SH*T JUST GOT REAL! The Un-Wedding Show at Garthmyl Hall

A photo of Garthmyl Hall with a red and orange balloon installation around the pillars and a black and white banner that says SH*T JUST GOT REAL

The iconic entrance to Garthmyl Hall with a bright red balloon installation by TMS Events and a SH*T JUST GOT REAL banner by Tara Collette

Photos by Lisa Jane Photography

The Un-Wedding Show’s first immersive takeover at Garthmyl Hall, Shropshire.

Wow! What a debut that was for The Un-Wedding Show’s brand new SH*T JUST GOT REAL event at Garthmyl Hall in Shropshire, the UK’s most unique exclusive hire wedding venue!

We took over this stunning stately home nestled on the border of the Welsh countryside, bringing it to life with our careful curation of Un-Wedding suppliers, to help couples get as close to that on-the-day feel as they possibly can without going to an actual wedding.

This was a completely new experience for all involved compared to our ever-popular wedding fair for modern couples, The Un-Wedding Show. We’re used to taking over alternative wedding spaces across the UK with non-traditional wedding suppliers that have been cherry-picked especially for our non-traditional couples. We put the party into your wedding planning with our high-energy and high-connecting events because wedding planning should be fun and wedding fairs have been seen as a drag for far too long! In fact, when I was planning my wedding, I couldn’t think of anything worse than going to a wedding fair… so I started my own!

Garthmyl Hall is one of the most instagramable wedding spaces in the UK so it was the perfect backdrop for our suppliers to showcase exactly what they can do with your space on your wedding day.

No more having to imagine.

Upon arrival, our attendees were greeted with an impressive balloon installation by TMS Events and a custom wedding banner by Manchester-based artist, Tara Collette. All attendees walked in to a champagne reception in Garthmyl Hall’s iconic hallway where the staircase had been dressed with a beautiful, light autumnal floral installation by TMS Events. The feeling of warmth and welcome was tangible not least because of the roaring log fire that was ablaze to show couples that stately homes don’t have to be cold and uninviting.

Glasses of champagne lined up on an ornate dresses at Garthmyl Hall.

Glasses of fizz waiting for attendees on the ornate dresser in the hallway of Garthmyl Hall.

The staircase at Garthmyl Hall dressed with peach and cream flowers up the left hand side.

Stunning flowers on the staircase at Garthmyl Hall designed by TMS Events.

A close up of peach, pink and orange roses mixed with dried palm leaves and grasses.

A close up of the incredible staircase florals by TMS Events at Garthmyl Hall.

A hand painted wedding sign that says SH*T JUST GOT REAL next to a staircase of flowers at Garthmyl Hall.

A bespoke wedding sign by Sylvie Signs to welcome everyone to the event. The pops of orange are a perffect match for the staircase florals by TMS Events.

Delicious catering from the region’s finest wedding caterers.

Seeing is believing but tasting is proof!

A huge part of our SH*T JUST GOT REAL takeover was about being able to introduce our couples to some of the region’s finest wedding caterers so, in true wedding style the delicious canopes were flowing from vibrant hostess with the mostest Tallulah’s Catering.

Tallulah Catering all set up in the window at Garthmyl Hall.

Tallulah’s Catering all set up to welcome attendees at Garthmyl Hall for SH*T JUST GOT REAL.

A white tray of small round canopes with a white cream and red onion topping.

A tray of delicious canopes by Tallulah’s Catering at Garthmyl Hall.

A golden tray of delicate filo pastry canopies by Tallulah’s Catering.

And because wedding planning is such hungry work, there were even more unique and delicious offerings from Comyn Bruce in The Summerhouse, one of Garthmyl Hall’s most charming spots that looked dreamy and enchanting with a recycled plastic bottle flower installation by Aimee Maxelon Art.

Gold letters against a white brick wall that say COMYN BRUCE.

Comyn Bruce gold and perspex branding in The Summerhouse at Garthmyl Hall.

Delicious bowl food samples by Comyn Bruce at Garthmyl Hall.

Colourful plastic flowers hanging from vines in The Summerhouse at Garthmyl Hall.

Beautiful hanging flowers made from recycled plastic bottles by Aimee Maxelon Art in The Summerhouse at Garthmyl Hall.

