Wedding photographer’s website

Danny Jack https://dannyjackphotography.co.uk

Wedding photographer review

Danny was amazing. Having never had any professional photography done before we were both a bit wary about finding the right person to take the best possible photographs without it feeling too forced or posed. Danny was very easy going and fit in immediately – we shared several geeky interests and he was exceptionally easy to talk to. His natural and ‘in the moment’ photography style fit our wedding perfectly – allowing for an excellent mix of natural pictures and epic shots, without taking up too much time away from the party! He was able to capture all the magic moments – including an impromptu dancefloor cart-wheel from the groom! We would recommend Danny to everyone.

Your best moment or memory

There’s just so many, but if we had to pick one; the last dance of the night holds a special place for us; surrounded by all our closest friends and family (that had survived to the end!) whilst we danced as a couple at the center of the circle, allowing us to appreciate and soak up the final moments of the wedding evening.

Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)

We did not have any speeches – we felt that it would add unnecessary pressure to family members that were not confident public speakers which in turn, would affect their enjoyment and ability to relax. We also wanted a relaxed vibe, and we felt speeches too formal for us. We also took great delight at sneaking in as many geeky references as we could in the wedding, with varying levels of subtleness! Ranging from the barely visible ATLA runes on the invitations, to the D20 jelly wedding favours.

Venue name + review

The Ferry House Inn. Absolutely perfect! We viewed the Ferry House Inn as our ‘wildcard’ venue as part of their wedding showcase and instantly fell in love.

The outdoor ceremony option of the gazebo was divine – surrounded by greenery and a lovely view of the water – it was exactly what we wanted. The gazebo option for the reception allowed us ample space for our guests – and the excellent quirk of hiding the dancefloor behind a screen until the evening reveal, was joyous! The wedding coordinators were incredibly helpful and made the whole process smooth and stress-free. Not to mention the food was sublime!

Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!

After seeing a green suit at the wedding EXPO in London we were surprised at how much we both loved the colour and thus began the hunt for a green suit, not nearly as popular as its blue or black counterparts. We finally found a friend in Edit Suits that allows for a custom design suit to be made – including several choices of material, pockets, colour and linings. After trying on several dresses – Faye chose the first dress she had tried on in the first shop: Bell’amore To fit with the rustic/relaxed/fantasy vibe Faye opted for a lace dress with floral patterns that had detachable sleeves(!).

Florist name + review

For our wedding we used Idyllic and Co. wedding designers who arranged and designed many aspects of our wedding – including the sourcing the flowers/florist (which ended up lovely!).

Cake maker name + review

Ericakes : https://www.ericakes.co.uk/

When searching for wedding cakes we knew we had found our cake maker when Faye saw Erica’s ‘Alice in Wonderland cake’ – the detailing and patterns were beautiful. Wanting something similar but a reflection of both Faye’s chaotic side and Dean’s ‘neater’ aesthetic, we met with Erica to discuss ideas and how we could tie in our fantasy/book theme. Erica came up with the brilliant idea of having a book page curled around one of the layers and it looked perfect. To add to this the cake flavours were varied and delicious. We were spoilt for choice! Would 100% recommend – we received many comments on how great the cake tasted and looked.

Stationery maker’s name + review

In the process of designing the table plan – Sophie (Idyllic and Co) recommended the work of LyndaLoves to do the stationery for the the seating places and table names. The colour choices worked perfectly with the table plan and, to ensure we were happy , samples were sent to us before a final decision was made. The calligraphy was beautiful!

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

We opted for sweets as our wedding favours and to hold them we purchased small white boxes and tied gold ribbon around them. However, looking a bit plain – we decided to tie them into our book theme by (spending many hours) making origami flowers from the pages of the book ‘The adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ which then perched upon the top of the boxes.

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

A serene cover by Romy Wave of ‘Something Just Like This’ by Coldplay.

Wedding planner name + review

The Ferry House Inn Wedding Co-ordinators were friendly and very prompt to reply to any emails we sent. It was obvious this was something they excelled in, as every step was planned and organised – allowing for very little stress on our part. Meetings and checklists ensured nothing was missed and all aspects were covered.

We met several co-ordinators throughout our wedding planning process and every single one was a joy to meet and put us at ease. We would highly recommend them. The Ferry House Inn works closely with Idyllic&Co who often decorate the venue on showcase days. This is where we first met Idyllic&Co’s Sophie after she had put together a stunning Autumnal display.

