Last week we reached our 10th wedding anniversary, having been together for almost 18 years. I’m not sure how we made it this far, but I’m keeping this post positive and want to show you the beautiful hotel we got married in and returned to last week to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary.
On the morning of our anniversary, my husband passed me an envelope with an anniversary card in. Within this card was a note instructing me to pack the children’s bags and take them to my mum and dad’s house along with Mister B. Miss M would be picked up from school and I was to wake the husband at 1.30pm (as he needed a bit of a sleep after coming off night shift that morning).
So we set off and as we drove I had my suspicions as to where we were headed. We soon turned in to the long, winding entrance lane to the hotel we married in exactly 10 years earlier – Kitley House.
Immediately I could feel the memories flooding back as well as feeling incredibly relaxed. The building hadn’t changed, apart from a bit of the decor which had naturally been updated. I love the beautiful double sided staircase which I walked down with my dad to the room I got married in, the dining hall where we had the afternoon wedding meal in, and the peaceful ambience of the whole place.
The stairs haven’t changed but they do have a new red carpet! It got me looking back at old photos and I found this one of me and my dad walking down the stairs into the ceremony room back in 2004!
After checking in to our bedroom, “the bridal suite”, where we stayed 10 years ago, I felt so relaxed and away from everyday life. I found out the room has literally just been refurbished in the last few weeks and my husband had only seen it in a mid decorative state when he booked it so wasn’t sure on the final finish.
Gone was the four poster bed and in it’s place was much larger queen bed, which although I like the idea of a four poster, the luxurious queen bed was definitely more indulgent being three whole pillows wide and littered with rose petals – a treat I’ve never had before.
The view from the bedroom window is one I won’t forget in a long time, it looked so tranquil, I felt I was a million miles from home, although only 7 & a half, but felt like I was in a different place and time. I love this picture and can’t believe it was taken from my phone through an old little pane of glass on the panelled bedroom window.
When we arrived in the room I was overwhelmed to find flowers and wine from my mum, and champagne waiting for us due to my husband having ordered the indulgent package for our overnight stay.
We then explored the room and I couldn’t forget the enormous bathroom that I’d got ready and dressed in for my wedding 10 years ago, before arriving a fashionably ten minutes late to the ceremony! It had the same sink and bath but was revamped with new wallpaper, wooden style flooring and some lighter dressing table furniture which really lifted the room giving it a lighter, French feel to it.
A then and now picture below, although I must stress that the now doesn’t mean I’m single – we just didn’t have anyone to take a picture of us both and couldn’t stage the camera in the middle of the doorway to get the same view!
After dropping our bags off it was time to go down to the bar for a cream tea, I had hot chocolate with my warm scone, jam and clotted cream – a proper bit of indulgence for the afternoon that I hadn’t been expecting!
We then enjoyed our bottle of champagne before freshening up to go down for a three course meal in the dining room. I loved the little bread rolls that were served to us in flowerpots and my meringue dessert was amazing!
The next morning we took a stroll around the grounds, down over the little bridges across the lakes. It turned out that we were staying for lunch and you never guess who turned up – my beautiful children accompanied by my parents who were celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary that day! A lovely lunch followed before it was time to head home and leave the idyllic surroundings of Kitley House behind us…
It’s so lovely you got the chance to do this, and have a good break together without the kids. I think it’s so important to have these chances from time to time and what better occasion than 10 years wedding anniversary – congratulations!!
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Thanks, it was a lovely chance to get away, a child free one that is a rarity for us!
Oh my gosh what an amazing and supremely romantic gesture. It’s absolutely gorgeous, how lucky you are! It looks a brilliant place to have a wedding, and a stay, and I really couldn’t spot anything I didn’t swoon over. You look absolutely gorgeous in that last photo, so relaxed and gloriously happy. I hope that didn’t leave as you left the hotel 🙂 xx
It was a fabulously relaxed time and a gorgeous wedding venue and yes, I’m a lucky girl for being taken back there – I wasn’t expecting it!
What a lovely surprise! Happy Anniversary for a few weeks ago. Looks like it was one to remember.
It sounds like the perfect way to celebrate your anniversary you lucky thing! It really does look like a beautiful place too. So peaceful and romantic. I must remember to show this to my OH seen as it is our 10 year anniversary coming up!
Oh wow, that looks like a lovely setting for a wedding. Who said romance was dead eh? 😉
That really was the perfect, romantic surprise, You look wonderful in the photos and I hope you enjoyed your much needed spoiling!
what a lovely surprise, and a beautiful place to go. It looks like you had the whole house to yourselves! I hope you had a lovely restful time and your hubby will have to pull something even more special out when you get to 20!
Oh you’ve made me cry! How wonderful, I think somone earned some brownie points for this one and for the Sunday surprise, just lovely. There are some romantics still out there x
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