A Falcon Manor Wedding Full of Personality
Some weddings just feel completely effortless, where nothing is overthought, everything has meaning, and the whole day just reflects the couple perfectly.
That’s exactly how Alex and Becca’s day at Falcon Manor unfolded. From hearing about their proposal that happened in the middle of a roadside breakdown in France, to arriving at the venue in a Unimog (which, if you know them, makes total sense), their wedding was full of personality from start to finish.
If you’re planning your own Falcon Manor wedding and looking for ideas that feel genuine and personal, this one is a good place to start.
Gemma- How did you meet? How long have you been together?
Becca - We met through my work. Alex Needed a headlight for his uncle’s Unimog after his cousin got a bit too close to a wall, and I sold him said headlight! It took us a good year and many ‘work related’ phone calls to get together, but they say good things come to those who wait!
Engagement photos
See their engagement photos at Ribblehead Viaduct
Gemma - Tell us about the proposal
Becca - It definitely wasn't conventional one! We were on out European road trip in the Land Rover, it was going so well until the Land Rover’s engine blew up on the way home - 40km way from Calais! We spent the next 6 hours hours frantically trying to find a way to get us and the Land Rover home (well Alex was, I was just sat in the passenger seat trying not to have a meltdown!) Once we got recovery sorted, we finally relaxed and watched some TV. Alex started chuckling to himself and turned to me and said ‘we are so far up shit creek, but all I could think about is asking you to marry me’ and that was that! I always said I wanted the proposal to feel right; I didn’t want anything too staged or flashy so in a weird way it was the most perfect proposal!
Gemma - I have to ask about the dress, who is designed by?
Becca - From booking the venue to the day itself, we only had 5 months to play with, so I bought my dress off the Cinderella’s in Skipton. I am not sure who it is designed by, but what I do know is how much I adore Mandy. I didn’t have a clue what I wanted, as as I walked through the door she put me at ease. She is a down-to earth Yorkshire lass. She’s been in the industry for a lot of years and it showed. I went from not knowing what I wanted to picking my dress in under an hour, I didn’t feel rushed or pressured and she made sure that I was going to leave her shop happy, whether that was with one of her dresses or with the confidence in myself to find my perfect wedding dress. She is one in a million!
Gemma - And the suit?
Becca - With the short time scale and groomsmen spread all over the North, we bought them online - from House of Cavani, they are a lovely suit and the boys looked great in them!
The Falcon Manor in Settle, North Yorkshire
Gemma - What venue did you choose and why did you choose it?
Becca - We Chose the Falcon Manor at Settle. We initially narrowed it down to this venue because we got the dream country house wedding that suited our small wedding party, but when we had our first meeting the venue and the team sold itself, it was the first and only venue we looked at. If we had a big wedding party I would have knocked a few off the list if it meant we could have it there!! The venue is gorgeous, and the team are even better.
Gemma - Would you recommend your venue?
Becca - 1000000% yes! Katie was amazing support during the planning process and on the day itself, and the team could not do enough for us on the day to make it as special as possible.
Gemma - How did you feel as you walked down the aisle/ waited for your bride?
I was in a bit of a weird bubble all morning and as soon as I got to the door and heard Sarah singing, I got emotional the moment I had been dreaming of was finally here! Alex was a weird mixture of excited and nervous, though his nerves had definitely been calmed with a few pints!
Personal Touches That Made the Day Unique
Gemma - What was your favourite moment?
Becca - I think my favourite moment was the ceremony. I was so nervous going into it, but we had a celebrant lead ceremony, so it meant the whole thing was very us and I soon relaxed when the jokes started rolling. Alex says his favourite moment was seeing me in my dress for the first time as the doors opened at the end of the aisle (I promise those words came out of his mouth!!).
The importance of Choosing a Relaxed Wedding Photographer
Gemma - How/ Why did you choose me as your photographer?
Becca - We were looking for a photographer with a relaxed style as we are not ones for being in front of the lens. We came across Gemma at the Falcon Manor wedding Fayre and we loved her style and we liked her as a person too.
Gemma - Which photo moment are you most looking forward to seeing?
Becca - I have loved seeing photos of us with Alex’s Land Rover and his Dad’s Unimog. You could not sum us up better if you tried! I am really looking forward to seeing all the pictures of our family and friends enjoying the day.
