So that’s it! After all the planning, Pin-boards, to-do lists, Simon & I married on the 4th November 2017. It was the most perfect day, totally relaxed, and exactly what we were after.
I’ve already written a couple of pieces for the venue & my dress shop, so I won’t repeat myself here. Instead have a look on their sites where they’ve published our story!
We first visited Hargate Hall two weeks after getting engaged and straight away fell in love with it. We already loved the idea of a DIY wedding at a place where all our guests could stay, but after meeting Anthony we knew that Hargate was exactly the right venue for us. The location, beautiful house and grounds, and helpful hosts made it an easy decision!…
In April this year I planned a weekend with my mum, mother-in-law and three bridesmaids – we booked appointments at Cheadle Bride and one other shop, and I had no expectations that I’d find what I wanted. It was just a chance to get the girls together and have some fun, and I fully anticipated going to fairs and sample sales on my own afterwards…
After this wonderful day, we had a two-day breather before our Honeymoon. Flying to Sicily, we enjoyed two days in Taormina including a 4×4 tour of Mount Etna. Our guide, Mario, was knowledgeable and insightful, giving us the history of the volcano and how it has impacted the lives of Sicilians both in its fertile soils and its devastating eruptions.
On mainland Italy we spent three nights in a tiny village called Rodio, spending our time driving and exploring the nearby coastlines, eating plenty of good pasta and drinking a lot of cheap Italian wine.
The pinnacle of our trip was 5 days on the Amalfi Coast. Staying in a beautiful Air B&B apartment complete with sea-view private hot tub, this was the epitome of relaxation. Picture-perfect mountains and higgledy-piggledy towns made up for slightly drizzly weather. Going anywhere out of season is a bit of a risk, and we did find a lot of places were closed for the Winter. But the lack of crowds is always such a draw, and we were always able to get a table or go for a hike uninhibited.
Exploring the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii was mindblowing; the sheer scale of these ancient cities is only comprehensible when you walk the streets and enter the homes of such a strong civilisation.
A couple of hours in Naples consisted of discovering a tiny restaurant serving the most wonderful pizza, accompanied by an Italian gentleman playing the guitar and telling us the history of this popular dinner.
For eleven days, we had no real agenda, and just luxuriated in each other and the culture of Italy. The cold I’d managed to avoid finally took hold, but that didn’t detract from the chance to relax.
Getting back home, Simon did a sterling job finishing our living room and creating a beautiful space for us to enjoy married life. We’re now fully prepped for Christmas – an event we’re going to have alone compared to the family-filled week last year – the tree’s up, fairylights on, and we’re loving having the time again to just do normal life. We went climbing for the first time in 7 months. We’ve gone hiking in our back-garden hills in the snow. Nothing drastic changes when you get married, but for us we feel that little bit more secure, safe in the knowledge that we’ve chosen each other. Set for life.
Tiffany Chevis 
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