Real Weddings at Delamere Manor: Katie & Andy

A right-swipe on Bumble, an engagement above Lake Windermere, and a wedding planned in less than seven months. Katie and Andy’s April celebration at Delamere Manor is proof that when you know, you know — and that the most personal weddings are the ones guests never forget. Rain, rainbow, golf buggy and all.

Early days: a swipe, a brunch, and hours of laughing

Katie and Andy’s story began on 28 October 2023, when Katie — at a gin and rum festival — happened to fall inside Andy’s strictly limited 10-mile radius on Bumble. One swipe each later, they met in Liverpool for their first date: a bottomless brunch that simply refused to end. Mini-golf followed, then coffee, then the River of Light festival. “Time flew by as we laughed and smiled for hours on end.” Those first dates never really ended, in fact — on the wedding day, each table was named after one of them, and Katie’s speech was a poem she’d written explaining why each place made the list, letting every guest share in the story.  

Popping the question

Andy set the bar high. On 23 August 2025, in the private garden of a Michelin-starred restaurant overlooking Lake Windermere — surrounded by mountain views, white English roses and blushing hydrangeas, with a sunset on the horizon — he asked the most important question of their lives. “The 23rd of August will forever hold a special place in our hearts.” Remember those hydrangeas. They’re about to become the theme of an entire wedding.

Finding Delamere: engaged three weeks, venue booked

Some couples spend years searching for their venue. Katie and Andy found theirs three weeks after getting engaged. “The stunning landscapes, the outdoor terrace, beauty room, courtyard and private nightclub — what’s not to love about Delamere Manor? The moment we toured the venue, spotted the hydrangeas, met the incredible team and talked about our wedding wishes, we knew Delamere Manor was the perfect place for our special celebration.” There it is again — the hydrangeas. The same flowers that framed their engagement were waiting for them in the Manor’s grounds. Some signs you don’t ignore.  

Setting the scene: bringing Windermere to Cheshire

The whole day was designed to capture the magic of the engagement. It began with a save-the-date video — a montage running from the Windermere garden to Delamere Manor — and flowed through everything that followed: blush pink hydrangeas, white garden roses and snapdragons from Booker Flowers, all inspired by the spot where Andy proposed. Then came the twist their guests still talk about. The centrepieces weren’t flowers at all — they were edible floral cupcakes, a first-of-its-kind creation from The Budding Cupcake Studio, in four flavours matched to the garden blooms, doubling as dessert at the wedding breakfast. A coffee-flavoured wedding cake with matching buttercream flowers handled the traditional cake cutting. The personal touches kept coming. The couple designed their own stationery and handmade every place card, table sign and welcome sign in a stained-glass effect — so loved that guests have kept them, with many now hanging as tree decorations. A “love before ours” display featured framed wedding photographs of their guests, gifted back to them at the end of the night. And the confetti? Katie and Andy had saved every bouquet they’d ever given each other — including the ones Katie bought Andy, “as men are rarely gifted flowers” — and dried the petals. “Everything on our wedding day was linked so beautifully together, reflecting the journey of our love. We wouldn’t change a single thing.”  

The food and drink: from bridal breakfast to a cake of cheese

The day started as every Delamere morning does — with the Manor’s team laying on breakfast for the bridal party in the house: pastries, fruit platters and more, enjoyed while getting ready in the beauty room. The Cheshire Dining Experience built a fully bespoke menu: cured salmon, braised beef mini Yorkshire puddings and mac and cheese bites to start; foraged wild garlic risotto, then pan-roasted rump of lamb (or a puy lentil and sweet potato wellington) for the wedding breakfast — with those cupcake centrepieces for dessert. The evening brought Korean fried chicken and cajun chips, plus Andy’s lifelong dream realised at last: a wedding cake made entirely of cheese, from the Liverpool Cheese Company, stacked with rounds of Kick Ass Cheddar, Bleu d’Auvergne and cranberry and apricot Wensleydale. On the drinks side, the couple worked with Rachael, Delamere Manor’s bar manager, on a custom package — fizz on arrival, wine with dinner, a toast for the speeches, and then the pièce de résistance: an unlimited cocktail hour in a nod to that bottomless-brunch first date. Two signature serves — the “Delamere Forest Mule” and the “Lakeside Collins,” inspired by their two special places, both with alcohol-free versions — were poured into the couple’s own collection of unique glasses, collected throughout their relationship. Guests chose their favourite glass, enjoyed their cocktail, and took it home as their wedding favour. “The team worked tirelessly, carefully preparing each drink in the individually chosen glasses. Their attention to detail helped create one of the most memorable and personal parts of our celebration.”