A Honeymoon Suite like you’ve never seen before!

The Honeymoon Suite at Garthmyl Hall has to be one of the best examples of a luxury bridal suite that there is! We were delighted to see this brought to life for SH*T JUST GOT REAL as a romantic bridal boutique takeover by Coventry-based bridal studio, A Lover’s Thread.

Sophie’s bespoke bridal designs are romantic and stylish, she brings personalisation to the next level with her beautiful hand-embroidered messages. With plenty of space to try on ALT gowns and twirl around in front of the 7ft gold mirror, this takeover provided a special chance for brides to get as close to that on-the-day feel as they possibly can.

A rail of bridal dresses hanging on gold hangers in the window of the Honeymoon Suite at Garthmyl Hall.

A Lover’s Thread wedding dresses hanging in the window of the Honeymoon Suite at Garthmyl Hall.

Rolls of silk ribbons in a range of colours on a glass tray.

Beautiful rolls of naturally coloured silk ribbons waiting to be embroidered with romantic messages from A Lover’s Thread.

A stunning wedding beaded gown hanging on the back of a wardrobe door against a deep red wall.

A beaded wedding gown by A Lover’s Thread, hanging on the back of a wardrobe door against the deep red walls of the Honeymoon Suite at Garthmyl Hall.

Time to party!

Despite this event being very different to The Un-Wedding Show as we know it, we knew we had to keep ‘party’ element that our wedding fairs have become so synonymous with and Garthmyl Hall’s Cellar Bar was the perfect spot for this with live Sax and DJ sets from Start To Finish Music. Laurie and Leon are professional musicians who take care of all your wedding entertainment needs with their high-energy performances!

SH*T JUST GOT REAL is all about showcasing unique wedding spaces at their best and no after-party would be complete without disco balls, cocktails neon lights, right?

Hands up who needs this disco shag wall and balloon installation by Pretty Fy Co?!

A disco shag wall backdrop with balloons and neon lights that say ‘It was always you’.

4 disco balls hanging in the Cellar Bar at Garthmyl Hall.

Bespoke SH*T JUST GOT REAL disco balls by Third Eye Signs.

4 people talking inside the neon lit Cellar Bar at Garthmyl Hall.

The neon lit Cellar Bar at Garthmyl Hall.

A close up of a gold saxophone.

Start To Finish Music playing a live Sax DJ Set in the Cellar Bar at Garthmyl Hall.

The Un-Wedding Show

Last but not least was our mini version of The Un-Wedding Show which took place in The Ballroom and Marquee of Garthmyl Hall featuring a small selection of our favourite suppliers. The Ballroom itself has a couple of permanent features including an ornate mirrored dresser and fireplace that were brought to life by Avant Garde Cake Studio and Moss Floral Artistry.

A 3 tiered white wedding cake.

A 3 tiered white wedding cake with tiny floral details standing in front of a mirror in The Ballroom at Garthmyl Hall.

An ornate fireplace in The Ballroom at Garthmyl Hall decorated with an abundance of fresh flowers in white, light pink and burgundy.

An abundance of flowers by Moss Floral Artistry decorating the fireplace in The Ballroom at Garthmyl Hall with a mini tablescape in the forefront and a gold mirror reflecting a chandelier in the background.

Manon Pauffin Photography stand at Garthmyl Hall.

Manon Pauffin Photography in The Ballroom at Garthmyl Hall.

The Rubbish Portraits lightbox in The Ballroom at Garthmyl Hall.

Rubbish Portraits in The Ballroom at Garthmyl Hall.

A woman with a glass of champagne sat in a portrait booth and holding up a sketched portrait.

Melissa Woods, founder of The Un-Wedding, holding up her Rubbish Portrait in The Ballroom at Garthmyl Hall.

See more from the incredible suppliers who took part in making this event happen in the gallery by Lisa Jane Photography below along with a list of all suppliers that took part in the showcase. HUGE THANKS also to the incredible Jay Anderson for filming the event which we can’t wait to share with you soon!

Make sure you are on our mailing list to find out when our next SH*T JUST GOT REAL event will be!

P.S The Un-Wedding Show is back at Shoreditch Studios, London and Trafalgar Warehouse, Sheffield in early 2023! Tickets are on sale now!

Melissa Woods