Set within the North Yorkshire countryside, Jess’s wedding at Middleton Lodge brought together black-tie elegance, Old Hollywood influences and a beautifully restrained approach to styling.
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As a wedding singer, Jess had experienced countless venues and wedding days before planning her own, but Middleton Lodge had always stood apart. Its timeless interiors, considered service and effortless sense of occasion had stayed with her long before she was engaged — and when she finally brought her wife Vic to see it, the decision was instant.
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Her bridal look was equally certain. Jess chose Huntleigh by Jane Hilll, a gown she had first seen years earlier while performing at another wedding. Minimal in detail but commanding in silhouette, Huntleigh became the dress she had always imagined without quite being able to describe it.
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Here, Jess shares the story behind her Middleton Lodge wedding, finding the gown she had never forgotten and creating a celebration filled with Old Hollywood references, incredible music and deeply personal moments.
Tell us a little about your wedding at Middleton Lodge. What made you choose this beautiful setting for your wedding day?
“As a wedding singer, I have played at thousands of wedding venues across the North East and beyond. Middleton Lodge was always the one that stood out for me for many reasons. Not just the beauty, chic interior, timeless and elegant feel that comes with the venue, but how sleek and thorough the staff are, the quality of the food and service and how they genuinely make you feel like your wedding is the only wedding to ever exist."
“My coordinator, Rhiannon, is only what I can describe as an angel in human form. She became my bestie within minutes and I am truly so sad that I won’t get to go back and forth with her every day!"
“I knew this would be my venue before I even got engaged. Then, as soon as I took my wife to see the venue, she instantly had that ‘this is it’ feeling and had no desire to look anywhere else.”
Having experienced so many wedding venues through your work makes that instinct feel even more significant. Middleton Lodge clearly wasn’t simply another beautiful setting to you; it was somewhere you already knew could deliver the atmosphere, service and experience you wanted for such an important day.
Huntleigh by Jane Hill was your dream dress — what was it about Huntleigh that stood out to you and made her the gown you had always imagined yourself wearing?
“Ever since I was a little girl, I always had a vision for what I’d wear on my wedding day. I couldn’t quite articulate what this was, but I could feel it."
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“I sang at a wedding a few years ago and the bride walked in wearing Huntleigh. When I tell you, I gasped. That was it. This was the dress that I’d always dreamed of. Minimal detail, with maximum impact."
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“I felt so comfortable and so beautiful. I could almost see little Jess in the mirror looking back at me saying, ‘You found her.’”
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There is something incredibly special about recognising your wedding dress before your own wedding is even being planned. Minimal detail, maximum impact describes Huntleigh perfectly, and we love that the gown connected so strongly with the bridal image you had carried with you since you were little.
Was Huntleigh what you originally pictured yourself wearing, or did anything about the gown surprise you when you tried her on?
“Truly, yes. Nothing surprised me. I’d studied the dress for months and months after seeing it for the first time. Pinterest. TikTok. Instagram. Different bridal sites."
“The only thing that surprised me was how stunning I felt, as I wasn’t sure I’d be able to pull it off or do it justice due to the sheer beauty of it.”
Sometimes the surprise isn’t the gown at all — it is finally seeing yourself in the dress you have imagined for so long. After studying Huntleigh from every angle, actually putting her on and feeling completely yourself in her must have been such a moment.
What was the moment you knew Huntleigh was the one, and how did you feel when you realised you had found your wedding dress?
“I told the lovely stylist who looked after me that Huntleigh was my inspiration and I desperately wanted her, but that I knew I was having quite an expensive wedding and didn’t want to blow a huge budget on the dress. So I wanted to try some similar options on."
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“I almost didn’t try it because I knew I’d want it. But, of course… I had to. And the second the material hit my body, I knew there would be no other option.”
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We remember this so well. Sometimes there really is no talking yourself out of the gown that has always been the gown. Trying other silhouettes can be useful, but when you finally step into the dress you have been thinking about for months and everything falls into place, that certainty is difficult to ignore.
