MEET Mr and Mrs Winter – a North East couple who exchanged their wedding vows just as snow began to fall on the region.
As bride Rebecca Thompson walked down the aisle at 600-year-old Lumley Castle, Chester-le-Street, to marry 31-year-old civil servant, Michael Winter, morning rain had turned to sleet.
And by the time the happy couple, from North Shields, had exchanged their wedding rings, the ancient castle was crowned with snow – giving their Winter’s tale a truly story book ending.
“It was magical, really,” said Rebecca, a 28-year-old recruitment consultant. “Michael’s surname was the inspiration for us having a winter wedding in the first place, but we never dreamed it would actually snow.”
Around 100 friends and family members attended the wedding in the four-star hotel’s Garter Suite, followed by a reception in the Baron’s Hall for 140.
“We’d chosen William Shakespeare’s play, The Winter’s Tale, as our theme,” said Rebecca, “and our table centrepieces were copies of the play.
“Lumley Castle is a story book setting at the best of times, but the snow just turned it into a fairy tale.”
“A very great deal of thought and care went in to planning the wedding,” said Lumley Castle’swedding coordinator Claire Sanderson.
“But, of course, no one can plan the weather – and it couldn’t have been more perfect.”
For more information call 0191 389 1111, email reservations@lumleycastle.com or visitwww.lumleycastle.com.