A note from us…

We first met Megan and Tom at one of the Oh Happy Day Fairs we hosted, they were obviously very in love with the venue and each other! Working with Tom to book the venue without Megan knowing when and where he was going to propose was something very different for us. As soon as they were engaged, Megan took over the planning and her vision for the venue was clear. It was lovely to work with them to watch this vision come to life and see them share their special day with those that meant the most. Thank you to Megan and Tom for allowing us to share their story and of course, Caitlin + Jones for these beautiful images…

 

Why did you choose the Pumping House for your special day?

I was browsing on Instagram one day and a Oh Happy Day Fair post popped up with The Pumping House as the venue. We weren’t even engaged yet but we were talking weddings so I asked Tom if we could come along and have a look. It was quite a way from where we lived and driving over I thought, this is too far away,  I hope we don’t like it but driving down the winding lane to The Pumping House, and through the trees to see a peak of the building, I just fell in love. We both did. We’d said we wanted an industrial feel to the wedding and the outside just captured that perfectly. Then we headed inside and honestly, I was blown away. We walked around all of the perfect little rooms of curiosities and every single one peaked my interests even more than the last. I wanted my wedding here, I wanted my guests to be as blown away as I was. But we weren’t engaged yet! So we waited and had a chat with Lian and because of how incredibly popular the venue was, dates were scarce. We jotted a few down and headed home buzzing with excitement at the prospect of holding our wedding somewhere so incredible. We eventually settled on a date – 18th October 2019. Still not engaged but definitely getting married, at The Pumping House, the first and last wedding venue we visited.

  

Every love story is unique – tell us yours?

I was a single Mum, I was a wild romantic growing up and firmly into the idea of a fairytale ending but it just hadn’t happened for me. I had given up and was completely content on being alone. I’d seen Tom a few times before, I always noticed him because he’s a giant – 6″5! He had never even looked my way so I gave him up as a bad job. Then one day a group of mutual friends had a day out at Chester Zoo and I got put in the same car as Tom! My best friend knew I’d noticed him and made sure we got chatting. He was just awesome. He didn’t talk much…still doesn’t and I talked for literally everyone in England! He made it so easy, I felt so at ease with him. We eventually organised a date and I remember thinking, I talk too much. He doesn’t talk at all! And I was determined that we wouldn’t have another. But we did! And then another and another, I can remember asking him why he didn’t talk much and he said, I like listening to you. And that was it, I was gone! Head over, I know I fell in love first, I was completely smitten. I saw how he loved my daughter, how gentle, kind and funny he was and I knew he was the real deal. I was made to be this mans wife. Tom was more cautious, I was actually his first girlfriend so when he (finally) said I love you, I knew he meant it. And we were completely inseperable, me, Tom and Darcie. It wasn’t long until Darcie started to call Tom Dad. The first Dad she’s ever known and loved. And every day, watching them together and seeing our love as a family grow just deepens my love everyday. A true fairytale beginning, he gave me everything I never thought I could have.

What was your highlight of the day? 

Aside from saying “I do”, my bridesmaids and I stayed over at The Quarters the night before and honestly, it was the best night and morning. It was so relaxing and wonderful to just be there at the venue. I felt so calm in my surroundings. It was such a big space so I didn’t feel overwhelmed with how many people were getting ready and knowing our morning photos would look great because how lovely the room was. It set me up for the rest of the day. Other than that, Tom and I kept taking time out, in the rooms upstairs through the meal and the night, just to be together and soak it all up. We even nipped into one of the rooms to practice our first dance to make sure I could twirl in my dress! But really the whole day, I feel like I remember every detail of the day perfectly.

What advice would you give to couples planning their special day? 

Use people around you to ease the pressure on yourself. I made so much for the wedding that the week itself was a blur. Looking back, I would delegate more jobs to more people. And more greenery and I’d plan more photo ideas outside.

What was on the menu? 

