To the Manor born

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Thrumpton Hall, just south of Nottingham, returned to it’s glory days last weekend, when my daughter Lisa married Leonardo Lopez Wain.  I should have known that there was a Byron connection.  A more romantic setting it would be hard to imagine.  And indeed, a former owner of the Hall, Frederick the 10th Baron Byron, was married to Lady Anna Fitzroy, sister of the 10th Duke of Grafton, and a direct descendant of King Charles II.

An engraving of Thrumpton Hall by Wencelas Hollar in the 1600s

An engraving of Thrumpton Hall by Wencelas Hollar, 1600s (Creative Commons)

The Cavaliers would have felt quite at home at last Saturday’s reception.  My daughter loves period costume and the wedding guests were invited to indulge in the same.  Many of her friends are role players and were delighted to partake.  As one of the guests remarked to me “I just love dressing up, don’t you?”  I had to confess that it was my first time, but that, yes, it did feel good.

I had already survived the drama of arriving at the wrong church just 15 minutes before the ceremony was due to begin, and a panic stricken scurry through country lanes to collapse into my seat a bare 5 minutes before the bride.  My reading from Song of Solomon was delivered with an impassioned throb in my voice and knocking knees as I struggled to find my place in the bible.  After that, everything felt good.

Lisa and Leo leaving the church
Matron of honour, Jema and Peter, the best man
Groom James and his lady
The wedding car
A confetti moment. Did you notice the pub name? Three Horseshoes- is that lucky?
Arrival at Thrumpton Hall

The Hall was magnificent.  We gathered in the library, around an open fire.  The books and the furniture were from a bygone age.  The reception rooms were lavish, and the Jacobean cantilevered staircase, carved in wood from the estate, an object of real beauty.  The guests mingled as good guests should.  The atmosphere was as warm as the fire.

Guests assemble in the library
Lisa and Leo arrive
A quiet corner
The ladies strut their stuff
The drawing room
James in the library
His mother, “the queen”, as I was referred to all night
A close up of the cake
The fabulous Jacobean staircase
A little magnificence
Not your every day “Ladies”
This is how it looks without me

All too soon it was over, and Lisa and Leo stepped briefly out of character to fly BA to their honeymoon in Venice.  Costumes donned again, they were off to Carnaval and a masked ball.  May they always be as happy as they are today.

To see the dress and bouquet in more detail, please visit my Jakesprinter’s Sunday Post : On going.  You can click on any of these individual photos to see them in gallery form.  Happy Valentine’s Day everybody.

93 comments

  2. Just fabulous Jo! Seems totally scripted for Hollywood, right up to the last minute arrival of the stunning mother of the bride 🙂 Why don’t we get to see your entire costume? 🙂

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    1. I forgot to prompt the husband to take the right shot! Whenever the album comes out, I’ll see if there’s a presentable one. Otherwise I’ll have to go put the outfit on again- but it won’t be the same!

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  4. Such wonderful costumes and attention to detail! I can only imagine the amount of work that went into creating a truly unique and special wedding. Glad you made it to the church in the nick of time 🙂

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  10. Wow, Jo, no wonder you were looking forward to it – what an occasion! Lisa’s dress is phenomenal, and that cake….! It was great that so many guests entered into the spirit of it with the dressing up, I’m sure the wedding is one no-one will forget. A beautiful place, wonderful costumes and a truly unique event! You look beautiful, too, very queenly.

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    1. Bless your cotton socks, Lorna. You’re very kind.
      I have a guy asking me for some info on “off the beaten track” places to stay in Scotland and I have little idea without lots of online searching. Could I pass him on to you, do you think? He’s coming for a 6 month stay in July.

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  11. A period costume sounds fabulous, and looks like it was so much fun. Everything is beautiful and the creative details, impressive. Your journey to the church sounds like a scene from a movie. I hope you had a frothy (strong) drink (or two) to calm your nerves at the reception.

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  15. Oh my goodness what a wonderfully thought out wedding.The dresses are fab and as for the cake…it sounds so scrummity yum.
    I bet it was a panicky moment indeed when you arrived at the wrong church!Glad it all went well in the end and thanks for sharing your daughters special day with us,may they have a long and happy life together x

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  16. Superb venue, just loving the venue. And as for Lisa’s frock, what a work of art. I did click on the previous post to read about her designing and making it, so as an amateur dressmaker I am well impressed. Congratulations to them both and hope they have a long and happy life together.

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    1. I think I reacted too soon, Viveka. I didn’t have the arrows on the sides of the gallery so you had to click on each photo individually, which totally destroys the gallery concept. But now it’s working perfectly, and I’m HAPPY!

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