Madeleine and Christopher married on 31st May at the magnificent Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire, a setting of grand historic rooms, beautiful gardens and richly decorative interiors that provided much of the visual character for their day.
Corrie McDonald of our recommended wedding planning and design studio, Soirée Studio, worked closely with Madeleine and Christopher to bring their ideas together with real thought and sensitivity. Madeleine was particularly conscious of not creating a wedding shaped by trends simply because they were everywhere, and with Corrie’s guidance, they created something elegant, personal and considered, with a sense of style that won’t quickly date.
Madeleine wore the beautiful Lottie gown by Savin London, with delicate hand-painted florals and a statement bow at the back, while Christopher chose a bespoke midnight navy tuxedo. The mega talent that is Tobiah Tayo Photography photographed their day, bringing his signature editorial style to this lovely and elegant Capesthorne Hall celebration. Enjoy!
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Capesthorne Hall, Cheshire
We knew Capesthorne Hall was the venue the moment we drove up its sweeping drive. Its beauty is striking from the outside, but it was the opulence and history inside that truly captivated us.
Every corner of the hall felt rich with character – marble sculptures, ornate antique furniture, and details that made the space feel both storied and alive. Unlike other venues, Capesthorne never felt like a ‘wedding factory’; despite its grandeur, it had an intimacy and warmth that instantly felt personal.
We found ourselves picturing the day there almost immediately. I knew I wanted to walk down the dramatic staircase with my father before heading to the ceremony, and we loved how each space offered its own personality.
The sun-drenched terrace overlooking the gardens was perfect for a relaxed cocktail hour, the Queen Anne Room offered formality without the stiffness, and the lakeside space – with its modern edge and generous dance floor – felt made for celebrating into the early hours.
It was the rare venue that matched every part of who we are and how we wanted the day to feel.
Capesthorne Hall itself was a huge source of inspiration. Its opulence, history, and warmth guided so many of our decisions; the colours needed to complement the hall’s beauty rather than compete with it.
We were drawn to a refined, harmonious palette and details that felt cohesive from start to finish – from the ribbon tied around our invitations matching the bridesmaids’ dresses to the textures and tones used throughout each space.
The Dress
Savin London
I wore the Savin London Lottie dress, which I found at Maria Modes in Macclesfield. We had a lovely experience at Maria Modes, my dress was only the fourth one I tried on! I must credit Jade, who guided me through each appointment and Maria Modes’ in-house seamstress (I never got her name) who worked tirelessly to give my dress the perfect fit I was looking for.
The hand painted flowers on my dress mimicked the detailing on the walls of the ceremony room in Capesthorne. I felt the dress was not only a perfect match for me, but also for the venue. I also loved the bow on the back which added another dimension to the dress.
My veil was also from Maria Mode and I wore a pair of Carvela shoes. I also wore a custom made headband from Ukrainian based designer on Etsy.
I wore Byredo Rose of No Man’s Land because it’s a scent that feels quietly romantic to me – fresh, modern, and not overly sweet. It’s a fragrance I’ve always loved, and it felt like the perfect choice for the day.
Christopher wore Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza. We picked it out in Liberty in London a few weeks before the wedding. It’s clean, timeless, and very ‘him’, which made it the natural choice for our wedding.
My ‘something blue’ was my late grandmother’s sapphire engagement ring. Wearing it was incredibly meaningful to me and my father – it felt like having part of her with us on the day.
Hair was styled by Deaville Bride and makeup was by Lauren McCabe.
My bridesmaids wore Lavish Alice dresses with ASOS shoes and earrings from Etsy.
The Ceremony
My father accompanied me to the ceremony and we arrived to the sound of Vivaldi’s Spring (the Max Richter version).
Our readings included Dolly Alderton’s ‘Everything I know About Love. As soon as Christopher and I read it – we felt it summarised us as a couple perfectly;
“I know that love happens under the splendour of moon and stars and fireworks and sunsets but it also happens when you’re lying on blow-up airbeds in a childhood bedroom, sitting in A&E or in the queue for a passport, or in a traffic jam.
Our second reading drew on Marcel Proust’s À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time), his great exploration of memory, love and the passage of time. It felt especially meaningful to me as an ode to the time I spent in Paris and my enduring love of France;
The greatest mystery of love is not how it begins, but how it endures. For true love is not simply a spark that ignites and fades, but a steady flame that burns brighter with each passing day, each new discovery, each shared experience. It is a love that deepens with time, that grows richer with every moment spent together.”.
Our wedding bands were from Quality Diamonds in Hatton Garden – Christopher had purchased my engagement ring from there. Their wedding bands were incredibly high quality and the team were great in guiding us through the different options.