Looking the part

“As a plus-size bride, I was incredibly anxious to try on wedding dresses and find one that I loved and that flattered my figure,” Katie shares. “But as soon as I saw this dress and tried it on, I knew it was the one. The ivory chiffon gown draped beautifully around my curves, with billowing sleeves in delicate lace and intricate scalloped edging. I looked ethereal on our wedding day, wearing an elegant gown that made me feel beautiful.” Andy, meanwhile, looked every inch the dapper groom in a forest green suit from Groom in Liverpool, set apart from his groomsmen by a light green waistcoat and green-and-cream shoes. Katie broke with tradition too — no bridesmaids, but a Man of Honour, who wore forest green alongside her father, the alternating shades flowing through the whole bridal party.

Time to celebrate: a string quartet, a sweepstake and a conga

Entertainment came layered. Illustrator Peggy Leung sketched live portraits of every guest who wanted one — plus one of Delamere Manor itself, a keepsake of the day. The Northern String Quartet played for an extraordinary seven and a half hours, from greeting guests through the ceremony, drinks reception, wedding breakfast and into cocktail hour. “They were flawless, and guests absolutely loved them!” The couple even ran a first-dance sweepstake, with guests guessing the song — played live by The Pedal Tones, who then got the party going in the Manor’s private nightclub. By the time saxophonist Diane led a conga to “Fireball” across the dancefloor, the day had officially become legend.

Memorable moments: rain, rainbows and Gerry the golf buggy

Ask Katie and Andy for their highlight and they’ll struggle to pick. The mother of the bride and Man of Honour defeated by the bridal shoes — a job gallantly taken over by Photographer Joe Bickerton. The veil rescued from the terrace bushes by groom and Man of Honour. Running into the wedding breakfast to a string version of “Don’t Stop Me Now” and making it round every table for photos in under three minutes. And then there was Gerry — the Manor’s golf buggy — carrying the newlyweds through the picturesque grounds “with the wind in our hair and rain in our face… to being pushed up the muddy hill in the teeming rain.” Because yes, it rained. And it didn’t matter one bit: the evening delivered a beautiful sunset and a magical rainbow over the Manor. “It is so hard to choose just a few highlights, but the best part of the day was marrying each other in front of our loved ones. The day was honestly what dreams are made of.”

Katie and Andy’s advice for planning couples

“Do exactly what you want to do, in the way you want to do it. We found our dream venue three weeks after we got engaged and planned our wedding in less than seven months. It’s easy to get caught up in it all — take a breath and enjoy it. Your wedding should reflect you as a couple and celebrate your love.”  

Ready to find your Delamere moment?

Katie and Andy toured once, spotted the hydrangeas, and booked. However long your planning timeline, the feeling is the same when you find the right place. Book your personal tour and see the terrace, courtyard, gardens and hidden nightclub for yourself — or join us at our next Open Manor Day. Katie & Andy’s wedding dream team:

• Venue: Delamere Manor — @DelamereManor · 01606 827617
• Photography: Joe Bickerton — @photographyjoebickerton
• Bridal gown: Copplestone’s Bridal, Liverpool
• Groom & groomsmen: Groom, Liverpool
• Wedding band: Goldsmiths
• Hair: Lucy Denny Hair — @lucydennyhair
• Make-up: Julie Foster — @juliefostermakeup
• Cupcakes & wedding cake: Becky Hayter, The Budding Cupcake Studio — @the_budding_cupcake_studio
• Cheese cake: Liverpool Cheese Company
• Flowers: Mia, Booker Flowers — bookerweddings.co.uk · @bookerflowersandgifts
• Stationery: Handmade by the bride and groom