We very quickly decided on hiring Idyllic&Co for our day, and we had several meetings to discuss wedding colours, themes and options that had not even crossed our minds! So much was covered, for example, having a central family table instead of a top table (which was a stroke of genius as no one was able to see the father-of-the-bride spill wine down the bride’s dress – thankfully white wine!), or using a board of books as a table plan to fully bind the theme.

Sophie took our small ideas and changed them to a spectacular vision! The combined efforts of the Ferry House wedding co-ordinators and Idyllic&Co. was a dream team – it allowed for a very smooth and enjoyable lead up to the wedding with minimal stress – on our part. We cannot thank them enough!

We would also like to mention, The Ferry House DJ Carl who ensured the dancefloor was never empty!

Hair + makeup name + review

Hair: Suzy https://www.bridalhairbysuzy.co.uk/

Suzy was simply an amazing hair stylist. Faye is not someone who typically spends a lot of time on her hair and so did not have much of a vision in mind. Once an enquiry was made Suzy took the time to call and discuss options prior to booking and meeting at her studio for a trial day.

Suzy had a great depth of knowledge and was able to offer great insight and ideas to a bride that knew very little about hair styling. On the day Suzy was a life-saver! Being summer a couple of pesky wasps had managed to find their way into the getting ready room – as well as being a superb hair stylist she is also a wasp-whisperer and managed to coax the wasps out of the room – saving the bridesmaids who may or may not have been cowering sightly in the corner…

Despite having fine hair that does not hold a curl well – the hair style lasted all day and survived long hours of dancing! I am very grateful to Suzy for her vision and expert styling!

Make-up: Clare Lake https://www.clarelakemakeupartist.co.uk/ Clare has a very happy attitude and is an expert in her field. She knew instantly what would or wouldn’t complement the dress and bridal style which was perfect for a bride that was not sure what would work and had never worn false lashes.

The trial was relaxed and amazingly fun, discussing several styles and brands. Clare was able to put together a look for the bride, bridesmaids, and mother of the bride that suited everyone perfectly! Providing exceptionally useful hints and tips about the day in general. The makeup lasted all day and night, and the bridesmaids and bride felt incredible.

The post Faye & Dean’s timeless modern wedding, with Danny Jack Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Nicola & Richard chose a blank canvas venue and made it their own. Lovely Francesca at Piccolino Photography captured the celebrations and gets a brilliant review from the happy couple!

It’s fabulous, romantic and beautiful – more pics on our instagram very soon!

Wedding photographer’s website

Piccolino weddings – Francesca Brecciaroli

Wedding photographer review

Francesca was brilliant, she was so laid back and slotted right in to every part of the wedding from getting ready to the party shots. She captured everything. We couldn’t have asked for a better photographer.

Your best moment or memory

Taking Jaeger shots during our ceremony- the guests were so surprised!

Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)

Jaeger shots during the ceremony -handfasting with our little dog and 2 nans as ribbon bearers -bride wearing converse and customised leather jacket -grooms dad’s band played and the drummer was the grooms uncle – guests stayed on site in glamping tipis

Videographer name + review

Moment weddings videography was incredible, we are so in love with the video and watched it so many times. He’s an absolute perfectionist

Venue name + review

Longton Wood was the venue but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you want A LOT of hard work, I still can’t believe the amount of work we put in to making this day happen

Celebrant

Kathryn Palmer-Skillings our Celebrant absolutely made our day, she is the most joyful human we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting and we are so so happy she was our Celebrant- I cannot put into words how beautiful our whole ceremony was from the story she told about us to the hand fasting to taking shots.. it was perfect from start to finish.

Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!

Rich wanted a non traditional suit and we didn’t have a set colour scheme but ended up tying our looks together with a autumnal dark red theme which worked really well, I also loved how Rich had his hair up for the day and then down for the evening. Nikki’s dress was by an Australian brand called Made With Love. She wanted something plain and simple but wanted to show her back as she knows it is one of Rich’s favourite things about her, veil was also made with love, shoes were personalised myself with pearls and a glue gun

Dress or suit shop name + review

Suit was from WUD in Tenterden, they were great at helping us out at the last minute! And the dress was from Love in Lace- Kath was incredible, she felt like part of the family after all my dress fittings

Florist name + review

Coco and bloom made the most beautiful flower arrangements for us and they fit the venue so well, they also made a very seamless delivery and collection for us across multiple locations which we are really grateful for.

