A couple who ‘loved everything about their special day’ tied the knot after a Christmas Eve proposal.

Trudie, nee Sanderson, 31, and Paul Lishman, 34, wed on June 26 at Chollerton church before a marquee reception on their farm.

The couple met in 2016, with farmer Paul proposing at home on Christmas Eve 2019 – in what Trudie described a “huge surprise.”

The couple live just outside of Barrasford.

Covid, sadly, put paid to the couple’s respective hen and stag parties.

Trudie had been due to celebrate near York but friends and family clubbed together and instead arranged a surprise get together at a friend’s farm in Ponteland.

Paul had planned a night with the boys at the Barrasford Arms’ garden, but unfortunately, the weather had other plans. A celebration in the lambing shed was had instead.

Trudie, who runs the Riverside Kitchen in Chollerford said the wedding had a rustic feel with flowers and wood galore.

The bride wore a dress from Y.A.P Bridal Newcastle, while Paul was dressed in a suit from Blades, Corbridge.

By the couple’s side on their big day were Nikki Sanderson, Trudie’s sister who actually went into labour the following day, Paul’s sister Kate Jewitt and friends Rebecca Carins and Laura Taylor. The flower girl was the couple’s four-year-old niece Olivia Jewitt.

Paul had one best man in Tony Gradwell and was flanked by ushers Kevin Sparke, Jamie Crozier and Robbie Binks.

In a special moment, the bride was walked down the aisle by brother Paul Sanderson as the siblings lost their dad many years ago.

The couple exchanged rings, with Paul favouring a brushed style and Trudie opting for a platinum band with a half band of diamonds.

Trudie explained: “We cancelled all of our 150 evening guests which wasn’t a pleasant thing to do. But everyone was very understanding. Because we were classed as an outside venue on private land, we were still able to have 100 guests and able to have music and a dance floor.”

The couple had their first dance to Callum Scott’s ‘Climb Every Mountain’. Family member Joe Hyam performed an acoustic guitar set before band Abbey Road and a DJ from Defcon Entertainments took the reins.

Thirty guests attended the church before the marquee reception, supplied by Collingwood Marquees.

The couple had homemade sloe gin flavours – the sloes having been collected from Paul’s grandparents’ farm near Morpeth

Trudie and Paul had a mini-moon in Harrogate but hope to travel to Canada when restrictions allow.

There were also lots of people who made their day so special:

Photographer: Penny Rose Photography, Joe Taylor Photography

Videographer: Afasionante films (Claudia Mcausland)

Flowers: Fern & Ivy Floral Design (Anna Hutchinson, Wark, and Samantha Montague), Lynne Scott, of Corneyside Farm

Mirror transfer: Sign and Design Hexham

Bar: Ian Proctor

Accommodation: Walwick Hall

Table decorations: Sarah Sparke

Transport: Paul Watson and Julie Ridley

Cake: Kay Armstrong Cake Design