From the very beginning, our photographer Tobiah Tayo was incredible. We fell in love with his editorial style the moment we saw his portfolio, and he completely delivered on the day.
Tobiah had the perfect balance of being present but never intrusive, making everyone feel relaxed and comfortable, including my five nieces and nephews.
He really listened to what we wanted (and didn’t want), capturing people in their natural state so even the more formal shots felt effortless and genuine. Six months on, I still look at the photos at least twice a week – they tell the story of our day perfectly, and we couldn’t recommend him more.
How They Met
We met in the third week of our first year at the University of Bristol – Christopher studying law and me studying French and Spanish. We grew up together in so many ways throughout those years, navigating lectures, friendships, and the chaos of student life.
Even a year apart while I lived in Paris and Barcelona couldn’t shake the sense that we were building something lasting.
When we graduated in 2020, life took an unexpected turn as we found ourselves living in my parents’ outhouse during lockdown in rural Cheshire. It was a far cry from university life, but it became the beginning of a new chapter together.
A few months later we moved to London, first to Maida Vale and eventually settling in Clapham. Buying our first apartment together in 2022 was a milestone that felt especially meaningful. Christopher qualified as a solicitor, and I began an exciting new role on Burger King UK’s marketing team. Life was moving quickly, but it was exhilarating – city living, travelling, and growing together as partners.
On the August bank holiday of 2023, Christopher handed me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Hidden inside was a handwritten note with a reservation at our favourite restaurant, Trinity. Over dinner and wine, I tried (and failed) to ignore the sudden fear of a public proposal, but Christopher has always known me better than anyone. When we returned to our apartment, I found white rose petals leading down the hallway and photographs from throughout our relationship placed around the living room. In that quiet, familiar space, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.
We spent the rest of the night FaceTiming family, opening a bottle of champagne, and curling up on the sofa to watch our favourite film. It was intimate, thoughtful, and deeply personal – becoming engaged in the home that had witnessed so much of our life together felt perfect.
The Reception
Corrie of Soirée Studio was incredibly helpful when the time came to choose our decor as we felt a bit overwhelmed with the amount of options out there!
Corrie first created a design deck for us which focused on a ‘less but better’ approach to our decor – the interior features of Capesthorne were already very decorative and eye catching so Corrie ensure there was a balance with our dining styling in particular, making sure nothing competed with the opulence of the Queen Ann room.
Corrie found the perfect florist for us – Flourish Flowers. Corrie created a design deck for us to help us understand our vision, which was then shared with all suppliers, especially our florist Angela, to help guide her in our floristry requirements.
We didn’t want our guests view to be restricted during dinner so opted with low arrangements in neutral tones to compliment the Queen Ann dining room.
Soirée Studio also produced all of our stationery including wedding invitations & on the day pieces – It ensured all stationery was consistent in design and Soirée Studio proceed everything bespoke so it meant we had no end of creative freedom.
Our handwritten notes were very special for all guests – Corrie suggest we write a personal note to all guests – a heartfelt gesture that Corrie then placed into a beautiful calligraphy envelope with a pistachio colour bow.
As our guests sat down for dinner, they were greeted with their little note – Corrie gave Tobiah a heads up what was in the envelopes at each place setting so he was there ready to capture our guests joy, laughter and tears! When we then walked in to the dining room, the atmosphere was war and full of meaning for us.
Corrie mentioned that couples don’t always get the chance to have long conversations with every guest on the day, so it was a great way to connect with every guest and something they could take home and treasure.
Our cake designer was Lesley Walter Cake Design. We wanted a cake that reflected us, so every flavour was something we truly loved and that all guests would enjoy. We even chose a pistachio sponge to echo the pistachio accents we’d incorporated throughout the day.
The design was just as important: the bow detail and stencilling mirrored the pattern on my dress, and the 360-degree detailing allowed guests to admire it from every angle as they walked around. It felt personal, playful, and perfectly in tune with our wedding style.
Words of Wedded Wisdom
1. The day is so adrenaline-fueled that it can be difficult to recall some parts of it afterwards. My top tip is to take “mental screenshots” when you’re in a moment of the day that you truly want to remember. Tell yourself “I’m going to remember this moment” – it really does work!
2. Spend time with eachother! It is true what they all say, the day truly does fly by. Make sure that you take some moments together to absorb it all, it can be so easy to be pulled in a thousand different directions.
3. Social media and “WeddingTok” is helpful for wedding inspo, but don’t lose sight of what you want from the day. Doom scrolling is taken to new heights during wedding planning, and suddenly you’ll have 1000 new ideas based on what other people say is an absolute wedding “must”. The most important thing is that you and your partner create a day that is true to who you are and what you want, not what other people believe it should be!
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