Real Life Wedding of Dani & Nina at Walton Castle.
This months real life wedding feature kindly supplied by Walton Castle,
with the permission of Dani & Nina.
Walton Castle is the perfect venue for weddings. Accommodating the bridal party in 8 double bedrooms, you can relax in the lead up to the big day, when all your loved ones join you in the celebrations. With 3 separate licensed areas, two inside and one in the beautiful garden, you can even plan to marry outside. We work closely with the best suppliers and caterers in the region allowing our clients to choose the ones that they feel best fit their requirements and budget to create the fairytale wedding of their dreams.
In the Keep you will find the master bedroom along with its private balcony on the top floor, a large sitting room on the first floor with 360 views overlooking the Bristol Channel and surrounding countryside, the fully equipped kitchen on the ground floor and two further double bedrooms with direct access to the patio and swimming pool. The outer castle walls contain 8 turrets, surround the central tour and create a wonderful intimate atmosphere. Four of the turrets are private en suite double rooms, Turret 6 is a selfcontained double suite with bedroom, entertainment space, games room with pool/snooker room, lounge, kitchen and bathroom. There are also two large turrets for entertaining your guests, with standing capacities 100 and 60.
The inner cobbled courtyard is stunning and perfect for receptions in warmer climes and the lawns within the castle walls can comfortably accommodate a marquee for 120. For larger events, the flat lawn outside the castle walls are perfect for large outdoor events and marquees. You can ask us to help you with every aspect of your special day, from invitations to wedding cakes, venues to car hire and pick up, from toast masters to party themes and children’s entertainment to photography.
There is a myriad of inexpensive accommodation minutes away in the sleepy village of Clevedon and along the coastline for the overflow of guests. Getting married should be the most enjoyable day of your life and a day that will be memorable for your family and guests for many years to come. There is nothing we cannot turn our hands to and our professional team will help you every step of the way, to turn your dream of a fairy-tale wedding into a reality.
For more information,
Call us: 0800 0146 101
Visit - www.waltoncastle.com
email - celebrate@waltoncastle.com
G Wedding Directory would like to thank Dani & Nina for allowing us to publish their story.
Many thanks,
Andrew & John.
Thursday 11th June 2015 appeared to be a normal day in the Clevedon area. But appearances can be deceiving, up at the beautiful and appropriately named Walton Castle there were rumblings of something big about to erupt! And oh boy did it.
The Castle was currently being occupied by a bunch of overly tattooed, ridiculously energetic group of Cornish pixies. They had all come together at Walton Castle to get their two loved ones: Dani Walton and Nina Endean, hitched. The morning was a little cloudy but the sun was making his best effort to push through. As you surveyed the castle by midday everything was a buzz; The caterers 'Whisk' were cooking, the marquee was decorated, and the chairs to the ceremony were in place we just needed two brides, a bridal party and their family and friends.
The two brides had been building up and preparing for this day for a long time. An 18 month engagement had been filled with furiously planning, but they had technically been leading to this for almost 10 years.
Dani and Nina had known each other since they were in there teens and did not have a conventional start to their life together. Nina was a 16 year old girl taking her first trip on the college bus on a Monday morning at 7am when she encountered a girl smashing a light on the bus and rubbing the shattered glass on her face. That seasoned wild child was Dani. Nina said "I don't ever want to be friends with that person", a quote us as their friends like to mention a lot. Over the next year mutual friends meant they were to hang out and become friends, in spite of Nina's original intentions. By the end of Nina's first year at college, they were good friends, and helped each other through difficult life situations that they faced. Despite neither of the girls ever having feelings, attractions or relations with a women before, it was becoming clear to themselves that they weren't just another friend, or a best friend, but a lot more. That summer was of a typical coming of age, teenage rite of passage style one. But whilst finding freedom and fun, they accidentally found love. It wasn't a case of coming out, or an identity of finding their sexuality, it was simply falling in love with someone and knowing that this was meant to be despite their sex, gender, age, race or anything else. As with many, this was not an easy time, their own acceptance of their feelings was easy because it felt good and right, but it was everyone else's that appeared and was a challenge a times. By the autumn Dani left for university in London, on her way there Nina reached out to her and said she was sure of this thing they had, and knew they had to be together. The rest as they say is history.
Through good and bad times, they followed and supported each other allowing their love to grow even deeper and stronger, until they got to where they were on 11th June 2015. Which was two people, very in love, and very loved by their friends and family ready to celebrate and officiate their love.