Antipasti Platters 

Selection of cured meats, Parma ham, Mortadella, Napoli and Milano salami

Selection of cheeses, buffalo mozzarella and manchego

Selection of olives, sun blushed tomatoes and grilled peppers

Selection of breads including focaccia, sourdough and rye bread

Main Course

Albondigas – Homemade pork and beef meatballs in a rich tomato sauce

Patatas Al Infierno – Pan fried potatoes tossed in paprika with peppers, onions and chorizo

Pinchito – Chargrilled chicken and pepper skewers

Gambas Pil-Pil – King prawns with olive oil, garlic and chilli

Patatas bravas

Arancini – Sun dried tomato and mozzarella

Baby leaf salads

Tapas! And it was INSANE! Completely our favourite food and everyone raved about it for weeks after. There was sooooo much food and something for everyone.

What was your inspiration for the day? 

I didn’t have a theme other than I wanted no specific colour, I wanted white and greens (no flowers) to be my staple. Sort of botanical, simple and industrial. I wanted the venue to be the heart of the wedding so I tried to accent the room to wedding so we complimented the building, I didn’t think it needed much decorating. So greenery on the tables and tonnes of candles with a great cake table!

  

The Dream Team…

Photographer – Caitlin + Jones Essex Wedding Photography  (https://www.caitlinandjones.co.uk)

Florist – Botanics Florist (https://botanicsflorist.wixsite.com/ellena) – just the most incredible florist! Local to The Pumping House so she dropped my bouquets off in the morning, she specialises in the unique bouquet and it was everything I could have imagined.

Styling – Save the Date Event Stylist (https://www.savethedateeventstylist.com) for all the cake stands and our extra bits just made it for me. So stunning.

Cake – Me! Crumbs. I wanted to make my own cake. As a baker, it was all about what cake I’d be having.

Wedding Coordinator – LIAN! For patience and a very calm head. She was our saving grace in those last few weeks.

Breakfast – Fig and Ginger (http://figandginger.co.uk) For a gorgeous breakfast delivered and set-up to The Quarters.

Dress – Jesus Peiro (https://www.jesuspeiro.com/en/) For sending me the extra material to add my own sleeves to make my dream dress.

 

 

 

 

 

A note from us…

Millie and Pete – what a wedding! We have absolutely loved working with this wonderful couple over the last year or so and to watch them get married back in March, truly was a joy. Their team of suppliers (listed below) were a pleasure for us to work with and as Millie explains below, captured their vision perfectly.  A massive thank you to Millie and Pete for letting us share their day and to the ever lovely Sam Hook for sending over yet another gorgeous album for us to swoon over – now let’s hand over to the newlyweds…

  

*Naked flames are not permitted at the venue however can be lit for a photograph opportunity. 

 

Why did you choose the Pumping House for your special day?

After weeks of searching for possible wedding venues in the midlands The Pumping House was the first wedding venue we visited, and during the visit we knew it was the one. We absolutely loved the architecture of the building, how iconic it was, and the forest setting which it is laid is so idyllic and naturally beautiful. It had the WOW factor! The venue had such a good feel to it and caused such a mixed range of emotions. We got emotional at many points during our first visit such as, in the ceremony room at the thought of us getting married there, looking over the mezzanine at all of our family and friends, and imagining our guests greeting us into the Engine Room for the wedding reception as husband and wife. We also really loved the fact that the Pumping House had so much accommodation available. Due to the amount of accommodation available at the Pumping House we were able to have a number of our friends staying at the venue which ensured the dancefloor was full until the very end!

 

Every love story is unique – tell us yours?

Our eyes first met during McDonald’s new employee inductions in 2010 but it wasn’t until around 2 years later that we started to get to know each other and then realising that we were meant for each other. Our love began to blossom during nights out in Melton Mowbray dancing to our favourite artist, Pitbull. During the period of us getting to know each other Pete dislocated his shoulder, which meant he could no longer drive himself around. Some say Pete did this on purpose so that he would have to get a lift to college with Millie everyday, and had more time to work his charm. We then shared a few dates most of which were to Nandos, because that’s all we could afford back then, and then Pete asked Millie to be his girlfriend on 25/03/2012. In September 2018, Pete proposed. Pete arranged a surprise 3 night trip within our holiday taking us to Ronda and then on to Saville. Whilst in Ronda we stayed in a hotel suite with a balcony overlooking the El Tajo gorge. After a day of sight-seeing, drinking Spanish wine, and enjoying the local cuisine Pete proposed to me in the hotel suite before heading out for our evening meal. Pete had hoped some magical words would come to him during the proposal like in the movies but it didn’t. He was nervous, I started crying in joy, it was a magical moment. We then headed off to Saville to enjoy more sight-seeing, Spanish wine and tapas!