Cake maker name + review

The Cake Witch made the most amazing cake that our guests absolutely loved and she was a dream to work with from start to finish

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

Nicola made everything herself- place-names, Signage, even the table plan book case was a thrifted bookcase that we painted, got loads of the decor from charity shops, the dressing table as well was hand painted and there was face glitter there for guests to use -there was a little hand painted table by the fire pit with a little tribute to a friend who had recently passed away -a wish you were here table with photos of loved ones who died -bride made all of the bridesmaids hair accessories including the flower girls flower crown -the bride made handmade macrame back drop for the photo booth and groom built and stained the wooden frame for it. Handmade all the stationery for the day, Invitations were printed on plantable paper with wild flowers seeds in

Wedding readings?

Wrote our own vows

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

First dance was you ask me by bb King that was the perfect song for us, especially because it was so short! Only 2 mins 30 but it was long enough with everyone staring at you!

Wedding planner name + review

Myself! (Nicola) I’m never doing that again! (Even if it did save us thousands)

Hair + makeup name + review

Did my own make up and the hair was done by Kelly from Jessica May Hair Design. She was a trooper, she had to do 7 girls hair in the morning of the wedding but she really kept her cool

The post A woodland wedding for Nicola & Richard, with Piccolino Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

Hannah Timm www.hannahtimmphotography.co.uk

Wedding photographer review

Hannah is a fantastic photographer. She quietly clicks away in the background capturing beautiful moments. We really felt like she captured us just as we are, all the funny faces and all! Neither of us are particularly comfortable in front of the camera but Hannah made us feel relaxed and we couldn’t be happier with the pictures.

Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!

My dress was 1920s inspired. It had beautiful beading and detail. My veil was long and very sparkly.
My dress was from La Boutique Bridal. They are a charity, all proceeds from dress sales go to brides who are terminally ill and want to get married before they pass away. All the dresses are donated either from designers or brides. It’s such a worthy cause and no dress is over £700. The ladies who run it are all volunteers and they treated me like a princess. Could not recommend them enough!
My husband wore a navy chino with a white shirt and tweed waist coat and jacket. The ties and pocket squares for all the groom party were made by my mum. We were struggling to find the colour for them so found fabric and she made them.The suit jackets were hired from Moss Bros. They were really nice and great quality, but their service at Moss Bros was very poor.

Your best moment or memory

Oh gosh there were so many! I’d have to say dancing all night with all our friends and family. We will never get that again and it was magical.

Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)

We had a traditional confetti throwing at the church but we also had pom pom confetti throwing at the venue. I tasked my brother, sister in law and mother in law with making them. Between them they made close to 500 pom poms of all different colours. It was really fun and the pictures are brilliant! They were collected back up and my brother made a pom pom collage for us as a wedding present.

Venue name + review

Kilminorth Cottages

Beautiful venue set in a gorgeous cornish valley. We had the entire venue to ourselves with beautiful cottages that over half of our guests were able to stay in. We had the freedom to creat the wedding we wanted, decorating it however we chose to.

Florist name + review

Our florist was The Fencing Florist. Named as such due to his day job as a fencing contractor. His flowered are beautiful we were so happy with them. Really great service and communication throughout.

Cake maker name + review

I made the cake and all the puddings.

Stationery maker’s name + review

I made the stationery items. I used an oak leaf stamp on the name cards to add to the autumnal theme.

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

Oh gosh so many! Made the name cards, my friend had made some wreaths and dried flower bunches for her wedding that we used. My sister in law mad a macrame arch that we used. My parents grew flowers and ornamental pumpkins. My husband made Wooden discs for the centrepieces. He also made table names on wood using a pyro pen. We collected pine cones, concurs, acorns, twigs the list goes on!

Wedding readings?

We had a good friend do a reading as part of the church service.

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

Karen Ramirez – Didn’t know I was looking for love
Playlist recommendations: Earth wind and fire – September
A selection of northern soul
Flo Rider – Low Faithless Insomnia

Hair + makeup name + review

Red Bridal – Hair

Very professional, really got on board with my theme for my look being 1920s. Really happy with my hair and would highly recommend!

Bow Bridal – Makeup

Again very professional, and really embraced my theme. Both my hair and makeup came together as one look. I couldn’t be happier with it.

Catering recommendation

The Croust hut for the best canapés I’ve ever tasted!