So back to that day... We were in the final hours' countdown; turrets were being filled with the smell of hairspray working overtime, the sound of champagne corks were popping and the feel of love and excitement was in the air.
By 2pm the guests were arriving in awe of the castles natural beauty as well as Dani and Ninas perfect personal touches. Including the giant Cornish flag hanging from the flag pole, two A-frame welcoming boards, with illustrations by their close and talented friend Barbie Lowenberg 'Longfox', and the handmade confetti provided for all and made by the mother and grandmother of one of the brides: Tara and Jean Endean.
The sun was now burning down and it was around 24 degrees. Bride Nina's dress was on and the sight was bringing her bridesmaids to tears. Bride Dani's shirt was going on when an orb of rainbow lights surrounded her, reassuring her that those who could sadly not be there with the girls today were there in spirit. After the final official checks with the registrar, we were reading for the #waltonwedding
Dani stood under the archway to the castle looking stylish in her classy green and black attire with her four dapper, handsome groomsmen supporting her. And as cool, striking and urban attractive as Dani looked she also looked like a beautifully vulnerable women who was very much in love and humbled that she was about become her soul mates wife. Her sister Kyanna Cleave and the multi-talented Barbie played the bridal party down the constructed aisle to a reworked version of the couples favourite song: The Used's Taste of Ink. Which despite being a pop punk classic, sounded simply heavenly. Nina then appeared at the Castle doors. She looked breathtakingly beautiful, like the most precious and prettiest of all English roses. The guests and Dani looked on in pride and adoration as she emerged from the castle as if she were its most graceful princess. She was escorted to her wife-to-be by her grandmother Jean Endean, another twist on tradition. Nina's gran was dressed in emerald green and as glamorous as ever, the strong female matriarch of their family gladly lead Nina to her Dani.
The intimate, relaxed and emotional ceremony was underway, after a few more tears, a lot of smiles and some signing of the legal papers, they were married, Mrs and Mrs Walton. The homemade confetti was flung and the champagne poured, the energetic photographer Shikha Kuehn of 'Wild and Small', was non stop clicking her camera, no genuine interaction or precious moment was missed. Her unique, playful, non stuffy take on photographing the day mirrored the Walton brides personality and approach to life perfectly.
From here on out the fun was non stop. The beautiful weather meant everyone could enjoy themselves in the stunning grounds inside and outside the castle walls. The feeling of love and happiness was infectious and also visible on the faces of the brides who never looked happier.
With all these laughs and lots of liquor, it was time for some food. Into the marquee everybody went. It was a sea of greens and creams and minute details. Everything in there had been made by family and friends. Maid of honour Morwenna Tyrrell had made bunting galore, Nina's father; Andrew Florence had made jam as wedding favours and transfer tattoos of the brides faces awaited everyone. Everywhere you looked something quirky, beautiful and original dressed the marquee, again reflecting those qualities of the brides themselves.
A delicious vegetarian spread and fine wine allowed everyone to relax, refuel and take in the delight of an already perfect day. The speeches were next, with another break from tradition Nina's gran was back in the spotlight reading an amusing poem, next was Dani's mum who moved everyone with a heartfelt speech of her pride and love she had for her daughter and new daughter in law. Next was the best man (technically maid of honour) Elliott Rothon, who provided everyone with a lot of laughs and tears. To finish off a few words from Dani's father Richard Walton and a duet with his daughter of Mustang Sally, I mean Mustang Dani.
The gorgeous wedding cakes made by the couples friend Laura Atkinson were cut and the Walton's made their wedding wishes and gave their thanks. Whilst this was all happening, two of the turrets rooms were being transformed from chic social spots to the ultimate party rooms. ClickSnicket's fun photo booth which included fancy dress and props and The Disco Boutique were set up, ready and waiting for the celebrations to continue and the party to really begin.
With the music spreading through the grounds the party continued inside and out, into the night. Evening guests joined to congratulate and celebrate with the Walton's. Everyone partied hard to toast the newlyweds and with camera shutters going non stop, there were some amazing moments captured from the day. However it is the memories of the beautiful weather, the most stunning location, the most perfect couple and truest love that will remain with all those lucky enough to share the #waltonwedding with Mrs Dani and Nina Walton.
With thanks to:
Shikha Kuehn - photography
Rebecca Rothon - words
And Tracey from Walton Castle as she was a hero helping us out.