Glow sticks and sparklers light up couple's festival themed big day

All their nerves and worries disappeared as they got ready for their big day and prepared to become Mr and Mrs.

And what better way to celebrate than a music festival for their family and friends – TurnerFest!

The 23-year-olds from Haydock got married earlier this month at Statham Lodge and are looking forward to a honeymoon in Rome and the Lake District.

Here, Louise and Nathan tell us their wedding story, in their own words.

If you’ve tied the knot this year or are planning to get married in the next few months, and would like to appear in ‘Our Wedding Day’ feature, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk

Louise and Nathan said I do at Statham Lodge (Tiffany LS Photography)

When and how did you meet?

We met via Instagram and had mutual friends through college.

What did you think of each other when you first met?

Louise: It was like we had known each other for years. We just clicked from the moment we met and connected through our love of indie music. We found each other funny too!

Where and when did you get engaged?

Nathan: We got engaged in October 2020 on Tower Bridge in London.

How did one of you propose?

Louise: Nathan said he was going to get someone to take a nice picture of us by the river on Tower Bridge. As he came back, he got down on one knee. He opened the box the wrong way and the ring nearly ended up in the Thames. It was perfect.

What was the date of the wedding and reception?

Nathan: We got married on Saturday, April 15.

What was the location of the wedding and reception?

Louise: We celebrated at Statham Lodge, Lymm.

Around 72 friends and family witnessed Louise and Nathan tie the knot (Tiffany LS Photography)

How were you feeling on the morning of your wedding?

Louise: We both felt so excited. The day before was very stressful, gathering everything together for the venue and taking it there. However, on the morning of the wedding, I enjoyed getting ready in the gorgeous changing room and Nathan enjoyed his limo ride to the venue. All the nerves and worries disappeared and we both couldn’t wait to become Mr and Mrs Turner, after a two-and-a-half year wait.

How would you describe your wedding?

Louise: The wedding was fun and full of love. It was festival themed, with glitter paint, a live band and we called it TurnerFest. We both made personal vows which made the day more intimate and then did a surprise routine following the first dance to I’ve had the time of my life, which we definitely had! We danced the night away into the early hours. Each guest had their own welly glass, lanyard and wristband to go with the festival theme. In the evening, there were glow sticks and sparklers everywhere. It was so personal to us and reflected us perfectly. We had records with our favourite songs as the table names and the table seating plan was a headline line up theme.

How many guests did you have?

Nathan: We had 72 day guests and around 145 people join us in the evening.

What did your guests eat?

We had someone serving candy floss and there was a popcorn machine, crisp wall and a sweet table as well as traditional ice cream served on a bike, all matching the festival theme. Our wedding cake was the two of us and our dog at a festival, with all our favourite artists listed. We had a fruit starter, roast chicken dinner and brownie at the wedding breakfast with a traditional English breakfast the following morning.

The wedding cake had a festival theme (Tiffany LS Photography)

Did you have a first dance? If so, what was the song and why did you choose it?

Nathan: Our first dance was to The Courteeners’ Take over the world. At the house party where we properly met, this was played and had us both talking about our love for the band and indie music. It has been our song ever since.

Did you have speeches? How did they go?

Louise: The father of the bride speech was done off the top of his head! We had two best men whose speeches were sentimental but humorous as well. The groom’s speech left a tear in my eye. I also did a speech to thank everyone involved in making our day so perfect. The speeches were each perfect in their own way.

What are your favourite memories of the day?

Nathan: Every single second of the day was perfect from start to finish and we loved sharing our special day with the people we love. One of our favourite memories is making our personal vows. Another is Louise losing her veil during the surprise dance. It didn’t stop us and made the routine even more special.

Louise: We enjoyed dancing the night away as my brother (one of the best men) played his keyboard and sang with the band, who are friends of ours. Finally becoming Mr and Mrs Turner was just wonderful. Our guest book was a guitar so it was lovely reading the messages our guests left on that.

Mr and Mrs Turner on Saturday, April 15 (Tiffany LS Photography)

Tell us a little bit about your outfits on the day

Louise: The colour scheme was pastel. I found my dress at the second shop I visited and it was a dress I’d seen online and fallen in love with. It was lace and beaded at the top, with 3D flowers and diamonds from the middle to the bottom, with a flower-embodied long veil.

Nathan: I opted for a burgundy and grey colour scheme. I had stickers saying ‘I will love you every step of the way’ on the bottom of my shoes. Louise gave me a pocket watch saying ‘I will love you until the end of time’.

Louise: The bridesmaids all matched in teal, the best men wore tweed and the flower girls had pink 3D flower dresses. The flowers were colour co-ordinated to each person’s role - lilacs for the mums and dads, pinks for the bridesmaids and pastel for the bride with a pastel flower for the groom to match, and the best men wore yellow. Each guest also had a peach flower to embrace the festival theme.

Did you go on honeymoon? Where did you go?

Nathan: We are going on a mini moon to Rome and the Lake District. Our main honeymoon is in January to the Maldives.

Louise and Nathan and their tradtional ice cream stand (Tiffany LS Photography)

Please tell us a little bit about the things you have in common. Why do you love each other? Why did you want to get married?

Louise: We both adore animals, particularly dogs, and we love music. Our main common interest is festivals, hence the theme for the wedding. We were soulmates from the day we met and just wanted to get married and enjoy a long life together, full of love and making memories. Getting married has brought us even closer together.

Photography by Tiffany LS Photography