Matt & Maggie
July 2022
First tour, first to book! I think it was Hogg and his sheep that can claim credit for that! This adorably fun couple were our first tour and on a very soggy day. When they gave the go ahead we were over the moon. They got engaged on Loughrigg and have a love for all things sheep… it was meant to be!
Words from the couple…
Why did you pick BITF?
“We came across BITF on Instagram before it had held any weddings and we booked a look around. It was a dreary rainy day but we loved it even then so we knew that whatever the weather on our wedding day, it was going to be great. Through the main window in the barn you can see Loughrigg Fell which is where we got engaged, for our wedding day we got our friend to draw the outline of Loughrigg up on to the window which was really special. We were also really excited about the sheep!
We knew that we would be talking alot to the team there through the planning process - Sharon, Hogg and Annabel so it was lovely when they invited us to have a brew with them and we chatted for ages, knowing that we felt relaxed with the team made it an easy choice. We didn't look around any other venues.”
What space do you like the most at the venue?
“The bar was a really amazing, atmospheric transformation from the first time we saw that space. But we really loved that there were so many different spaces to explore for our guests. We made use of them throughout the day so it felt like our guests were moving through different individual spaces, which kept the excitement high throughout the day.”
How did you find the planning stage?
“We can't say wedding planning was our favourite activity... It was just as things were opening up after covid and we struggled alot with providers being already booked up with their previous cancellations. We did alot ourselves and as a family in terms of decor which was a lot of work but meant that it was super personal and exactly what we wanted. The day was incredible.”
What's your best memory of the day?
“There are SO many. The weather turning from chucking it down on our way to church, to beautiful sunshine on our way back to the Barn. Feeding the sheep - Hogg set up a feeding pen out by the courtyard and it was so fun seeing people play with the sheep. Taking photos on a walk with our BRILLIANT photographer Carla. Our first dance. Pizza. The whole atmosphere. Watching everyone explore the gardens of Crow How with views of the fells all around.”
What would be your advice to others taking on a DIY wedding?
“From our experience, it's going to cost more than you expect, then more than that; although maybe that's just weddings in general! It's a really big undertaking to DIY but worth it to get exactly what you have planned. It was so personal to us and we wouldn't change the way we did it. We were very lucky to have lots of people to help us. The accomodation at the B and B next door was a brilliant surprise, the rooms there are stunning and you get to have full run of the place, the breakfast was incredible. We actually went off to a spa for the night after our wedding but we were gutted that we had to leave the B and B!! Our friends and family didn't mind the hard work of arranging the venue because we could spend the day in such a lovely place altogether, we had pizza out on the patio when all the work was done.
The great thing about BITF is that the building is already beautiful so you don't need to hire/buy loads of stuff to make it look nice.”
Would you recommend BITF?
“Definitely. It's stunning, so brilliant and interesting to bring our guests to a working farm, and Sharon and Hogg couldn't have been more helpful. It really feels like a special venue because they don't do weddings every weekend, so your wedding feels like a really big deal and special occasion. They really went above and beyond.”
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