Alix and Matt’s Relaxed and Rainy Sneaton Castle Wedding

Some couples spend their wedding day worrying about every little detail going exactly to plan. Alix and Matt weren’t one of those couples and it’s probably why their Sneaton Castle wedding was quite so much fun.

Yes, it rained. In fact, “rained” doesn’t really do it justice. At times, it looked as though somebody had turned a hosepipe on over Sneaton Castle. But instead of allowing the weather to dampen the atmosphere, Alix and Matt completely embraced it.

They laughed, adapted their plans and carried on enjoying every minute. Their guests did exactly the same and somehow, the rain became one of the most memorable parts of an already brilliant day.

From a night out to a wedding at Sneaton Castle

Alix and Matt first met on a night out 13 years ago. Eleven years later, while they were on holiday in Cala d’Or, Matt proposed on the beach.

After so many years together, this wasn’t simply a wedding joining two people. Their families already felt beautifully intertwined.

That was particularly clear during the wedding morning. Alix got ready in a calm, family-filled room with her mum, Auntie Sue, her bridesmaids and the flower girls. There was none of the frantic rushing around that can sometimes take over a wedding morning. It felt relaxed, warm and centred around the people closest to her.

Elsewhere at Sneaton Castle, Matt was getting ready with the lads, his dad and Alix’s dad. Matt is incredibly close to Alix’s family, having lived with her parents for a considerable time while he and Alix saved for a home of their own. It was lovely to see those relationships woven naturally into the day, long before the ceremony had even begun.

A short and sweet wedding ceremony

Alix and Matt’s ceremony was held in the chapel at Sneaton Castle and was exactly what they wanted: short, sweet and meaningful.

Nadia, their violinist, played as everyone entered and again as the newlyweds made their way back down the aisle. The music added such a beautiful atmosphere to the ceremony without taking anything away from its relaxed simplicity.

The styling throughout the wedding was effortlessly elegant. Alix chose a soft, neutral colour palette with white flowers and plenty of fresh greenery, carried through into the table arrangements with subtle hints of gold.

The bridesmaids wore black, while Matt and his groomsmen wore beige. Together, the contrasting colours looked modern, timeless and completely at home within Sneaton Castle.

When the heavens opened at Sneaton Castle

After the ceremony, the guests needed to make their way from the chapel side of Sneaton Castle to the Horseshoe Bar for the reception.

Unfortunately, this happened to coincide with one of the heaviest thundery showers of the entire day. And when I say heavy, I mean cats-and-dogs, run-for-your-life, where-did-all-that-water-come-from rain!

Thankfully, Sneaton Castle was brilliantly prepared, with plenty of umbrellas available for the guests. Everyone gathered underneath them and made a dash across to the reception together, laughing as the rain bounced around them.

Far from spoiling the day, it became a huge talking point. Everyone arrived in the bar buzzing about what had just happened, and the weather seemed to bring the whole wedding party even closer together.

That’s the funny thing about rain on a wedding day. It often encourages everyone into the same spaces, where they talk, laugh and spend more time together than they might have done on a bright, sunny day. Instead of guests disappearing in different directions, everyone was right there, sharing the experience and that created such a warm atmosphere.

Most importantly, Alix and Matt just went with it. They never allowed the weather to become bigger than the reason everybody was there.

Making a dash for the wedding photographs

Naturally, the rain meant the original timings for the family photographs and group pictures needed to change.

Rather than worrying about the schedule, everyone stayed flexible and waited for a break in the weather. As soon as the rain eased and a quick check of the forecast suggested there was a small dry window approaching, we made a dash outside.

The family gathered and waited nearby so that we could move quickly. In around 20 minutes, we captured the group photographs and portraits we needed before the weather had another opportunity to change its mind.

It was a little fast and furious, but also great fun and a perfect example of how relaxed Alix, Matt and their families were throughout the day. There was no fuss and no stress. Everybody simply pulled together and made it happen.

Magic, laughter and meaningful speeches

Alix and Matt wanted their Sneaton Castle wedding to feel relaxed and fun, so they planned plenty to keep their guests entertained.

During the reception, magician Rich Reynolds moved amongst the guests performing tricks and creating some brilliant reactions. Magic is such a good way of filling those little pockets of time during a wedding day, particularly when the weather has brought everyone indoors. Rich had people laughing, talking and trying to work out how on earth he had done it.

The speeches were another highlight. They were heartfelt, funny and full of meaning, the kind of speeches that reveal just how loved a couple is by the people around them.

And hidden amongst the elegant flowers and table settings was a perfectly playful little detail. Each guest received jelly beans with a message thanking them for “bean” there to celebrate.

Naturally, this was a nod to Alix and Matt’s new married surname: Bean.

There are sophisticated wedding favours, and then there are wedding favours involving an excellent surname-based pun. Personally, I think Alix and Matt got the balance just right.

Saxophone, bongos and a very lively dance floor

The evening celebrations continued with live saxophone and bongos, bringing even more energy to the dance floor.

Flower girl Ivy and both mums even had a go at playing the bongos themselves, creating some wonderfully funny moments. It was exactly the sort of evening Alix and Matt had hoped for: relaxed, lively and filled with guests who were completely involved in the celebrations.

By then, the dramatic rain had become another part of the story, something everyone had experienced, laughed about and would undoubtedly remember whenever they thought back to the wedding.

A relaxed Sneaton Castle wedding to remember

Alix and Matt are such a thoughtful, kind and genuinely lovely couple. Most of all, they are completely in love with one another, and that shone through during every part of their day.

Their wedding may not have followed the original weather-dependent plan, but it still felt completely and unmistakably theirs.

It was family orientated, elegant without being formal, full of heartfelt moments and, above all, enormous fun. From the peaceful wedding morning and beautiful chapel ceremony to the great umbrella dash, incredible entertainment and bongo-playing flower girl, it was a day filled with stories.

And perhaps that’s why the rain didn’t spoil a single thing.

It gave everyone something to laugh about, drew the guests closer together and helped make Alix and Matt’s Sneaton Castle wedding a day nobody there will forget in a hurry.

Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Bean. What a wedding and what a way to begin your next chapter together.

Sneaton Castle wedding suppliers

Venue: Sneaton Castle | Magician: Rich Reynolds | Videography: Every Moment Captured | Florist: All in Bloom Floristry | Makeup: Makeup and Beauty by Steph | Hair: Hair by Fran | Violinist: Nadia