Did you customise or make any changes to Huntleigh or your overall bridal look to make it feel completely personal to you?
“Not at all. I just had it tailored to my body at Groom & Co. I would never have forgiven myself if I had messed with the design.”
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And in this case, absolutely the right decision. Huntleigh already has such a strong identity that allowing the original design and silhouette to speak for themselves made the finished look even more impactful.
How did you style Huntleigh with your veil, shoes, jewellery and accessories? Were there any details that were particularly special to you?
“Honestly? No veil. No sleeves. Nothing to take away from the dress, because the dress truly was the statement."
“I wore some pearl drop earrings and my silver Tiffany beaded bracelet, then some bridal shoes from Dune. But that’s all."
“The amount of people who told me I looked like a modern-day Marilyn Monroe/Jessica Rabbit was astounding. And that fits into the next question…”
We love the restraint here. Rather than feeling that every bridal look needs another layer, you knew exactly when to stop. The pearl earrings and silver bracelet added just enough detail while leaving Huntleigh completely uninterrupted.
What was the inspiration behind your hair and makeup, and how did you want your bridal look to feel on the day?
“My wife — still feels crazy to say — is an old soul. She was truly born in the wrong era. She loves anything jazz, old soul, Old Hollywood and movie vibes, and that was the vision."
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“Her suit was giving the Fred Astaire/Gene Kelly look, so the Marilyn era fit perfectly with that."
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“I did my own hair using rollers and my makeup was done by Samantha Henry. I wanted a soft glam that still let me feel like me, but an enhanced version.”
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This is where the whole bridal story comes together so beautifully. Your look and your wife’s weren’t matching, but they belonged to the same world. That Old Hollywood reference gave both outfits a connection without making either feel overly themed.
As a wedding singer, you’re already so familiar with the wedding industry and have experienced lots of different wedding days. Did this influence how you imagined or planned your own wedding?
“Absolutely. At one point in my life, after seeing countless weddings and stressed brides, I once told myself I’d have a big boho-style wedding in the woods to save all the faff! But how wrong I was. I wanted it all and I planned it all."
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“I knew all my suppliers personally and could vouch for them all. My wife has Italian family, so we had thoughts of doing it in Italy, but there would be too many family members and friends unable to make it and therefore we made the decision to stay local."
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“But I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out, as I knew it would be Middleton Lodge.”
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Knowing the industry so well clearly helped you understand what mattered to you — and perhaps just as importantly, who you trusted to bring it to life. Having suppliers you already knew personally must have created such a relaxed atmosphere around the day too.
How would you describe the overall style and atmosphere of your wedding at Middleton Lodge, and how did you bring your vision to life?
“Black tie. Old Hollywood. Elegant. Timeless. Chic. Clean. Minimalistic but impactful. A combination of personalities and music tastes."
“We had a jazz trio during the drinks reception, a playlist with old soul and Motown classics during the meal, a 1950s/60s rock and roll band to start the evening, and ended with a DJ, sax and bongos blasting house music."
“Florals and venue styling — candles, flowers, table runners — a cannoli station and old-school disposable cameras.”
We love how much personality there was behind such a polished aesthetic. The visual styling may have been elegant and restrained, but the music moved through completely different eras as the day developed. It sounds like the atmosphere evolved naturally from sophisticated drinks reception to a proper party.
What inspired your colours, flowers and styling? Were there any particular details you knew you wanted from the beginning?
“My brief was ‘a sage sanctuary’."
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“My florist and venue stylist was Melissa Pearson from Pear Tree Lane. I have loved her work for many years and she is the go-to Middleton Lodge girl. Her office is literally in the building behind the venue."
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“I asked for a very simple neutral colour palette. Middleton Lodge has lots of greenery, wood, old rustic brick etc., so we had sage table runners, white candles, black candle holders, and flowers were a mix of white roses and green foliage. The venue truly speaks for itself.”
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A sage sanctuary might be one of our favourite wedding briefs. The combination of sage, white and black feels incredibly considered against Middleton Lodge’s existing textures, and allowing the venue itself to remain part of the palette kept everything feeling natural rather than overly styled.
