An Emerald Green Wedding at Merrydale Manor: Evie and Wayne

October 1, 2026 In blog Merrydale Manor

Merrydale Manor is a venue I keep coming back to. I photographed the very first wedding there when it opened its doors, returned for Shamane and Brett’s Afro-Caribbean wedding, and last October I was back again for Evie and Wayne’s emerald green wedding.

Evie and Wayne found the venue on Bridebook. They’d always wanted a manor house wedding, but not an old-fashioned one, and Merrydale’s modern take on a country estate ticked that box. For Evie, who has grown up with horses all her life, there was a bonus: the venue used to be polo pony stables, and the horse theme runs right through the estate.

Their brief for the day? Emerald green and elegance.

The Groom’s Crew Arrives in Style

Wayne’s original plan was to get a taxi to the venue. Evie wasn’t having it. A week before the wedding she went hunting for transport, found almost everything booked, and managed to grab the last white Hummer limousine from Limo Scene UK. Wayne had no idea what was coming. He knew transport had been sorted, and probably still pictured a taxi, so the look on his face when a Hummer limo pulled up was priceless.

Evie also deserves credit for the groomsmen having waistcoats at all. The night before the wedding, she found out the waistcoats had been ready at the suit shop in Preston for hours, with half an hour until closing and the groomsmen in Bolton. Her dad jumped in the car and drove over to collect them. Wayne, by Evie’s own account, was the laid-back one throughout the planning. Evie was the one with everything done early.

My day started in The Cave with Wayne and his gang. Wayne’s best friend and groomswoman Nashia was on bow tie and cufflink duty, and Wayne finished off his look with a new gold watch, a gift from Evie

The groom in a patterned hair bonnet playing table football under the House of Handsome sign in The Cave
Groomsman concentrating on the Space Invaders arcade machine in The Cave at Merrydale Manor
Black and white photo of a man lining up a pool shot during the groom's preparations at Merrydale Manor
Groomswoman Nashia arriving at The Cave with an excited shout and a fist bump while a friend films on his phone
Black and white photo of two groomsmen helping each other with their cufflinks in The Cave
Groomsman in a teal shirt fastening his black bow tie in a gold round mirror in The Cave at Merrydale Manor
The groom fastening a pearl bracelet over his black shirt cuff while getting ready in The Cave
The groom laughing as his best friend and groomswoman Nashia fastens his emerald green bow tie
Groomswoman Nashia fastening the groom's emerald bow tie as he opens a small case
Black and white photo of the groom straightening the bow tie of his groomswoman Nashia
The groom being helped into his emerald green velvet waistcoat by Nashia, with pool cues on the wall of The Cave behind
Nashia fastening the groom's shirt cuff as he wears an emerald velvet waistcoat with gold chains
The groom smiling in his emerald green velvet suit and bow tie as his jacket goes on, beside the table football in The Cave at Merrydale Manor
The groom fitting his new gold watch, a gift from his bride-to-be, outside The Cave at Merrydale Manor
Black and white photo of the groom adjusting a groomsman's bow tie in The Cave

Bridal Prep in the Manor House

Evie and her bridesmaids stayed in the Bridal Lodge the night before, then got ready in the Manor House, with makeup by Sally Rowe MUA.

Evie felt sick that morning and put it down to wedding nerves, which is what most brides would think. It turned out there was more to it: a few weeks after the wedding, she found out she was pregnant.

Evie had always pictured a big princess dress covered in flowers. She bought a dress, but by the time the wedding came round it no longer felt like her. So her auntie took it apart and remade it from scratch, using some of the original fabric along with new materials she bought herself. The result was a one-off dress, exactly the princess look Evie had in mind. Her auntie was there on the morning too, fastening Evie into the dress she’d rebuilt by hand.

