The Halliday’s Happily Ever After at The Willows

January 6, 2023

A marriage founded on friendship – a tale as old as time

Beki and Joe Halliday have a love story for the ages. After meeting through mutual friends as teenagers, they quickly realised they shared so much more. Their love of football and boxing laid the foundations for fun date nights to the cinema and bowling – sounds much more exciting than a meal at a restaurant to me!

Engagement amazement

Whilst on a romantic get-away to Turkey, Joe surprised Beki by pulling out all the stops. From a private chef, to the beautiful sea views, when Joe finally asked the question, Beki didn’t need to hesitate for a moment. Upon the word yes fireworks shot up behind them and their special moment was as magical as could be.

The venue

2020 was a year full of change. The Halliday’s original wedding venue unexpectedly closed in 2021 but thankfully, during their search for a new dream wedding destination, they fell upon The Willows At The Woodman’s…

“I instantly fell in love with how beautiful the décor was and also being familiar with The Woodmans, I knew how exquisite their food was. I knew our day had to be here.”

Beki saw the potential of The Willows and ran with it; this rustic boho venue was decorated to perfection as our bride’s vision came to reality – with gorgeous white roses in her bouquet as well as the decor pieces, it was as if Kate at Northumbrian Flowers really had looked into her mind and brought her wildest ideas to life. With grand centrepieces, a white and gold balloon feature and candles spilling out from the beautiful fireplace, the elegance and raw beauty of the venue was only enhanced as Beki managed to add her own unique touch.

Photos: Amy Lou Photography

The couple’s memory of the food from The Woodman’s was not mistaken, with both the bride and groom choosing the ham hock starter and beef for their main. The staple sticky toffee pudding did not disappoint as the newlyweds were flooded with compliments on the food.

“It tasted incredible & was without a doubt the best food we’ve ever had at a wedding.”

After a morning spent surrounded by family, the soon-to-be Mr and Mrs Halliday couldn’t have felt more at ease. Ensuring that each minute was enjoyed to the fullest was a priority for Beki; their “first dance before ‘the first dance’” was an unplanned extra that couldn’t have been resisted when ‘I love you baby’ was sang by their band. This moment shared between the bride and groom lifted the pressure off the couple’s real first dance.

Lace masterpiece

Each bride has a personal style they want their wedding dress to reflect. Beki’s personality shone brightly through in her choice of dress as the different swatches of lace created a one-of-a-kind design. The chic fit of the dress ensured she could dance her night away (maybe just needing a Bridesmaid to hold the train)! Opting for a relaxed braided updo gave the deep-plunging neckline a feature moment; however, our bride’s favourite part of the dress was the taupe slip underlay giving a nude illusion and a striking look.

In idyll company, Joe’s suit didn’t disappoint. His piece suit from Suitperior was an eye-catching two-tone blue check which was paired with a tan brogue with a navy detail.

“So convenient for us as they come to your house (perfect as we have two kids & I had to obviously be there for the first selection!)”

Words have unimaginable power. On a wedding day, nothing could be more true. Two words cement your future. For The Hallidays, they had so much more to say… Their vows held their promises to each other stating all of their hopes for the future as one happy family.

Photos: Amy Lou Photography

Supplier spotlight

The Hallidays were very complimentary of their chosen suppliers, here’s a few of their comments:

Kate at Northumbrian Flowers – “Kate is an absolutely incredible florist with the best attention to detail. – Kate did all of our flowers & created the most stunning centrepieces, 9ft top table piece, hanging wisteria canopies both inside and outside and also a candle bauble canopy for the evening. I could not shout about Kate enough, she listened and understood my vision & brought my dream to life!”

JustSO – “An incredible acoustic duo who sang throughout our wedding day. From walking down the aisle to when our evening guests arrived, they really kept the atmosphere electric and got the party started later on. They were fantastic.”

Amy Lou Photography – “We have received our previews back and they are absolutely beautiful and really captured the day naturally as we wanted. Amy and Jon (top table films who were equally as incredible) both made us feel so relaxed & chilled, we almost forgot the cameras and drones were there!”