The post Sarah & Rhys’s colourful and creative Kilminorth Cottages wedding, with Hannah Timm Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

Hannah Hall Photography https://hannahhallphotography.co.uk/

Wedding photographer review

Hannah was absolutely incredible! Not only was she an epic photographer that delivered the most gorgeous shots, she was a lifeline navigating pandemic planning and was so helpful on the day helping us make the most of every little moment.

Your best moment or memory

Honestly the whole day was just a blur of laughter and love! I do have a soft spot for our ring exchange, when we discovered Kris’s ring was actually a bit too small and I had to force it on in front of everyone

Venue name + review

Hothorpe hall woodlands We were so happy to find our dream venue at the woodlands. Finding an outdoor, woodland ceremony space that also had a proper bar and kitchens and toilets (!!!) was just perfect for us, it meant we managed to have a DIY aesthetic without actually having to do any of the logistical work!

Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!

My dress was a beautiful long sleeved beaded number from Eliza Jane Howell. I bought my dress during lockdown so I actually only managed to try on one and thankfully it was perfect! It was definitely an odd experience trying on my wedding dress for the first time in my bedroom on my own! Kris tried on so many more suits in every colour available and landed on a nice neutral sandy colour which made the bright Liberty accessories pop.

Dress or suit shop name + review

Dress was a sample via still white, a perfect opportunity to own my dream dress in budget!

Cake maker name + review

I was very lucky that my best friend and maid of honour is an incredible baker and she made our cake and all our evening goodies for us

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

We DIY’d as much as possible, I designed all of our stationery myself and roped in bridesmaids for everything from bunting stringing to place card making

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

Our first dance was Kiss Me by six pence none the richer and we had an indie disco DJ that played all the throwbacks from our teenage years

Hair + makeup name + review

I was again very very lucky to have very talented hair stylist and makeup artist friends who did absolutely everything for me!

The post Sophie & Kris’s amazing woodland wedding, with Hannah Hall Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Our lovely couple have recommended some brilliant Bristol wedding suppliers, including lovely Becky Weir Photography, their venue Coombe Lodge, as well as the amazing Lucy Can’t Dance. Check out their English Wedding interview below to discover all the best Bristol wedding suppliers and why these two loved them so much!

Wedding photographer’s website

Becky Weir – https://beckyweir.co.uk/

Wedding photographer review

From the very moment we met Becky at a wedding fair, we knew she would be perfect for us. Her aesthetic, values, her kindness, originality & her fun. When we then saw her website and portfolio it all clicked into place.

She was a hand holding us through the day – So easy to talk to, so easy to ask questions. She honestly felt like one of the family.

Both Brad & I aren’t ones for attention or the spotlight being on us, but we felt so comfortable being in Becky’s company. Even when Bec gave us a little direction for our photos, we didn’t feel wooden, we just kept talking and goofing around like she wasn’t even there. She blends in so well for candid photography, you wouldn’t even know she was there!

She definitely understood what our wedding meant to us, with all our quirky takes on the day and my many DIY’s (even down to the wire of making Groomsmen ties 2 days before the big day) for that we cannot thank her enough.

We cannot wait to see our album and share our gallery with our friends and family – Becky’s post-wedding process is so stress-free and convenient, and we’re delightfully impressed with the options she has in place. Truly tailored to you and so original.

Your best moment or memory

There are many that I fall back on when I think about the day. There are two that stand out to me the most.

Seeing my father for the first time in a tailored suit with a tie and a buttonhole I’d created for him. His love, his support, and his emotion was just so raw, I’ve never seen him like that. My parents aren’t really ones to show their emotion, but dad did so well that day to let me know he was proud and pleased. He didn’t have to say it, I could feel it.

My second memory was when I was getting ready in the bridal suite. I could see our guests arriving, then out the corner of my eye when my hair was being done, I could see the children walking around with the Alpaca’s (Barney & Guinness) that we’d previously walked on the Quantocks in 2019 and had hired for after the ceremony. I was beaming form ear to ear and was so thrilled that everyone was happy to see their little fuzzy faces.

Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)

We’re not really the personalities for following traditions, one thing was that I hate the excess of items that are purchased for a wedding with only a single use.

I wanted our wedding items to preserve the day and have longevity.

I’m not a massive flower person and I’m a serial houseplant buyer. So much so, I almost cried at the till when Brad bought me a gorgeous Calathea at Botanica Studio in Bath.