Hairdresser curling the bride's hair, reflected in a round mirror during bridal prep at Merrydale Manor
Hairstylist checking the bride's curled half-up hairstyle, reflected in a double mirror
Makeup artist applying eyeshadow to the bride under a ring light in the Manor House at Merrydale Manor
Flower girl in an ivory lace dress by the fireplace as a bridesmaid in emerald satin smiles, in the Manor House at Merrydale Manor
The bride smiling as she unboxes her pearl-strapped wedding shoes in the Manor House at Merrydale Manor
Black and white photo of the bride's auntie, who remade her wedding dress, fastening the back of it in the Manor House at Merrydale Manor
Makeup artist giving the bride's makeup a final touch as the hairstylist looks on, under a gold chandelier in the Manor House
Hairstylist placing the bride's veil as she smiles beneath the exposed oak beams of the Manor House at Merrydale Manor
Black and white photo of the bride's dad opening the door and seeing her in her wedding dress for the first time
The bride's dad fighting back tears as he walks in and sees her in her dress and veil
Black and white photo of the bride and her dad hugging, seen through her veil
Black and white photo of the bride hugging her dad, their embrace reflected in an antique mirror in the Manor House
The bride in her princess-style wedding dress and cathedral veil on the upstairs landing of the Manor House at Merrydale Manor, beside a crystal chandelier
The bride coming down the Manor House staircase at Merrydale Manor to her bridesmaids in emerald green satin, the flower girl and her dad waiting below

An Aisle Inspired by Crazy Rich Asians

The ceremony room was where Evie and Wayne’s planning really showed.

They spotted emerald green and white flower bombs at a Merrydale wedding fair and knew straight away they were the colour and statement they wanted. Six flower bombs down the aisle looked a bit sparse in a room that size, with that big open window at the far end, so they added floral runners down the sides and candles along the aisle.

The aisle itself came from a film Evie watched growing up, Crazy Rich Asians, with its famous water aisle. I Do Events Liverpool suggested a mirrored aisle to create a similar effect, and Evie walked down it to the same version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” used in the film.

There was a lucky bonus on the day too. Evie and Wayne had gone for drapes on the beams, as the full ceiling drapes were outside their budget. The morning of the wedding, the decor team got in touch: the ceiling drapes from a recent open day were still up and were a big job to take down, so would they mind if they stayed? They ended up with both.

It was a pleasure to work alongside Stephen, aka The Tall Toastmaster, again, who kept the day running smoothly from the ceremony onwards.

The groom in his emerald green velvet suit waving to guests as he walks down the mirrored aisle, lined with white flower bombs and candles
The groom's green and white trainers reflected in the mirrored aisle of the ceremony room at Merrydale Manor
The groom waiting at the front with his groomswoman Nashia as the bride and her dad appear at the far end of the mirrored aisle at Merrydale Manor
The groom wiping away tears with his gold pocket square as the bride smiles beside him, holding her bouquet of white roses, pampas and peacock feathers
The bride and groom smiling at each other in front of the registrar from Your Ceremony, with the bride's dad and guests watching behind
The bride beaming at the groom during their ceremony at Merrydale Manor, her bouquet of white roses and peacock feathers in hand
The groom placing the ring on the bride's finger under crystal chandeliers and draped ceilings in the ceremony room at Merrydale Manor
Close-up of the groom sliding the wedding ring onto the bride's finger as she smiles at him
The bride and groom laughing during the ring exchange in front of white flower bombs
The newlyweds raising their joined hands in celebration, reflected in the mirrored aisle with the countryside behind the ceremony room window
The bride and groom walking back down the aisle, hands raised, as guests cheer and film on their phones
The newlyweds walking through a shower of white confetti from their bridesmaids in emerald green outside the ceremony room at Merrydale Manor
The groom dipping the bride for a kiss under the clock tower at Merrydale Manor as the bridesmaids and flower girl look on

Drinks Reception and Portraits

After a busy morning, the drinks reception gave Evie and Wayne time to catch their breath and catch up with their guests.

The bride hugging a guest after the ceremony, eyes closed and smiling, in the grounds of Merrydale Manor
The bride greeting a smiling older guest in red-framed glasses after the ceremony
An older guest giving the bride a warm hug after the ceremony
Groomswoman Nashia leaping into the air on the lawn in front of the pleached hedges at Merrydale Manor
A guest with a white beard giving the bride a big hug outside the brick arches at Merrydale Manor
Two guests in burgundy satin dresses taking photos of each other by the arched windows at Merrydale Manor
The bride and groom smiling at each other in the grounds of Merrydale Manor, with autumn trees and the lake behind
The newlyweds laughing as they walk hand in hand along the tree-lined drive at Merrydale Manor
The groom in green trainers leading the bride across the driveway at Merrydale Manor, with the polo player statue and parkland behind

Wedding Breakfast, Sax and Speeches

For the wedding breakfast in the Merrydale Suite, catered by Barretts Event Caterers, the flower bombs moved from the aisle to the tables. With eight tables to fill, the rest had floral archways with hanging candle balls, and a long floral runner ran the length of the top table.

