Bronwyn & Jon Say...
In what seems like a tale as old as time, the Mowbray was the first (and last) wedding venue we looked at. While we had booked to see other venues, we cancelled these as soon as we left the Mowbray. We loved the moody, expensive feel of the venue, which also held so much of the relaxed charm and history we love about Sheffield.
The Victoria was just opening that weekend, and when we saw the chapel space, we could immediately picture our ceremony taking place there. The light through the windows was so soft and beautiful, and we loved the links to the historic chapel space and Sheffield industry. We were so excited when we were able to book both venues, with our ceremony and welcome drinks held at The Victoria, and our wedding feast and reception at The Mowbray.
From the first day, the team at both venues made us feel welcomed, heard and valued. We went to a supper club and some more open houses and seasonal events at both the Mowbray and Victoria, and left feeling so full of joy and excitement each time. No question was too much, and no request we made went unanswered.
We actually found the whole process of planning our wedding fun (we know this is rare) but a massive part of this is just how easy it was to get everything right at both these venues. And our vision, which we spent two years working on, came alive in one spectacular whirlwind of a day.
We asked our guests to record in our guestbook their favourite memories and moments from the day, and we were not at all surprised that the majority of them could not stop talking about the food. We knew it would be good, having been to a supper club, but even our high expectations were exceeded. Our friends know us as food people, and we wanted a venue that reflected that part of our lifestyle. Boy, were we blown away. We could not finish the portions served to us because they were so generous, but we savoured every mouthful. We were grateful to be seated at a sweetheart table because we could not stop reacting to what we were eating.
The venues were both styled so beautifully, and we didn't feel the need to add in any additional decor because of how tasteful every detail was, from the lighting to the flowers - even the bathrooms were a hot spot for photos.
The photo booths at both venues were a huge hit for all of our guests and were such fun for us to get involved in throughout the night!
The day ran so smoothly with the expert help of a team that really knows what they are doing. We did not feel stressed at all - we knew that if there were issues, they would be resolved (and if there were any, we didn't know about them - everything was perfect). Our on-the-day coordinators did absolutely everything they could to look after us, and we had canapés and drinks (both exceptional!) brought to us by lovely team members when we got into our drinks reception.
Our suppliers were well fed and looked after by the team too, and we kept hearing from suppliers throughout the process how much they loved working with the team at the Mowbray and Victoria. This was important to us because we knew how much work everyone would be doing on the day to make it what it was.
We danced so much our bodies took days to recover, ate so well that we almost cried, and felt so full of love and joy the whole day.
We have not stopped revelling in the splendour of our wedding day, and can't credit the teams at the Mowbray and Victoria enough for the effort, care, and attention to detail that helped craft the most incredible celebration of our marriage.
the love list
Time of Year - Autumn
Photographer - Tim Dunk
Flowers - Betty's Flower Club
Welcome Drink - French Kiss Punch Bowls
Celebrant advice - Faye Hughes
Stationery - Designed by the bride and her sister
Wedding newspapers - The Crafty Lab
Wedding Website - Joy
Gown & Accessories - Justin Alexander gown from Emily Bridalwear with jewellery gifted from the bride's mother
Rings - Restored and crafted by Ashley Hyden
Shoes - Britty's Blooms
Makeup - Hannah Atter and Emily Cox
Hair Stylist - Amy Elliott
Tailoring / Outfitting - Tweed & Groom and Moss
Getting Ready Venue - Brocco on the Park
Musician (Harpist) - Stephanie Claxton
DJ - Craig Algar
First Dance - Feeling Good by Muse
Favours - Bookmarks crafted by the bride
Cake - Josephine's Bakes
Wedding Transport - Central Executive Transfers
Special requests - Cocktails for the bride and groom in our ceremony/Mario Kart on the Mowbray projector/Rooftop cigars at the Mowbray
The Wedding Feast
SMALLER PLATES & SNACKS
Mowbray made granary loaves & salted Yorkshire butter (v, g)
House cured sea trout with horseradish cream & bread & butter pickles
House made ricotta with chargrilled leeks and chervil vinaigrette (v, g)
Crispy cheesy arancini, finished with Spenwood cheese (v, g)
THE MAIN EVENT
The Mowbray Porchetta - Yorkshire pork belly rolled around the tenderloin - seasoned with lemon, dried chilli, rosemary & garlic. With marsala cream sauce and salsa verde.
For our vegetarian guests; Roasted squash, red onion & Spenwood cheese pie. Served with Hendersons gravy (v, g)
SIDES
Charred cabbage, confit shallots & toasted seeds (v, ve)
British carrots with salsa verde (v, ve)
Roasted British potatoes with creme fraiche & chives (v)
TO FINISH
Basque cheesecake with roasted plums (v)
(v) = vegetarian (ve) = vegan (g) = contains gluten
To see more of this stunning day head on over to The Mowbray!
