Timeless, breathtaking location
Alkmaar's Grote Kerk or the Grote Sint-Laurenskerk
Impressed is an understatement. I have been living in Alkmaar for a year and a half but never had the chance to visit this formerly protestant church, which is now in secular use.
But how amazing to get married and host a reception in such an impressive building, combining a modern and ethereal touch with the traditional idea of getting married in a church.
Vendors:
Wedding Planner: That Special Day (Sarina Jongkind)
Wedding Stylist: De meiden van Versier
Florals: Rae Blooms
Wedding Cake: Sweet Studio
Wedding Venue: Grote Sint-Laurenskerk
Stationary: Bonnie Duijs
Alkmaar and its gorgeous center
The church is located in the center of Alkmaar. A tad further from its historic cheese market, but well surrounded by gorgeous canals and bridges to take your newly wed images. The entrance of the church is located on one of Alkmaar's main shopping street and is beautifully decorated with a small urban garden and beautiful arches.
Stepping inside Alkmaar's Grote Kerk
As soon as you step inside, you are greeted with cathedral ceilings, a floor full of details and stories, gorgeous and humongous windows. It is breathtaking!
The space offers the possibility to host the ceremony, diner, and reception in the church itself, making it convenient and easy for your guests. For this particular wedding, the ceremony was staged on the back side of the church, the tables hosting the diner were in its middle, and finally, a small party location was designed right behind the wooden slates shown in the image below.
The Ceremony
The ceremony was staged in front of the pipes of the original pipe organ used in the church back in the days. Not only did it provide a unique backdrop for the ceremony, but its touch of gold and beautiful details created a luxurious feeling, especially when paired with the modern and chic floral arrangements of Rae Blooms.
The styling of the ceremony, diner and reception was done beautifully by De Meiden Van Versier.
The Reception
Having the reception held in the same building can only mean one thing: we get to eat the cake sooner! Right after the ceremony, the couple made its way to the party area, where they would let the champagne tower overflow and cut a gorgeous cake designed by ZZ Sweetstudio. Soon after, we would be heading out to get some shots of the newly wed couple in the beautiful city of Alkmaar.
Newly Weds
The wedding being in November didn't allow us for much time between the ceremony and ending it for a few images. We had to be quick as the light was quickly fading. We decided to start with a few pictures in front of Alkmaar's Grote Kerk, and then end on to Alkmaar's iconic canals. The front side of the church offered a nice look with its arches and small garden.
The evening light offered a beautiful atmosphere, perfect for photographs of a November wedding.
conclusion
Planning your wedding in Alkmaar?
Then the Grote Sint-Laurenskerk may be the perfect venue for you! It offers a luxurious feel, while also offering the possibility to personalise the space to your style and liking. Its location is walking distance to some gorgeous photoshoot location for your couple's shoot.
As a photographer, I would strongly recommend having the ceremony earlier during the day if your wedding is held at a time of the year where days are a tad shorter. That way, you could maximise the beauty of the space by allowing for gorgeous light to come through those majestic windows.
Do you have any questions? Then I am happy to answer to the best of my knowledge!
