Main Details
Wedding date
Venue
The wedding will take place at our venue. Full details are listed below.
Timing
Please check your invitation timing details below.
Dress Code
The dress code is semi-formal (autumn whimsy encouraged). As parts of the day will be outdoors, please come prepared with layers and footwear suitable for grass.
Travel
There is generous parking available on site, and cars can be left overnight if needed.
A return shuttle will be available from Mercure Chester Abbots Well Hotel.
We recommend pre-booking taxis, especially for late-night travel, as availability can be limited.
Reliable options
Additional options
Accommodation
Please note that on-site accommodation is reserved for immediate family and the wedding party.
Suggested Hotels
Whitchurch Road, Christleton, Chester, CH3 5QL
~25-30 minutes (~12-14 miles) to Abbeywood Estate
Use code MERWED under “Special Rates” for a discounted room with breakfast.
Best for: Guests looking for a more affordable option with plenty of availability.
A return shuttle will run from this hotel. To reserve a seat, please contact Sally (Mother of the Bride) by 1 August.
Visit website
Cobblers Cross Lane, Tarporley, CW6 0DJ
~10 minutes (~3-4 miles) to Abbeywood Estate
Best for: Guests wanting a more traditional hotel stay close to the venue, with spa facilities and a slightly more premium feel - also ideal for the golfers!
Visit website
81 School Lane, Hartford, Northwich, CW8 1PW
~15 minutes (~6-7 miles) to Abbeywood Estate
Best for: Guests who enjoy a relaxed pub-style stay with character, good food, and a balance between convenience and atmosphere.
Visit website
Chester Road, Kelsall, Cheshire, CW6 0RR
~5-7 minutes (~2-3 miles) to Abbeywood Estate
Best for: Guests wanting a cosy village pub experience very close to the venue. Great for a more intimate, boutique feel (space is limited).
Visit website
Delamere Forest, Ashton Road, Frodsham, WA6 6PA
~5 minutes (~1-2 miles) to Abbeywood Estate
Best for: Groups, families, or guests making a weekend of it. Perfect for a unique, nature-based stay right next to the venue.
Please note there is a minimum three-night stay, usually Friday to Monday.
Visit websiteThere are also a number of guest houses and B&Bs in the area. Please feel free to get in touch if you would like recommendations.
Gifts
Having you with us on our wedding day truly means the world to us - that really is the greatest gift we could ask for.
There is truly no expectation to give anything - celebrating with you is what matters most to us.
If you do choose to contribute, thank you. It means so much to us to support causes we care about, and we can’t wait to play your records and think of you.
Katie’s Charity
Conor’s Charity
Willow’s Charity
To read more about why we chose these charities, please visit our GiveWheel page.
FAQs
Please arrive with enough time to find your seats.
Invited guests and plus ones are clear on the wedding invite message.
Our wedding will be a mostly adult celebration, but we understand childcare isn’t always easy. If you have a child under 5 who isn’t named on the invitation and you aren’t able to arrange childcare, please get in touch and we’ll do our best to accommodate.
Semi-formal attire, with autumn whimsy encouraged. Please plan for layers and footwear suited to grass.
Ceremony - seated by 11:50 for 12:00
Confetti followed by drinks reception and canapés
Guests seated for speeches
Dinner is served
Further speeches
Tea and coffee
Cake cutting and first dance
Evening celebration
Evening food
Last orders at 11:30pm
Carriages at 12:00am
Use the RSVP section below, enter one guest or party name from your invitation, and your party cards will appear.
Please see the travel section for parking, shuttle details, and recommended taxi services.
Katie will be taking Conor’s surname and becoming Katie Sloan. Saying goodbye to du Plessis isn’t easy, but starting married life with a shared name as Mr & Mrs Sloan feels very special… plus Sloan is just so much easier to spell!
RSVP
Our Story
March 2020
It all started just before the world shut down. After being introduced by Katie’s flatmate, Sam, Conor began popping round to the house in Tooting every day to “work from home” (a very convincing excuse at the time) as part of the household “bubble”.
What followed was a week of constant conversation, laughter, and getting to know each other in a way that felt unusually easy.
March 2020
With lockdown in full swing, there was only one real option for a first date: a very long walk and some “essential” snacks.
Armed with vegan Greggs sausage rolls, we spent hours wandering Wandsworth Common, talking about life, everything and nothing. Somewhere in those four hours of conversation, it became clear this was something special.
April 2020
Like many in lockdown, we got creative…
Fircroft became our playground - Easter egg hunts, Olympics, mini golf, Bake Off, and even a full pub crawl with each room turned into a themed “pub”.
This photo (Conor as a pirate, hat missing) sums it up perfectly - fun, chaotic, and never too serious.
October 2020
We moved into Conor’s flat in Tooting Broadway - our first real step in building a life together.
Alongside everyday routines came doughnut decorating, guitar lessons, and the occasional blanket fort.
Those two years set the tone for everything that followed - working from home and spending nearly every hour together.
January 2022
Our first international trip together took us to Finland for Conor’s 30th birthday. It was pure magic.
Wrapped up in snow gear, we were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights, completely in awe of it all. It was the first of many unforgettable trips.
October 2022
We travelled to South Africa together for the first time, with Conor meeting many of Katie’s family and friends.
Two weeks, multiple stops, and countless introductions and new experiences. A chance to bring two worlds together and share such an important part of life with each other.
November 2022
We moved to our flat in West Kirby, settling into a new chapter of life on the Paradise Peninsula.
For Conor, it was a return home; for both of us, it meant starting over, building connections with friends and family, and continuing to shape our life together.
November 2022
Soon after settling on the Wirral, Willow joined the family.
She brought chaos, joy, and a whole new level of love (and responsibility) into our lives, and very quickly became at the centre of everything we do.
September 2024
We were staying in an off-grid shepherd’s hut in the Brecon Beacons, hoping for starry skies - but none appeared for three nights.
Just before midnight on the fourth night, the sky finally cleared. Wrapped in pyjamas and a blanket, we stepped outside onto a picnic mat under a sky full of stars.
The question was asked - the answer came quickly: “Obviously!” Followed by, “I do have a ring… it’s just inside!”
May 2025
We bought our house on Fleck Lane in May 2025 and spent the following months renovating it into our home.
By March 2026, we were fully moved in (minus curtains) - creating a space that feels completely ours, and marking the start of our next chapter together.