Real Weddings
Every wedding is different, but the goal never changes: a day that feels effortless for the couple and unforgettable for their guests. These are some of the weddings I have had the joy of coordinating, from grand country houses to intimate celebrations at home. Behind every photo is a timeline, a team of brilliant suppliers and a few quiet moments that never made it onto the schedule. I have shared a little of that here alongside the images.
Harlaxton Manor, Grantham
Brian & Bianca Gorman · August · 115 guests
There are venues that need dressing up and then there's Harlaxton Manor in Grantham. With its Grade I listed Jacobethan architecture, sweeping approach and grand interiors, the manor does much of the storytelling on its own. My job was to make sure the day around it ran so smoothly that Brian and Bianca could actually enjoy it.
The brief
Brian and Bianca wanted a day that felt elegant and timeless without losing the warmth of having their family and friends together. Every detail needed to feel like it belonged at Harlaxton Manor rather than sitting on top of it.
What I coordinated
Working closely with the venue team and a brilliant set of suppliers, I looked after the full running of the day: the timeline, supplier arrivals and set-up, the ceremony flow, guest movement between spaces, and the small moments that never make it onto the schedule but make all the difference. Bianca's arrival by horse and carriage was choreographed to the minute and the evening built towards a finale of fireworks and a champagne tower, timed so all 115 guests could gather, toast and watch the sky light up over the manor.
A favourite moment
Bianca was getting ready at the venue and the plan was for her to arrive at the ceremony in a horse and carriage with her brother. Getting her from one to the other without anyone seeing her took some quiet planning. I slipped her into the back of my car, drove her down to the main entrance and handed her over to her brother and the carriage, so that when she arrived, the reveal was completely intact.
Behind the scenes
A venue this size rewards careful planning. Between the carriage arrival, coordinating the fireworks safely with the venue, and moving 115 guests smoothly through the day, the goal was always the same: Brian and Bianca never having to think about anything except each other.
In their words
"On the big day, at our wedding at Harlaxton Manor, everything ran smoothly thanks to Lorna's behind-the-scenes magic, we didn't have to worry about a thing. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding planner" - Brian & Bianca
Photography by Rachael Connerton Photography · Cake by Louise Bolland Cake Design · Carriage by DK Carriage Horses · Fireworks by Illuminatus Pyrotechnics