I knew for sure that I wanted dried botanicals to be adorning myself, the Groomsmen, and my Bridesmaids. I made my bridesmaids botanical macrame wreaths to hold for the day in the hopes they’d use them as a feature piece or wall hanging afterward.

I also decided to request some bespoke tweed from my good and dear friend Charlotte (@fruitbattextiles) and made both pocket squares and ties for Brad and our groomsmen as a gift for the day.

I sourced the most amazing dried botanicals from @HANDANDBLOOM (Etsy, Bristol local seller) and elevated them with dried pampas and pheasant feathers as both Brad and I come from farming backgrounds, we wanted a subtle nod to our upbringing as our families were coming together for us.

Where we could, we researched independently owned businesses, local businesses, and small businesses.

It just so happened that most of these businesses were women-owned too, which we were both so proud to support.

As a little shameless plug, I also made quite a few little embroidered elements for the day that I will soon be selling through my own little small business Etsy. (BrueMoonFibres) This included individual embroidered place names for the head table in my own supply of hand-dyed cotton thread.

Venue name + review

Coombe Lodge, Blagdon – Martha and Issy our coordinators were incredible. Honestly, we couldn’t have pulled off our wedding without them.

The wedding planning and organization fell to me, not because I wanted it to. But, because I had a vision for our wedding and Brad wanted me to have free reign with my creativity and ideas. I’d never done anything like this before let alone thought I’d ever get married!

When we were looking around at venues, Martha stood out to be one of the most accommodating, calm, and down-to-earth members of staff that we had the pleasure of meeting.

Martha and her team were always so happy to help out with any queries or questions. At no point did we feel like we had requested too much of them, and they were always available either through the phone or email to put our minds at ease. Even with my extreme amount of DIY for the wedding, I was so proud to have them in the background of our day as they made it all the more special. Might I add, Brad was won over by Martha with the coffee and a brownie by the fireplace in the initial meeting.

Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!

Both our outfits were inspired by our love of nature, forests, and our agricultural backgrounds. We wanted our outfits to reflect our personalities but also fit in with our setting and our theme for the day.

Dress or suit shop name + review

My dress was found by my MOH when I was at my lowest point. I’d been in an unfortunate car accident in Feb (2022) and I was at a real down point feeling useless and frustrated with constant calls and forms whilst being bedbound in recovery.

My MOH mentioned to me that my favorite small business (Lucy Can’t Dance) was having a sample sale, I took a quick look and then fell in love with her. My dress was called Pumpkin and it fit so perfectly with our anniversary being the Halloween weekend, along with the delicate sequin leaf mesh that I adored when I finally got to see her. I took a risk buying her being a sample size, but luckily being a seamstress I was able to amend her straps and then with some help from my bridesmaids MIL we amended the length.

Florist name + review

Our wedding stylist was Kelly from Ambiance, Bristol. Kelly was an absolute babe and honestly took our ideas and made them a reality. She was like-minded in the way that we preferred foliage over floral, and she really got into our minds and helped us analyze our ideas and brought them to life.

We sleep with the foliage from the day attached to our macrame hanging above our bed and I’ve just recently used some of the excesses to make us a chunky wedding/Christmas wreath for our front door.

We’re so lucky to have worked with her for our wedding, she has decided to hand the baton to her colleague and is spending more time with her family. We support her decision and both wish her well for the future and will never forget the incredible day she allowed us to have.

Cake maker name + review

Ahh Toots, a brilliant bakery/cakery based in Bristol owned by Tam & Amy. Brad and I used to visit Ahh Toot’s little stand in St Nick’s market each time, most of the time going to Bristol just to see them and their cakes. When they opened up their cafe on Christmas Steps, we had no second guesses on who we’d love to make our wedding cake.

They did such an amazing job and made the most amazing cake we could have ever hoped for. We still have some in the freezer and we’re trying to not eat all of it so we can savor the day each time we sit down with a cuppa.

Wedding readings

Love Poem with Apologies for My Appearance by Ada Limón I Like You by Sandol Stoddard Warburg

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

You & Me song – The Wannadies

Hair + makeup name + review

By Sarah Kate – Sarah was incredible, soft, understanding and so so amazing.

I explained to her that makeup wasn’t really my thing but I wanted to look photo ready. She enabled me and my bridesmaids to look our absolute (as close as we could be) natural best on the day and enhanced our features so much.

She gave me skin tips and recommended products that I still use to this day. She honestly opened my eyes a lot more to make-up and I am in awe of her incredible talent.

