30 November 2023
A year of love at Lineham Farm: 2023 wedding roundup
As winter draws in and 2023 begins to draw to a close, we wanted to take the time to look back over a year filled with love, celebrations and unforgettable weddings at Lineham Farm. To find out more, we chatted to Natalie Johnston, who heads up weddings and events here at the farm.
Drawing on her 6+ years’ experience in the wedding industry and the coordination of more than 100 weddings, Natalie is the perfect person to guide our couples every step of the way. Whether it’s recommendations for suppliers, help crafting the perfect wedding theme or simply providing on-the-day support, Natalie ensures every step of the wedding planning process is seamless.
Here’s more about a wonderful year of weddings.
Hi Natalie. Of the seven weddings that took place this year, were there any unique themes or décor elements?
Lineham Farm is set in such beautiful surroundings that many guests choose to simply lean into its rustic charms. Between the courtyard area, acres of natural woodland and intimate indoor spaces, there are so many areas for guests to use that already look the part. While we’ve not had any massively ‘out there’ décor themes, one notable one took place in September and featured lots of pumpkins!
“Lineham Farm was just the perfect setting – having an outdoor forest ceremony has been my dream, so thank you for everything you did to help it become a reality! The support, advice, patience, expertise, and fun that Natalie and Jenny provided throughout this entire process was amazing and I cannot say thank you enough to the entire Lineham Farm team.”
Ellie and Bob
Do you have stories or anecdotes about the couples who celebrated their special day at Lineham Farm?
Our lovely August couple were farmers and when I asked the groom how he proposed he had a very unusual story. Of course, the proposal happened at home where the pair live life amongst lots of animals. It was calving season and they had cameras watching the barn. Just as John got down on one knee and pulled out the ring, he noticed one of the cows was about to birth. The proposal was paused midway, wellies were thrown on, and off they ran to deliver a new baby calf. Laura then realised what had happened and sent a picture of the two of them, her new ring and new addition to the family!
What standout features of Lineham Farm do you think resonated with the couples and their guests?
Couples and their families just love having the flexibility of the day, they find it so relaxed and really enjoy just spending time with their family and friends in such a chilled, spacious and stunning venue. Because our guests get the venue for the entire weekend, they find they can really relax and enjoy their time together. They love the grounds and the general feel of the place.
“We absolutely loved the venue, as I’m sure all your wedding parties do. Many of our guests commented on how wonderful Lineham Farm is for events like this. Of course, the weather helped (perhaps you helped arrange this too) but the facilities offered by Lineham through you and your team were key. You will guess that we – and I mean absolutely everyone, to our knowledge – really enjoyed ourselves; we are slowly ‘coming down’ after our excitement. Thank you so much. May other weddings go off similarly smoothly!”
David, father of groom Jonathan
Have there been any collaborations with local vendors that you’d like to highlight?
We have such a good relationship with lots of suppliers, from catering to bars to musicians and celebrants, and we all work together on the day to make sure everything runs smoothly. Yorkshire Magic Mirror (a modern photo booth service) were a great addition for the wedding in September. They were friendly, helpful and a real treat for the wedding guests on the evening.
Did any of the weddings feature any unique activities or entertainment for guests?
Some of my favourites from this year were:
- Many think it’s not a great idea for a wedding but when you have friends who are always up for a sing-along it makes much more of an evening of entertainment than a DJ!
- Dancing the night away under the stars. Our spring couple had live music outdoors all day and into the evening and it was great to see the first dance in the courtyard.
- A unique first dance. Jonathan and Kayleigh started their first dance traditionally, then midway through the music cut and they broke out into a dance routine!
- Finally, having a musical family sometimes comes in handy. Ellie’s father of the bride speech certainly went down a storm when he got out his guitar and made a song up about the groom.
Finally, what are you looking forward to going into 2024?
I have had a ball this year at every single wedding, each couple has greeted the Lineham staff with open arms, and we really have felt very much a part of their special day with friends and family who have welcomed us into the wedding. I am very much looking forward to a busy and exciting 2024!
Are you ready to make your dream wedding a reality?
If you’ve been inspired reading about our year of weddings at Lineham Farm, could it be time to start planning your own love story? Lineham Farm is a beautiful 17th century farmhouse set on 120 acres of land in North Leeds. Download our free wedding brochure to explore the possibilities. If you’d like to experience the beauty of Lineham Farm first-hand, we’d love to welcome you for a tour. Contact our team at 0113 3783939 or weddings@linehamfarm.co.uk to arrange a visit.