Gemma - How did you feel being in front of the camera?
Becca - It was something we weren’t looking forward to really. Gemma offered us a complimentary engagement shoot, so we could have chance to meet her properly and get used to being in front of the camera. We took the dogs as moral support and we ended up having such a good morning! We left the experience looking forward to having our photos done on our wedding day.
Gemma - As a wedding photographer, helping couples feel comfortable in front of the camera is so important to me. Their engagement shoot was the perfect way to ease any nerves and meant that on the day, everything felt natural and relaxed. Bonus for me, I got to meant their lovely dogs, and I’m so glad the photos got included on the big day.
Gemma - Often the aspect that makes a wedding original to the couple is the detail – tell us about the details of the day.
Becca - Our day just summed us up! Alex arrived to the Falcon Manor in his Land Rover (the same one that broke down in France!). I arrived in his Dad’s Unimog (I work for a company which deals with Unimog’s, and that is how we met). We had a personal celebrant lead ceremony which reflected our journey to date with some laughs thrown in (we aren’t very serious people!). The bridesmaids wore emerald green dresses as we were both born in May (Alex will always claim this as his greatest wedding decision!). We had engine pistons from the blown up Land Rover as our table number holder. The colour in the venue decor complimented the green tones and the fact we got married on spring equinox, and the flowers complimented the dresses and the décor beautifully. We worked with an amazing event décor company and florist who brought our vision to life perfectly. Oh and last but not least, Alex fabricated our arch which will become a feature in our garden so we can enjoy it for many years to come!
Gemma - What was the most important investments for you and why?
Becca - Our vendors! I Loved every single one of them and everything they did to make our day so special. I will forever be grateful for what they did for us. They were all so easy to work with and I had so much confidence in them. For example, I had no idea what my flowers were going to look like. I gave my poor florist a very vague brief, and what she produced was better than I could have ever expected.
Advice for Future Couples
Gemma - Was there anything you wish you’d known before
I wish I knew how quickly the day flew by!
Gemma - Do you have any advice for couples in the planning stages?
Take time to enjoy the day you have so tirelessly planned, and also make sure you plan a wedding that reflects you as a couple. I also think it is important to book vendors that you click with, and who have worked at your venue before as it makes the planning and the day itself run so much smoother. And if your venue doesn’t have a wedding coordinator, book one! I can’t even imagine how stressful it would have been planning a wedding without Katie!
Gemma - Are there any suppliers you’d like to give a shout out to?
Becca - All of them! Mark (Mark Your Occasion) put together a very special ceremony that was very personal to us and Sarah (Sarah Widdup) completed the ceremony with her gorgeous voice, she also made a lasting impression on our guests at the drink’s reception. Katie and Sharon (Love Letters 2 Hire) decorated the venue beautifully, and Sam (Wildfire Floral) created some absolutely stunning bouquets that complemented both the décor and our dresses. Charlotte and Sam (Beauty in Bloom) did our and makeup which complimented us all beautifully and lasted all day. And last not not least, we have to shout out Gemma!
Thank you for everything you have done for us, I cannot wait to see all the wedding photos!
Gemma - What song did you choose for your first dance, and why?
Becca- We chose 4x4xU by Lainey Wilson, I think you can tell from the vehicles that were parked out the front why this song was chosen! We went to go and see Lainey live before he proposed and the moment we heard that song it felt very special and it definitely sums us up.
Alex and Becca’s day is such a good reminder that the best weddings aren’t about following a formula, they’re about creating something that feels true to you. Whether that’s a laid-back ceremony, meaningful details, or just doing things your own way, that’s what makes it memorable.
Falcon Manor is always a brilliant backdrop for that kind of day, and it’s easy to see why so many couples fall in love with it.
If you’re planning your own wedding at Falcon Manor (or anywhere across Yorkshire) and want natural, relaxed photography that captures the day as it actually felt, feel free to get in touch, I’d love to hear what you’re planning.
Yorkshire wedding supplier:
Venue: Falcon Manor
Florist: Wildfire Floral Co
Vehicles: Mercedes-Benz Unimog
Bridal Boutique: Cinderella’s Bridal
Dresses: Dream Dress Bridal
Suits: House of Cavani
Hair & Makeup: Beauty in Bloom
Celebrant: Mark Your Occasion
Singer: Sarah Widdup