Music came from Al Grant on the saxophone, playing through the meal and beyond. This was the result of a friendly debate: Wayne wanted a violinist, Evie wanted a sax player, and Evie won.

The speeches were full of emotion and laughs, from maid of honour Xena and groomswoman Nashia to Evie’s brother and Wayne himself.

The Merrydale Suite at Merrydale Manor dressed for the wedding breakfast with tall white flower bombs, floral archways and clear chiavari chairs
Close-up of a tall white rose and greenery flower bomb centrepiece on a gold stand in the Merrydale Suite
Guests waving white napkins in the air to welcome the newlyweds into the wedding breakfast
The bride smiling at the top table during the speeches as a guest raises a glass
The bride hiding her face in her hand and the groom laughing as a groomsman gives an animated speech
The bride smiling up at her maid of honour Xena, in emerald green, giving her speech
Groomswoman Nashia giving her speech with the groom smiling beside her at the top table
The groom reading his speech from his phone as the bride reacts with surprise
Black and white photo of the bride touching the groom's face at the top table as Nashia looks on
Nashia laughing with a bridesmaid in emerald green in the courtyard at Merrydale Manor
A fire performer from Girls of Safire spinning flaming chains on the terrace as the bride, groom and guests watch
The fire performer juggling flaming clubs against the brick walls of Merrydale Manor at dusk
The fire performer juggling flaming clubs under his raised leg in front of the arched windows
The fire performer mid-juggle with three flaming clubs outside Merrydale Manor as the evening draws in
The bride and groom blowing towards a flaming torch held by the laughing fire performer outside Merrydale Manor

First Dance and Party

Wayne chose their first dance, “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran, because the lyrics said what he felt. They danced on a light-up dance floor that was a last-minute addition, booked only a couple of days before the wedding. Exceed Events kept the dance floor full from there, and later in the evening a fire performer from Girls of Safire kept guests entertained and laughing.

The bride and her dad sharing their father-daughter dance in the Merrydale Suite, as he kisses her head and the bridesmaids in emerald green look on
The groom twirling the bride on the light-up dance floor during their first dance in the Merrydale Suite
The bride spinning under the groom's arm on the light-up dance floor as guests watch and film
The groom lifting the bride into a hug during their first dance in the Merrydale Suite, with guests cheering around the dance floor
The groom in his emerald velvet waistcoat stretching his arms out wide as he dances with the bride
The bride and groom smiling at each other during their first dance at Merrydale Manor
Nashia kissing Xena on the cheek as they dance together in the Merrydale Suite
A guest in a red patterned tie laughing and dancing under the lights in the Merrydale Suite

Evie’s Advice for Couples Planning a Merrydale Manor Wedding

Looking back, Evie was surprised by how many decisions go into the details: the base for each flower bomb, the colours, the frame styles, how many candles line the aisle, the size of the vases. Her advice is to start early and expect more choices than you’d think.

Two other tips from her day:

  • Slow down on the aisle. Evie’s one wish is that she’d taken her time walking down it, so she could take it all in.
  • Chase your suppliers. Don’t wait for a phone call to tell you the suits are ready. A quick call the week before saves a lot of stress.

Suppliers

A Year On

A few weeks ago I bumped into Evie and Wayne at a wedding they’d recommended me for, and this time there were three of them. Their little girl was there too, so it turns out those wedding morning “nerves” had a very good reason behind them.

Here’s what Evie said about her photos:

“I don’t think we could have picked a better photographer. All of our guests loved you, and you brought a funny and happy vibe to the day that made it that extra bit special.”

If you’re planning your own wedding at Merrydale Manor, have a look at my Merrydale Manor wedding photographer page for venue tips, or get in touch to check my availability.