Sasha + Chris at Doxford Barns | July 2025
“You made our day so special by making it easy to express our boring but magical little life to everyone! ”
Sasha and Chris’ day was about family, above everything else. And so we planned the ceremony so that all four of them - Sasha and her son Nathan, Chris and his daughter Lilly, the gorgeous little blended gang of them - would be involved. And feel involved.
It was, of course, about Chris and Sasha committing to each other but it was really clear that it was also about them committing to the children and making it completely, utterly, securely evident that they were a family. No matter which last name the children have.
Before the bride, sweet tiny niece flower girls came down Doxford Barns’ epic staricase - everso gingerly - then both of the bride and groom’s children had a chance to walk down the aisle. Lilly was with her grandad (and she went straight to her dad for a beautiful, emotional hug) and then Nathan was accompanied by the maid of honour…and stayed true to his own way of showing affection: a hand outstretched to Chris into a “gotcha!” wave of the hand on his nose. Much to the enjoyment of their friends and family.
Photography by lovely Northumbrian Dru Dodd
Music was important too. For the children and bridal party’s entrance Chris and Sasha had chosen You are the Reason, by Calum Scott, then as stunning Sasha appeared at the top of the stairs Miracle by Riley Clemens began to play.
This is a couple who aren’t afraid to show how they feel. They are so full - overflowing - with a sense of wonder that they found each other (and increased their family, their immediate loved ones), and that’s what we could all feel in the ceremony. Life got better, fuller, more exciting, more chaotic, more brilliant when they met. And Sasha counted every green flag this man clearly had (like saving a little frog on the path on their first date).
And it wasn’t just immediate family that made it a family affair. Sasha and Chris are auntie and uncle to a few, and there were friends’ children invited too. They were keen it felt like real life and wasn’t just a posh, quiet event for grown ups. So, in the ceremony, there were kids galore. Kids on laps, kids escaping laps, kids having a little cry and being shushed back to quiet(ish), and kids just being kids. Brilliant and unpredictable and part of the fun.
Their daughter Lilly did a reading, an anon poem of advice from a child to their parents on their wedding day, and she was fantastic.
Then after funny stories from their relationship, exchanging personal vows (“I love you today because we are a family” sob!), and then rings, after the first kiss their children came forward for a family hug.
And at that point I had written some vows for them to make to the kids. Promising unconditional love, and a fun, supportive home where they will always be given the benefit of the doubt.
I said:
“Nathan and Lilly, your mum and dad recognise that you are lucky enough to belong to two different families and that you are loved everywhere you belong.
You have extra love in your life.
Extra grown ups on your side who are cheering you on, who will be there whenever you need them.”
What a lucky family.