*Check out our insta for an alpaca special – exclusively from Gem & Brad’s gorgeous day! (Coming soon if you don’t see it yet!)

The post Gem & Brad’s super creative wedding at Coombe Lodge, with Becky Weir Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Taylor’s dad loves American cars and has owned several during his lifetime and it was important to Taylor that we bring a little bit of everyone into the wedding so him and his groomsmen arrived to the church in the fancy cars. Whereas I had spent my childhood around farmyards and building sites so naturally I wanted to arrive on a tractor. I have wanted to drive a tractor to my wedding for as long as I can remember. However the long dress meant I definitely wasn’t going to be the one driving it- but we got a trailer with hay bales and blankets and Dad drove us down to the church. It’s a journey I will never forget.

Wedding photographer’s website

https://martindabek.com/

How did you choose your photographer?

Martin was recommended to us by our venue. He had shot there before and we were able to look at his style of photography.

Were you pleased with your wedding photographer? Do tell… we love a brilliant review!

We loved Martin! He really blended in with the party, and he really understood what we wanted. We didn’t want to be dragged away from our guests for hours of intimate photos. We wanted to party with our guests and he really captured that.

Do check out Chew Valley wedding photographer Martin Dabek! We think he’s amazing.

What’s your fondest memory of your wedding?

Our fondest memory was walking out of the church surrounded by our family- we actually left the church and then ran around to the side entrance and waited for everyone to leave the church before walking back into the church so our photographer could organise everyone into 2 lines either side of the path to throw confetti (which me and my mum had dried in the oven ourselves). Walking through our newly joined families as Mr and Mrs Sweet for the first time is really special.

Tell us about your venue – what made this place special for you?

Chew Valley Weddings was spectacular. The view of the lake was really what sold it to us. The lake has been a big part of our lives, it was even where Taylor proposed. We knew we wanted to marry close to home and the tipis with the lake is such a beautiful background.

Did you love wearing your outfits? How was your shopping experience, was it fun to find your wedding gear?

I found my wedding dress in the first shop I went in to. I knew the type of style that I liked the look of and I did my research. But due to COVID bridal shops were only allowing 1 or 2 guests maximum. So I went to a total of 5 bridal shops with different people and ended up buying ‘the one’ in Lace and Grace in Keynsham during a trunk show with 10% off. Madi Lane- Halani.
Taylor on the other hand had no idea what he wanted and just went into Bath one day and bought his suit from Suave Owl. And then we went out for lunch together.

Did you hire a florist? Tell us about any floral amazingness

I really wanted to do the flowers myself and make a real occasion out of arranging the flowers with my family and friends. We collected flowers from hedgerows and family members gardens. My mum and my grandmother grew wildflowers especially for me. We made our centre pieces in gravy boats Taylor’s grandmother collected, it was lovely to do something in her memory. However, for my bridal bouquet and the buttonholes we got them done professionally by Banksia in Chew Magna, a local florist. They were beautiful.

As cake lovers here at English Wedding we’d LOVE to know who made your cake, and how delicious it was?

I made our wedding cake! It was 3 tiers of lemon sponge with lemon curd filling and buttercream icing. I had to do lots of trial cakes which my colleagues gratefully tasted and gave me some notes. I made the sponges 3 days before the big day and iced in 2 days before. I then transported it to my grandmothers house (the most nerve wracking journey of my life) and it was taken to the venue with the topper (from Etsy), ready for me to assemble when we arrived from the church.

I did however forget to bring the fruit with me from the fridge on the morning of the wedding so we had to decorate the cake with flowers from the bridesmaids bouquets and from (non poisonous) shrubbery. By the end of the night it was almost all gone! I did also make gluten free cupcakes for my gluten intolerant guests.

Tell us about any special personal touches, or creative projects you made yourselves (we love that stuff!)

We wanted our wedding to be really personal to us. So one project we started was collecting old wedding photos from both sides of our families and putting them in frames (mismatched and from charity shops) to display- it became a really talking point, and people were trying to guess who was who in photos from 50+ years ago.
We also collected decorative wine bottles and put lights in them for table decorations, as well as using corks for name place holders and table numbers.
Another idea I loved was having photos of me and Taylor as children, and it was amazing how many of them were so similar in nature (sat in paddling pools/ holding Christmas presents/wearing our dads work boots). We made a game out of it the day before the wedding- match the photos. I separated them into Taylor and Olivia piles and our wedding party had to try and match them up. Then we put them on the tables back to back so people could see how far we have both come.

