Sophia Bailey and Phil Joseph
Sophia and Phil met eight years ago online. Phil proposed at Sophia’s mum’s house in Llangollen. He arranged a local musician to be present and got down on one knee to propose. How romantic!
For Sophia and Phil, the best part of their wedding planning was bringing their vision of the big day to life. Sophia prides herself on being extremely organised and enjoyed every minute of planning the wedding with her wedding planner John Alexander.
Their wedding took place at Tyn Dwr Hall in August 2019.
Where did you hear about Tyn Dwr Hall?
Sophia - I was brought up in Llangollen and always known of Tyn Dwr Hall previous to it being converted into a wedding venue. Funnily enough I had my fourth birthday at the hall prior to it being a wedding venue so that brought back great memories.
What was your first impression of the hall?
It was such gorgeous building and was great to see the contrast of mature versus new features - an old building with charm, as well as new contemporary features and amenities.
Describe Tyn Dwr Hall in three words
Romantic, Unique, Perfection.
Did you have a Church Wedding or Civil Ceremony?
We had a Civil Ceremony at Tyn Dwr Hall.
Who was your Wedding manager and how did they help you in the run up to the wedding and on the day?
Our wedding planner was Shannon and I have to say she was amazing! She was always on hand to answer any questions and communication was great. Shannon was so friendly and nothing was too much trouble.
What did you enjoy most about planning your wedding with Tyn Dwr Hall?
The fact that questions were answered really quickly and someone was always on hand to help.
What are the best spots for Tyn Dwr Hall photo opportunities?
The Garden Room is gorgeous. The large windows provide amazing views of the surrounding Welsh valley. There are also great opportunities within the grounds, too many to mention really!
How did you find the Tyn Dwr team on your wedding day? Did anyone stand out to you?
Shannon again was amazing on the day and all the team did a fantastic job. One thing that was really lovely was when I came down for the ceremony all the staff greeted me at the bottom of the stairs clapping. That was a lovely touch.
What set Tyn Dwr Hall apart from other wedding venues?
There are almost too many to choose between; the mixture of old versus new and the tasteful renovation and extension of the building. The breath-taking views of the Welsh Valley. Being able to hire the venue exclusively, having all my friends and family there it was like a home from home. Another great feature was the accommodation and the Yurts. The Yurts definitely set Tyn Dwr Hall apart from other venues. The Bridal Suite is gorgeous especially the views from the room down the driveway of guest arriving!
When did you start your wedding preparations?
Preparations fully started one year prior to the wedding.
What were you most nervous about on your wedding day?
I was most nervous about the aesthetic look and making sure everything ran smoothly which it really did. The day definitely exceeded our expectations.
Did you choose a wedding theme for your day?
Our colour theme was white and gold.
What was your wedding menu?
The starter was Thai fishcakes, main course was beef and dessert was strawberries and cream.
Tell us about your Wedding Entertainment?
The ceremony was accompanied by a beautiful gospel choir. In the evening we had a DJ along with a saxophonist.
Any special/creative personal touches – favours/signage/wedding theme elements you made yourselves?
I did all my wedding favours myself.
Did you have any special extras?
We chose not to have standard wedding day entertainment. I absolutely love drag queens so what better than to have a drag queen perform after our wedding breakfast. It was amazing. we also had a close-up magician circulating throughout the drinks reception.
Favourite part of the speeches?
My favourite part of the speeches was my husband Phil’s speech, it was funny and heartfelt.
Most Memorable moment?
During the ceremony, the gospel choir sang Songbird - our favourite song.
Who was the last to bed?
The last person to bed on our wedding day was my mum.
What handy tips would you give couples planning their wedding day?
Allocate time just for you and your husband is definitely recommended, so that you can have some time to yourselves. Take time for yourself to soak it up, even if its just for 10 minutes. Take a selfie of you and your husband because we didn’t have time to get this.
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