 

What was your highlight of the day? 

The highlight of the day was our guests. Given that the majority of our family and friends are from Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire and that we’re now living it Winchester, it was absolutely amazing to see all of our favourite people in the same place, and for such a joyous occasion. In terms of the specific moment, our favourite bit was being welcomed by our guests into the Engine Hall for the first time as Mr and Mrs Thorpe.

What advice would you give to couple planning their special day? 

There are a lot of suppliers out there so our best advice would be to carry out a lot of research on potential suppliers even before making contact with them. Use Google, Facebook, their website, etc. to look at their previous work and their couples feedback. Furthermore after selecting suppliers be sure to be in frequent contact with them and build up a good relationship with them. These are very much a part of your big day, as much so as members of your bride and groom’s parties. When you start to get to know them you will begin to know if they’re right for your wedding or not. Despite most suppliers doing weddings each week they should still be passionate and motivated to make your dream day come to life. We loved all of the suppliers in our dream team and are sad that all of our meetings and wedding day is over!

 

What was on the menu? 

Starters

Chicken and brandy liver pate, port and cranberry sauce and toasted granary bread

Mushrooms in a cream, tarragon and white wine sauce with crusty bread

Mains

‘Host a Roast Style’ Leg of lamb with roasted vegetables and dauphinoise potatoes

Roast vegetable lasagne

Dessert

A bespoke assiette of: Eton mess, chocolate brownie and a blackberry, elderflower jelly

We chose the ‘Host a Roast’ leg of lamb because we loved the theatre it would bring with having someone at each table being the designated carver. Lamb is also our go to meat whenever we are celebrating a special occasion. We go to Spain frequently and always visit a restaurant called Los Abanicos in Benahavis who do this amazing slow cooked leg of lamb dish. For the rest of the menu we chose dishes that we personally love to eat too. Millie is a lover of puddings, especially chocolate brownies, so having 3 different puddings per person was the only option!

 

What was your inspiration for the day? 

Our inspiration for our wedding styling was largely influenced by the character and setting of the venue, and also by the fact we had chosen to get married in Spring. We wanted all of the styling to compliment this. Inspired by my love of Disney and all things magical, I had the idea of using as much candle lighting as possible throughout the venue, in particular making use of floating candles. Our florists, Marc and Keith of Vaas, were absolutely amazing in developing our ideas and turning them into a reality.

Our ceremony room included an aisle completely lined with cylinder vases which included a mixture of pillar and floating candles. We had originally wanted to go with an arch decorated with flowers as a centre piece for the ceremony, however during discussions with our florists we decided to come up with something more unique. We decided to go with two 8 foot pillars that would be decorated with seasonal foliage that would be position either side of the registrars table at the front.

In the Engine Hall our table layout consisted of 3 round tables in the centre along with 2 long tables either side of those, and a sweetheart table at the front. We wanted to make use of the height available in the Engine Hall so wanted the table decorations on the centre tables to have some height to them. Marc and Keith created the most amazing design for our centre tables which consisted of 4ft tall glass vases exploding with foliage at the top, then surrounded by an array of floating candles. Our long tables were decorated with a range of mosses and miniature conifer trees that then had a range of pillar and dinner candles positioned throughout.

We are so pleased how it all came together and would like to especially thank Marc and Keith at Vaas Florists, and Ellie and the team at the Pumping House for making the venue look amazing for the day.