Outdoor party games for adults as well as children. Flamingo hoopla, welly wanging, coconut shy. Great fun! Although we did lose a welly- we looked for it forever before giving up.

Did you have any wedding readings? What were they?

We had a traditional church wedding and the reading was given by our reverend.

What was your first dance song? Why did you choose it?

Our first dance song was How long will I love you- sung by Ben Coleman, Jon Boden, and Sam Sweeney (from About Time). We spent a long time trying to decide which song to choose but this one always made us want to dance together in the living room.

Other favourite wedding suppliers

My hair was done by my family friend Rebecca Dix- she helped me find a style I really liked. I didn’t really know what I wanted but when I told her about the rest of the wedding and my dress she had a few suggestions for me and we tried out a few. Even on the morning of the wedding she was making sure I stayed hydrated and stopped so I could eat some breakfast.

My makeup artist was recommended by my hairdresser. I know nothing about makeup- it has never really interested me. I wanted a really natural, light makeup look and Jade helped me achieve that. She was great!

We decided on a DJ for our wedding reception as we have quite an eclectic mix of musical styles- we hired Offbeat Entertainment. Sebastian was great- he asked us for a list of about 20 songs which we love and even asked us if there were songs which were absolutely not allowed to be played. We hired him to play some background music for the start of the reception as well.

The post Olivia & Taylor’s scenic Chew Valley wedding, with Martin Dabek Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Nicola & George thought they’d never have their wedding after the uncertainty of 2020 and having to reschedule, as so many couples did. But they pulled through and this amazing day just shows how important it is to celebrate love, with your most special people, in the most wonderful way you can imagine.  I love everything about this creative garden wedding, and I hope you will too!

Wedding photographer’s website

https://www.damienvickersphotography.co.uk/

How did you choose your photographer?

We were some of the first amongst our friends to get married, so we relied on our own research as opposed to recommendation. After contacting a few photographers, we came across Damien and were sold from the first phone call. It was really important to us to hire a photographer who would capture the narrative of our wedding day, and that’s one of the reasons we loved Damien’s work.

Were you pleased with your wedding photographer? Do tell… we love a brilliant review!

We couldn’t have asked for more – Damien was brilliant from start to finish, having been due to photograph our July 2020 wedding that got postponed (Covid!) to July 2021. Damien was professional and thoughtful throughout, from initial conversations, to our engagement shoot, to scheduling and rescheduling plans as the pandemic changed everything. On our wedding day itself Damien arrived promptly, and seamlessly integrated himself with us and our guests- it was like having another friend there who happened to be taking photos! His organisation and communication was spot on and the final photos are fantastic too. We would not hesitate to recommend Damien to anyone getting married – he was a faultless photographer!

Tell us about your venue – what made this place special for you?

Our venue was unique as it was in the garden of Nicola’s family home. The garden holds many special memories as it has been in the family for multiple generations, making it an even more sentimental setting for our wedding day. Located in a small Suffolk town, the house is so close to where we held our ceremony (at the town hall) that we all walked up the road together. All of the locals, both friends and people we have never met, lined the street and cheered as we went past. It was an incredibly special day and the setting made it even more perfect.

Did you love wearing your outfits? How was the dress / suit shopping experience?

We loved it! George had his suit made bespoke by Moss Bros, ensuring that it looked exactly as he had wanted it to. This was particularly important as, at 6ft5, he struggles to find suits off the shelf as they’re never long enough!

Nicola ended up wearing a dress that was the opposite of what she had in mind for her wedding day. After going to traditional bridal boutiques, she went to a small boutique in Canterbury (http://www.weddingdresskent.co.uk/) to have a browse. Not expecting to find anything, she went on her own and fell in love with a dress by Wendy Makin that had not been on her radar. It was particularly special that Nicola’s Dad kindly paid for her dress, as he sadly passed away just months later after a short illness. When the wedding day came around her dress was a beautiful reminder of her Dad.

Did you hire a florist? Tell us about any floral amazingness

We did, Barnhouse Flowers and the wonderfully talented Juliet Bamber. Juliet grows all of her own flowers in her wonderful garden and spent so much time and care curating the bouquets and floral displays to our exact taste. As our reception was outside in a garden full of wild flowers, Juliet considered how her flowers would compliment the garden and even integrated some of the garden into her designs. We were so in love with the flowers that we have had some preserved in resin so that we can remember their beauty forever.

