Lisa & Mark’s black tie wedding at Caswell House, with Amanda Karen Photography

Published by Claire Gould on

A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (20)

Good morning! I have been waiting for MONTHS to share this stunning wedding with you… lovely Lisa & Mark were married in December – and the Christmas tree just seemed perfect to share with you right now. Who has their tree up? Ours is on its way down from the loft tonight and I’m excited to get the baubles out later! It won’t compare to this beauty though…

A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (2)

The images from Lisa & Mark’s wedding are by our lovely friends at Amanda Karen Photography. This is Christmas with class and fabulous style: a black tie do with silver and white, eucalyptus and plenty of sparkle. Lisa is spectacular in a Stewart Parvin gown and Jimmy Choos; Mark’s Hugo Boss suit is uber smart and sleek for a sophisticated winter wedding at Caswell House.

A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (19)

Wedding photographer’s website:

Amanda Karen Photography

I met Amanda and Hutch at The National Wedding Show in London and instantly loved their style and vision. It helped that they were both so warm and friendly and instantly understood the vibe we were after for the big day.

Were you pleased with your wedding photographer? Do tell… we love a brilliant review!

We were so incredibly happy with our photographs and I have to say that Amanda and Hutch are brilliantly professional both in the lead up and on the day itself.
They are understand what you are after instantly whilst also helping to guide you when you may not be so sure on things.

Tell us about the moment you saw your wedding photos for the first time?

We were so excited and it’s brilliant that there is a sneak peek the following day after the wedding as you are on tenterhooks to see it back. They captured every aspect of our day beautifully.

A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (1)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (3)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (4)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (5)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (6)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (7)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (8)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (9)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (10)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (11)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (12)

Bridesmaids at Caswell House Bridesmaids at Caswell House by Amanda Karen Photography

A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (13)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (14)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (15)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (16)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (17)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (18)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (20)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (21)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (22)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (23)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (24)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (25)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (26)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (27)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (28)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (29)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (30)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (31)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (32)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (33)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (34)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (35)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (36)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (37)
A super elegant black tie wedding in winter, photographed by Amanda Karen Photography (38)

Can you describe your wedding in fewer than 10 words?

It was everything we envisaged and more! The most happy and fun day of our lives.

Your wedding style or theme:

Romantic/Winter/Festive/fairy lights/candlelight/elegance

What’s your top tip for saving money?

Do not go overboard on stationery. There is no need to print a menu for every place setting. A few in the middle of the table is enough! They end up straight in the bin.

… and which elements of your wedding are you glad you spent more on?

Very pleased we focused the funds on venue, band, food and wine – you get these right and it will be a perfect day.

Where did you buy or source your wedding stationery – or was making it a labour of love?

Most of it was from Wren Press and some from Etsy

Did you fall in love with your wedding dress?

Yes, it was exactly what I wanted! They nailed it on every front and the designer is incredibly talented when capturing your vision.

Wedding dress designer and bridal boutique:

Stewart Parvin

Tell us about your accessories: jewellery, shoes and anything else!

I had a gunmetal grey belt around my dress with crystal detailing which I thought gave a nice twist to a traditional wedding dress. I wore jimmy choo shoes which were insanely comfortable. My earrings were from ivory and co which were stunning. My hairpiece was bespoke from Etsy.

And what did the groom wear?

Hugo Boss

Beautiful bridesmaids: what did your best girls wear?

They all chose their own black gowns which were all stunning and suited all their individual figures perfectly.

Hair and make-up – did you DIY or hire a professional?

Alice Taper did my hair and make up and she did an incredible job. I felt the best I ever have in my life and she is very talented when bringing out your best features.

Describe your wedding flowers. Who arranged them for you? (florist details would be lovely please)

Joanna Carter did the flowers. Joanna is not only so warm and friendly but understood exactly the ambience we wanted and I still can’t stop looking through all the photos of the floral arrangements. Insane.

General styling – did your venue need much decoration?

Caswell is such a stunning venue within itself that all I needed to do really was dress it with flowers, candlelight and fairy lights.

The wedding cake: what kind of cake did you choose and why?

We chose cheese rounds through the caterer for our wedding cake as we had a three course meal at dinner and we both adore cheese.

Entertainment: any musical recommendations, surprises or treats?

Lisa’s nephew sang a song acoustically as a surprise which was a tear jerker.
Our band Truly Medley Deeply were one of a kind and Lisa for one did not leave the dance floor all night. The crowd loved them and we got a lot of comments.

Words of wisdom: share your best piece of advice for other couples:

Just take it all bit by bit and don’t leave everything to the last minute as you want to have time to enjoy the last minute build up.
It will seem very overwhelming at first when planning a wedding but you will soon take it in your stride and actually get excited as each piece falls into place.

What’s the best thing about being married?

Knowing that the relationship has been cemented forever with your best friend in front of all your loved ones and getting excited for the next chapter in your lives whatever that might be.

Favourite supplier web links for other brides and grooms:

Photographer – Amanda Karen Photography
Dress designer – Stewart Parvin
Shoes – Jimmy Choo
Hair & Makeup – Alice Taper
Suit – Hugo Boss
Venue – Caswell House
Florist – Joanna Carter
Stationery – Wren Press
Band – Truly Medley Deeply


Claire Gould

Claire spends her days writing - either in beautiful calligraphy or online. She lives on the edge of the English Lake District only minutes away from the beach, where she loves to escape and unwind. Claire's calligraphy can be found at www.byMoonandTide.com. Claire launched the English Wedding Blog in November 2009 - it's been a top 10 UK wedding blog ever since, with a regional focus we hope you LOVE.

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