We were really struggling to find a wedding venue that lived up to the image that we had in our heads, we wanted something unique where we could choose every element ourselves. We arranged a viewing at Figtree House and when we arrived we just fell in love! It was everything we wanted and more, a completely blank canvas in the most beautiful surroundings, not to mention the amazing farmhouse where we would get to spend three perfect days. We had regular contact with the owner during our year of planning and she was so welcoming and accommodating.
The day before the wedding we arrived and were welcomed by fresh flowers, bread, cake and many other treats. Myself, family friends and suppliers spent the day setting up, decorating and ensuring everything was perfect. The finished product just blew me away, it really did look like a mini-festival with colour, flowers and festoon lighting. I stayed at Figtree House the night before the wedding with my bridesmaids where we relaxed, chatted and enjoyed dinner in the kitchen before an early night. The morning of the wedding was a little hectic, I was greeted by three sheep in the back garden who wanted to have a nosey so I quickly herded them down the road, which makes for a great story on the morning of your wedding. All the girls got ready together and I had my dress hanging in front of the window, it was exactly how I had imagined it would be.
We headed up to St. Mary’s Church in Kirkby Lonsdale for the ceremony which went almost seamlessly, we just had a few laughs when my soon to be husband picked the wrong ring. We had some photos around the cobbled streets before heading back to the venue. When we arrived it was just the best feeling; I could hear the live band playing, I saw all of our family and friends enjoying themselves, drinking cocktails, eating canapés and playing croquet! We had a few other lawn games too including golf and space hoppers, enjoyed by the kids and adults equally. We had some more photos around the site and then myself and Ric had a walk down the picturesque lanes for some private shots.
The main barn, which we named 'The Wed Shed', was where we had our main meal, speeches, cake cutting and live evening band. The smaller barn became a craft barn with quirky beers and lots of vintage furniture. Both looked amazing when they were decorated, with their own individual style. For our main meal, we had large grazing boards in the middle of banquet style tables which people absolutely loved. It kept things a little more informal and it made the whole process flow. In the evening we had two street food vans, one serving savoury food and the other serving fresh Belgian waffles from a Tuk Tuk. We also had a vintage caravan as a photo booth to carry on the festival theme.
There were so many elements of our day that made it so special and truly unique, but I also know it wouldn’t have been the day it was without the venue. All of our guests loved it and our suppliers can’t wait to work there again. We had so many people say it was the best wedding they had been to - they may be a little bit biased but I’m going to take the compliment anyway!
Thank you Figtree House and Unique Homestays for a truly unforgettable experience.
Photography by Jessica Stott