 

The Dream Team…

Photographer – Sam Hook https://samanthahook.co.uk

Videographer – Visions of Grace https://www.visionsofgrace.co.uk

Florist – Vaas https://www.vaas.co.uk

Live Music – Mark Elliot https://www.markjohnwedding.com

Cake and Favours – Lara (Maid of Honour) Insta Handle – @pineappleandflamingo_

Hair – Helen Sutcliffe http://www.helensutcliffehair.co.uk

Make-Up – Rochelle O’Brien http://rochelleobrien.co.uk

Millie’s Dress – Justin Alexander from Confetti and Lace https://www.confettiandlace.com

Pete’s Suit – Moss Bros https://www.moss.co.uk

Bridesmaid Dresses – Adrianna Papell from John Lewis https://www.johnlewis.com

Groomsmen Suits – Astares Menswear https://astares.co.uk

Welcome Signs – Instagram Handle @Meeanddesdesigns

Seating Plan, Place Cards and Promises – Wild Calligraphy https://www.wildcalligraphygb.com

Peacock Chairs, Top Table and Postbox – Save the Date Event Stylists https://www.savethedateeventstylist.com

Doughnut Wall – Doughnotts https://www.doughnottsofficial.com

Pyjamas and Dressing Gowns – Jean Alice Robes and Design https://www.jeanalice.com

Confetti and Tissue Packets – Dollz Confetti http://dollzconfetti.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

The regional finalists have been announced. The judging panel has decided that based on voter scores, comments, profile questions and website, that The Pumping House is The Wedding Industry Awards East Midlands Regional Winner 2019 for Wedding Venue (Countryside) of the Year!

Situated on the edge of Sherwood Forest, The Pumping House was originally called Boughton Pumping Station, and opened in 1905. The main building was designed by W B Starr, featuring a huge brick chimney which forms a distinctive local landmark.

Boughton Pumping Station later passed into the hands of Severn Trent Water and was listed as Grade II in 1974. Since that time the building has had various uses, and has now been refurbished to a stunning standard, to bring a new wedding and events venue to the Nottingham area, with acres of charm, character, and outdoor space.

The Pumping House opened in August 2016 and since then has gone from strength to strength, establishing itself as one of the most sort after venues in the East Midlands. The venue features a licensed ceremony room, main hall for wedding breakfasts, accommodation and a woodland setting for outdoor drinks receptions. Late licensed until 1am, the beautiful red brick building and tranquil surroundings provide the perfect backdrop for weddings and offers ample opportunity for unique photography. The venue is well located, just a short drive from Mansfield, Lincoln, Nottingham and Sheffield.

Joanne Evans, Venue Manager, said: “I am completely shocked yet incredibly delighted to win the Wedding Venue (Countryside) of the Year award. Over the last two years, I have met the most amazing couples, from initial meetings, to on the day support and everything in between I have always tried my hardest to ensure the day goes off with a bang!”

While the venue speaks for itself, what clearly sets them apart from other venues is their genuine passion for weddings and their ability to forge great relationships with their couples, friends, family, staff and suppliers. The team tailor each wedding day to create a completely beautiful and bespoke experience for all.

Newly weds Mr & Mrs Coe said: “The Pumping House is simply stunning, from the moment we walked in, we knew it was the venue for us. It is amazing, but our wedding would not have been the same without Jo.”

“She made the entire process super easy, fun and we both feel like we were planning our wedding day with a friend. Jo took care of our guests and us without even blinking, nothing was too much trouble and we are so very grateful.”

The Pumping House is part of a privately-owned group of event companies that is best-in-class in client servicing and event design. The creative team have put an unbelievable amount of thought into the look and feel of the venue to ensure great attention to detail, and that the fit out and facilities are second-to-none.

Ellie Harper, Wedding and Events Manager, commented: “the team are completely overwhelmed and so happy to not only have been nominated by our couples but to have won over so many other beautiful wedding venues.”

The Pumping House team are always improving and expanding their knowledge to ensure their venue continues to deliver. They enjoy the magic of weddings and watching each couple’s dream day come to life.

As regional winners they now compete for the national awards title which will be announced on Wednesday 16th January 2019.

Do you want a fashion-forward wedding dress the Iconic Bride team have the most stylish selection for you!

The Pumping House team consulted Angela and Tiffany of Iconic Brides to find out what’s hot in bridal fashion right now and how their Nottinghamshire Boutique can help to take away the stress for all brides to be.

 

Describe the experience our Brides can expect when visiting Iconic Bride?

​At Iconic Bride we work to ensure your bridal experience is the best you will ever have. We offer you our boutique exclusively for the utmost privacy and an unrivalled experience that is special. With 1-1 personal bridal stylist on hand giving you our undivided attention, we believe in an honest and open approach to working alongside you, creating memories and a bridal look no one will forget.

