Alex and Olivia’s Black Tie New Years Eve Wedding

Alex and Olivia’s Black Tie New Years Eve Wedding

If you love a black tie wedding with a modern aesthetic, then get ready for some serious inspiration; Alex and Olivia’s monochromatic New Years Eve celebration ticked all the boxes and even included a subtle festive vibe.

“All because two people swiped right”; Alex and Olivia met on Tinder in 2013, and Alex popped the question in Skiathos 7 years later.

We’d flown out for one of our close friends’ weddings (albeit with some touch and go moments whether it would go ahead because of the COVID pandemic). On the first day, a group of us went exploring the island on buggies and we stopped off at a restaurant as Alex needed the loo. He came back out and said it looked really nice and that he’d managed to book us a table for dinner.

That evening, I was complaining about going and saying maybe we should just have our first night meal at the hotel because I couldn’t be bothered to wash my hair and get ready (good job I did!). Turns out Alex hadn’t just booked it that day, it was already preplanned and our friend’s wedding planner had suggested the restaurant and secured us a table ready for the proposal. I was so shocked that everyone was in on it and I had no idea!

I think the element of surprise is the best thing about a proposal – and being away for our friend’s wedding and the last minute nature of it really did fool me.

Alex and Olivia knew that they wanted a winter wedding, with a big, memorable party to celebrate the start of their marital life. They first viewed Thirsk Lodge Barns in hard hats during the renovation. Olivia describes their thought process below;

Décor, ambience and guest experience was really important to us, as was indoor space. I loved the size of Thirsk Lodge Barns, the fact that there wasn’t a changeover of a ceremony room to dining / evening space – every little detail was so well thought out. The convenience of having accommodation on site and the flexibility for choice of caterers and décor was a huge plus.

Finding most of their suppliers through Instagram and recommendations from others, Alex and Olivia found it helpful to use their suppliers’ knowledge to find a group who would work well together, ensuring the day ran smoothly.

Their photographer, Charlotte Nelson, recommended James Turner Videography, and the couple highly recommend investing in capturing your day in as many ways as possible to make sure you have memories to look back on.

We loved our photographer, videographer and photo booth. The professional photographs are fantastic for displaying in your home, and the photobooth pictures capture the fun and silliness of your guests and the videos to be able to relive it all.

Alex and Olivia had a clear vision for their day; modern black tie, monochrome details and festive elements throughout. Olivia wore a stunning Made With Love gown from The Aisle in Ilkley and Alex’s tuxedo was from Moss Bros.

The florals for the day were created by the lovely Tweedle Floral Design, and Olivia really wanted to lean into the festive ambience with Christmas trees and fairy lights, which the couple set up themselves the day before.

The eucalyptus garlands down the rustic trestles were stunning, and Alex and Olivia chose to have a round top table amongst long rows of their guests which worked really well. Olivia meticulously thought out the seating plan for their Wedding Breakfast, and advised that as you spend a good few hours in the Dining Room, couples don’t leave doing theirs, or making a personalised playlist until the last minute.

Alex and Olivia opted to have a celebrant led ceremony, which was a highlight of the day for them. (You can read more on different ceremony options here!) Their ceremony included personal vows, and all guests singing a rendition of McFly’s ‘It’s All About You’!

Although it was spent under a brolly in the pouring rain, the 10 minutes Alex and I managed to steal by ourselves during the firework display was really memorable. In fact, the best moment was counting down for the New Year on the dancefloor with all our favourite people around us, confetti, 2023 hats and props and Auld Lang Syne!