Were there any particularly personal or meaningful details you included in the day that made it feel uniquely yours?
“We had a cannoli station rather than cake as my partner has some Italian family. We sourced these from Adi Maria & Co. and put them on silver trays of different sizes."
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“We went for pistachio — green — white cream — white — and chocolate — brown — to stay consistent with the neutral vibe. These were a hit."
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“I knew and had personally worked alongside all of my suppliers previously, so no one felt alien to me and we were comfortable around them all.”
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The cannoli station is such a lovely example of making something personal feel completely part of the wider styling. Even the flavours and colours tied back into the palette, while the Italian connection gave the detail genuine meaning rather than simply being decorative.
What was your favourite or most unforgettable moment from your wedding day?
“So many things to choose from."
“I would say my first look with my dad and giving him a really deep and meaningful letter, which reduced him to tears, will forever be etched in my memory."
“Walking down the aisle with my dad, to see my wife and her dad at the top and knowing that the seats were filled with people who love us."
“Our speeches — my dad’s and Vic’s particularly — were just beautiful.”
These are always the moments that sit beyond all of the styling and planning. That first look with your dad, walking into a room filled with the people you love and finally seeing Vic waiting for you are the memories that make the day entirely yours.
How did you first discover Marrime, and what made you choose us for such an important part of your bridal journey?
“I have followed Marrime for some time, with many of my friends choosing you and giving glowing reviews."
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“I also recommended you to one of my best friends, Grace Le Quelenec, who got married after me — I sang her down the aisle!"
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“I also loved the aesthetic of the boutique and the bridal feel of it all, and how great the socials were, showcasing everything you need to know.”
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There is no greater compliment to us than a bride arriving through the recommendation of another Marrime bride — and then going on to recommend us herself. Knowing you already connected with the Marrime aesthetic before walking through the door makes it even lovelier that your own experience lived up to that expectation.
What did you love most about your Marrime experience, from finding your dream gown to the journey of getting ready to wear Huntleigh on your wedding day?
“The stylist who looked after me was the perfect fit for me. She was so lovely and just gorgeous. She had such warmth about her and let me try so much on a million times. Patience. Really sweet. Saw my vision."
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“She also told us to go for some lunch and chat, then come back and let us know what to do."
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“We did that, had a bottle of Prosecco and came back and put the deposit down! I loved the whole experience.”
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We absolutely love this. Finding your wedding dress should never feel rushed or pressured, particularly when you already know how much you love a gown. Sometimes having the space to leave, talk it through and come back makes saying yes feel even more certain.
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Knowing that you felt listened to, understood and given the time to make that decision in your own way is exactly how we want a Marrime appointment to feel.
A Final Note from Marrime
Jess and Vic’s wedding feels like such a true reflection of them both: confident, stylish, full of personality and underpinned by a very clear sense of what felt right.
From Middleton Lodge’s timeless setting and the beautifully restrained sage-and-white styling to an evening that moved from jazz and Motown through to rock and roll and house music, every part of the celebration felt carefully considered without losing its sense of fun.
And then there was Huntleigh. Jess had known the gown long before she knew exactly what her own wedding would look like, and there is something incredibly special about finally stepping into the dress that had stayed in her mind for years. Worn without a veil or additional styling competing for attention, Huntleigh became exactly what Jess had always seen in her imagination: minimal detail, maximum impact.
It was such a pleasure to be part of Jess’s bridal journey and to see the gown she had dreamed about become part of a wedding day that felt so completely her own.
Gown: Jane Hill Huntleigh | @Marrime
Alterations: Groom & Co.
Shoes: Dune
Venue: Middleton Lodge
Photography: Ray Sawyer | @raymondsawyerphotography
Videography: Abigail Grace | @abigailgracevideography
Content Creator: Matt Dallara | @contentbymatt
Makeup: Samantha Henry | @samanthahenrymakeupartist
Florals & Venue Styling: Melissa Pearson, Pear Tree Lane | @peartreelanestyling
Wedding Coordinator: Rhiannon Beesley
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