, while it will seem like a small, laid-back event with quite minimalist features, a lot of thought has gone into every detail. We're not fans of all the traditional wedding activities and themes and have aimed for a bit of an elegant, refreshing change.
We've tried to bring a hint of tropical holidays to our day so we have an orange theme throughout the day (flowers, shoes, cufflinks, suit lining, stationery), succulents as place settings and coconut and lime scented candles.

Wedding Team!:

Venue: Combermere Abbey

Bride's Outfit: Knutsford Wedding Gallery

Groom's Outfit: Tailormade by Noble Fox Tailoring

Bridesmaids/Groomsmen Outfits: Whatever they choose though we seem to have a blue theme happening!

Hair : Helen's sisters

Makeup : Helen's sisters

Cake: Bella's Little Cakery

Flowers: Janet Keegan @ Holyrood Flowers

Catering: Olive Tree Catering

Helen & Sam’s wedding is now featured on Hitched.co.uk!