MEET YOUR ELOPEMENT PLANNERS

ABOUT US

We are both from the South Lakes, Cumbria, Joe is from Swarthmoor, and I am from a little village called Askam. We met back in 2016 whilst working at a Lake District hotel, Joe worked in the kitchen, and I worked in events. After a few interactions during work, we starting hanging out after our shifts with a big group of other hospitality veterans, although this was categorically as ‘just friends’. A few months passed, and we grew closer, until we ended up whittling the large initial group down to just us two - and the rest, as they say, is history. We got engaged in an Edinburgh graveyard (Greyfriars) in September 2020, and married on the Royal Mile in November 2021. We have been on many adventures throughout Europe, as well as exploring The Lake District and Scotland in our beloved camper van, Juliette.

At the risk of sounding cliche (although, I am guessing that since you’re here reading this, you are well and truly in your love bubble whilst planning your elopement/wedding, so maybe ill be in good company and you won’t think I am being too gross haha) - but, we are absolutely best friends, we make the best team. Where one falters, the other one is there to compensate. We are very opposite in so many ways, but we have one main core value, and that is our love and respect for each other, as well as trying to make the most out of this labyrinth we call life.

MEET LO

Hiya, Lo here,

I am the face behind the sister company, Wolf & Raven Photography which I founded in Jan 2022. Since doing so, the business, and my skills, have grown from strength to strength. I have recently had one of my images feature in Cosmopolitan Magazine (yes, you may refer to me as Carrie Bradshaw..), my photography work has taken me all over the Lake District and Scotland, including up mountains, by lakes, in castles, and in the city - and along the way I have met some truly wonderful people. I started off in this industry a hundred years ago, as a waitress > barmaid > event coordinator > event planner, I then had a break from hospitality where I joined the police as a safeguarding officer. In 2021, I suffered a huge loss, which truly changed my life and my mindset in every way. I realised that I didn’t what to spend each day of my life doing something that I didn’t really care about, I wanted to do something so fulfilling, something creative, something I was incredibly passionate about, and something that I knew I was bloody good at.

So back in 2022, with the support of Joe, I decided to take the plunge and launch Wolf and Raven in order to make this my livelihood, and I have never looked back. I left my full time job as a Safeguarding Support Officer in May 2024, it was a terrifying move, to leave that steady income and stable job, and jump into the unknown, but I could no longer manage juggling both - one of them had to go…so I took the plunge. Wolf and Raven keeps growing, and I have had some incredible opportunities working alongside some amazing business, such as Bollinger champagne, large Lake District hotels and incredible Scottish Castles, not to mention all the wonderful suppliers and couples that I have met along the way. Our passion for Wolf and Raven as a couple was so strong, that we knew we wanted to push the boundaries further, and it just made sense that we went back to our roots of, and collaborate on this new venture, Lone Wolf Elopements, and I can’t wait for you to see what’s to come.

5 FACTS ABOUT LO

  1. Virgo, 1993

  2. Gothic architecture and grand castles, or anything that makes me feel like I am living in a different time

  3. Coffee to make me function, Aperol to make me fun

  4. My fave countries on earth, Scotland and Italy

  5. Game of Thrones, Outlander, Gavin and Stacey, reality TV

MEET JOE

CHEF JOE!

The man who will be blowing your minds with the incredibly creative and cool storytelling menus that he will design for you, as well as blowing the minds of your little taste buds on your elopement weekend - make sure you’re following us to see some samples of past story telling menus Joe has created. But in the meantime - here’s a brief outline of Joes cheffing history

After working as a pot wash in a local pub from the age of 14, and then slowly being introduced to helping out on starters, desserts and sides, I just knew I had found my calling from a young age. I graduated Kendal Collage in 2010 with my NVQ l3, I then when on to work in a number of different Lake District restaurants, all with very different kitchens, very different staff and very different vibes. Throughout the years, I slowly climbed the ladder, working under and with so many different chefs, I just tried to absorb as much knowledge as I could.

However, working for years, doing 15 hour days in large hotels had dulled my passion, and it wasn’t until I became a Head Chef that I rediscovered my love for the craft.

Taking on my first Head Chef role was transformative. Working for an old college friend, I embraced the responsibility and creative freedom, developing weekly specials, hitting targets and building a strong following for my Sunday roast.

I then seized the opportunity to become the Head Chef at Brantwood, where I could finally write my own menus and have full creative control. By pulling together a collection of my previous cheffing experiences, global travels, down to my love for Game of Thrones and medieval history and of course, Scotland, I was able to have free reign in a kitchen where I could channel all of these aspects into my menus.

I am continuously inspired by new ideas and the freedom to experiment, and I’m committed to constantly evolving as a chef.

5 FACTS ABOUT JOE

  1. Pizza is king

  2. I don’t stop talking

  3. Blink 182, Motley Crue, Gerry Cinnamon

  4. Tattoos and beers

  5. Happiest when in Scotland