Adam and Abi celebrated their love at the iconic Tetley building in Leeds last September, a venue which sadly no longer hosts weddings. The Art Deco feel of the space was just the perfect juxtaposition for their modern feel of their wedding, where the bride wore a midaxi dress with feathered trim and hot pink shoes!
Their decorations were all DIY, with materials gathered from places like IKEA and Facebook Marketplace. They went for warm tones, burnt orange, taupe and gold, which suited the time of year. Instead of real flowers, they had dried ones so they could keep them forever.
The couple’s vision was clear from the moment they discovered The Tetley. “We were inspired by the venue itself,” Abi shared. “We wanted something fun, trendy and reflective of our love for the city centre. The Tetley’s art deco charm and central location were the perfect backdrop for our big day.”
They had just 40 guests at their ceremony and Abi walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of Here Comes The Sun, accompanied by her eldest sister. The couple had exchanged personal vows privately before the day, opting for set vows during the ceremony. There was a touching reading by Abi’s second eldest sister, themed around life lessons from a child’s playground and they then made their exit to Beyoncé.
They then had 60 additional guests join them for their reception. The couple’s first dance to Robbie Williams’ Come Undone was quickly followed by a surprise performance from a saxophone player, who emerged onto the dance floor as foam party sticks were being handed out.
“We pulled a pint together instead of cutting a cake”, Abi continued, “and the chip butties went down very well! The DJ gave a perfect mix of music throughout the night covering the 00s indie for the groom and the 90s r’n’b for the bride.”
The couple made paper streamers for the ceiling and bought a lot of brass candles from Facebook Marketplace which they cleaned and polished to bring them back to life. Napkins were made from scarfs, table runners wee cut into lengths from cheese cloth, candles were whittled or thickened at the base with gold tape to fit comfortably into the reclaimed candlestick holders.
“We did a lot of visits to IKEA to make sure we had the correct candles and vase combinations!” Abi said. “Coming up with the colour palettes and decorations was so much fun.”
The couple also decided to support local and small businesses wherever they could, “We sought out small local businesses for everything from hair and make-up to stationery and wedding bands. It meant more to us to support people passionate about their craft rather than just making a profit,” Abi concluded.
