13 November 2022 · Crathorne Hall
Alfie had been asking for years
Rianna & Sam
Watch their film ↓
For two years, Alfie had been asking Sam when he was going to marry his mum. At Crathorne Hall, Sam could finally say he had fulfilled the request. Alfie gave Rianna away, then took his place beside them at the top table. This was very much a wedding for the three of them.
A family ceremony at Crathorne Hall
Rianna and Sam married inside the hall, with flowers overhead and their friends and family close around them. Alfie’s part in the entrance made the ceremony especially personal.
Sam later remembered meeting a four-year-old Alfie who came running downstairs carrying Batman figures. He had felt part of the family straight away. Now he could speak about gaining a wife and the stepson he was so proud of.
Friends from far away
Some guests had travelled from Georgia in the United States. Their speeches spoke about friendship kept going across thousands of miles and different time zones, and the care Sam and Rianna gave the people around them.
Sam serves in the Royal Air Force, so time together has particular value. His speech was full of gratitude for Rianna and the family he had joined, with a joke about marrying before Alfie grew taller than him.
Autumn around the hall
Crathorne Hall’s rooms kept the ceremony and reception close together, while the autumn grounds gave Rianna and Sam a little time outside. It was lovely to see friends who had travelled so far enjoying that time together.
Their wedding brought far-flung people into one room. We wanted the film to let them be there again, with Alfie beside them and Sam’s words still clear.
With thanks to
The people behind the day
VenueCrathorne Hall