What was the most important lesson you have learned in your last year of business?

​As a young but thriving business we have learned to listen to our brides, keeping them at the heart of our decision making. Our brides value that we gain their opinion on our collections, price points and services. Our brides tell us they appreciate our candour and styling advice but also our discretion too. We find out some secrets! that’s for sure. This isn’t about us but our bride. Getting to know her allows us to tailor our approach to give her an experience she will remember and a dress she loves. Striving to keep our business at the forefront of brides minds is key to business survival and in attracting new brides to our boutique. We love when a bride feeds back to us that our collections are eclectic, stylish and of high quality and brides visit us for their very first shopping experience. Its means we have it right and that our social media strategy is being effective in getting Iconic Bride’s name out there as a bridal boutique which is worth visiting.

 

 

​What is our most favourite dress in the boutique at the moment?

We have recently received our Fall 2018 Collection from Sophia Tolli and oh my! what a collection. We have always loved Sophia’s designs but her newest collection is on a whole other level. Just like a bride we actually went over our budget because there were so many dresses we fell in love with! As is Sophia Tolli’s signature, we love the understated embellishment on her dresses but the beaded detailing atop illusion lace with low V back details and sweetheart necklines are simply exquisite. Turquiose and Aquamarina are definitely up there as our favourites for this type of look in her latest collection. However, we also love the clean lines and figure hugging fit of Onyx. The hand beaded scalloped lace bodice and eyelash detail is stunning and the clean ivory crepe fit and flare skirt on the dress contrasts beautifully. We do offer special sale events known as Trunk Shows in the industry whereby we get more of the collection into the boutique and have special discounted price offers for the event with as much as 10% off your dress plus a free accessory of your choice. Certainly worth following us to see when our next event will be!

What is your must have accessory for any Bride?

Here at Iconic Bride we pride ourselves on stocking some of the most finest quality veils to compliment your dress and if there is one thing that is a bridal must have (once the dress is decided on of course) it is a veil. Tiffany and I love a veil! We have unashamedly converted many brides who were uncertain about having a veil but given the beautiful images and romance that a veil creates, this is an accessory that is more than an add on but is the ultimate signature of a bride. Soft tulle layers are so feminine and whether through a delicate finger tip or statement cathedral length veil as worn by the new Duchess of Sussex, Megan Markle, we truly believe it provides an ethereal finish to the bridal look. Team it with a delicate floral hairvine or halo to be on trend.

 

What colours are up and coming for Autumn 2018 bridesmaids?

2018 is the year of one of my favourite colour palettes, after all I did decorate the boutique in it! Pantone’s ultraviolet has seen a number of brides choosing sweeping lilacs, strong purples and lavenders, especially fitting for the popular rustic themed weddings that are dominating the industry right now. Its a colour that suits any season and most skin tones too, so definitely a colour pleaser for brides seeking to dress several bridesmaids. In this theme we have also seen brides

keeping with foliage inspired colours such as sage, willow or neutral pale golds. In terms of style, separates are still a good choice allowing brides to mix and match to showcase each bridesmaid’s individual shape, whilst floral inspired dresses and jumpsuits for your best girls has been a recent arising trend that we anticipate will continue to gain momentum throughout the remainder of this year. Our gorgeous wrap dresses from Two Birds offer the jumpsuit and multiway wrap dress in a range of colours and fabrics and have been most in demand in our boutique this year.

 

 

In the know about Iconic Bride. 

Iconic Bride are stockist of couture designer Caroline Castigliano, Sophia Tolli, Wtoo by Watters and Two Birds Bridesmaids. Accessories are available in the boutique from award winning Ivory and Co and Richard Designs. They operate an appointment only system to ensure you and your party have exclusive use. Open 5 days a week Tuesday -Saturday 9am -4pm.

Find out more at www.iconicbride.co.uk

or

Follow then on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

 

Angela & Tiffany look forward to welcoming you to their boutique and creating a bride people will remember.

 

 

 

Address
Iconic Bride
31 High Street
Edwinstowe
Mansfield
Nottinghamshire
NG21 9QR

Telephone: 01623 371174
Email: info@iconicbride.co.uk