Did you hire a wedding planner?

No! Nicola took on the task herself and organised it all independently. Fortunately all of the suppliers were fantastic (particularly with COVID) and this made organising the day much easier. George was in charge of food (Antonino’s Pizza) and Music (The Confidentials) and his taste in suppliers was impeccable, with all of the guests raving about the delicious vegan food and the dance floor full until the final minutes of the day.

As cake lovers here at English Wedding we’d LOVE to know who made your cake, and how delicious it was?

As we are both vegan it was important to us to have a completely vegan wedding cake. Nicola’s generous godmother’s gifted the wedding cake and organised for it to be made by local company The Hazlebury Kitchen. We had three tiers all of different flavours and it was absolutely delicious.

Tell us about any special personal touches, or creative projects you made yourselves

Special personal touches were a huge part of the wedding planning, and an aspect that Nicola put a huge amount of effort into.

Starting with the invites, Nicola asked a local man to draw a map of the town, including the house and the town hall to accompany the official wedding invites. This bespoke drawing fitted the feel of our day perfectly.

On the morning of the wedding, Nicola made each bridesmaid, page boy, and flower girl personalised gowns and gift bags with little presents inside. All of the closest family members also received gift boxes to show our appreciation and thanks for their support in organising the wedding.

At the ceremony, each seat had a candle by The Home County Candle Co., either with their ‘Kent’ or ‘Suffolk’ scent, as this is where George and Nicola grew up. There was also a laser cut wooden name of each guest and a handmade bag of confetti. There were polaroids of Nicola and George everywhere and Nicola made a welcome banner that framed the entrance of the ceremony.

One weekend when we were at a vegan food festival, we coincidentally came across an alcohol company with the same name as ours – O’Donnell. We just knew we had to incorporate this into our day and we used O’Donnell moonshine jars as our table vases and O’Donnell mini shots as wedding favours. We also gave everyone a favour of sunflower seeds hand-stamped by Nicola. Each child at the wedding had a personalised gift bag full of activities to keep them amused.

To remember two important family members who we have lost, we made a wooden heart sign lined with fairy lights. Here we placed photos of our loved ones and lit a candle throughout the day to remember and include them.

Did you personalise your vows or have any wedding readings? What were they?

Nicola’s maid of honour read the poem ‘Invisible Kisses’ by Lemn Sissay. This isn’t necessarily a ‘traditional’ wedding poem but it is so beautiful. We chose not to personalise our vows but wrote each other cards separately to express how much we love each other.

Invisible Kisses by Lemn Sissay (via One Fab Day)
If there was ever one
Whom when you were sleeping
Would wipe your tears
When in dreams you were weeping;
Who would offer you time
When others demand;
Whose love lay more infinite
Than grains of sand.

If there was ever one
To whom you could cry;
Who would gather each tear
And blow it dry;
Who would offer help
On the mountains of time;
Who would stop to let each sunset
Soothe the jaded mind.

If there was ever one
To whom when you run
Will push back the clouds
So you are bathed in sun;
Who would open arms
If you would fall;
Who would show you everything
If you lost it all.

If there was ever one
Who when you achieve
Was there before the dream
And even then believed;
Who would clear the air
When it’s full of loss;
Who would count love
Before the cost.

If there was ever one
Who when you are cold
Will summon warm air
For your hands to hold;
Who would make peace
In pouring pain,
Make laughter fall
In falling rain.

If there was ever one
Who can offer you this and more;
Who in keyless rooms
Can open doors;
Who in open doors
Can see open fields
And in open fields
See harvests yield.

Then see only my face
In reflection of these tides
Through the clear water
Beyond the river side.
All I can send is love
In all that this is
A poem and a necklace
Of invisible kisses.

What was your first dance song? Why did you choose it?

Baby, I love your way – Big Mountain was our chosen first dance song, although George actually ended up missing this and Nicola danced with her friend Hannah instead!!! (George made up for the dancing later). We chose this song as it’s fun and romantic, and the sentiment is reflective of our relationship:

“baby, I love your way, everyday
I wanna tell you I love your way, everyday
I wanna be with you night and day”

How did the pandemic affect your wedding plans? Do you have any advice to share with couples planning their weddings right now?

The pandemic affected our wedding plans massively – originally scheduled for July 2020, we decided to reschedule our outdoor wedding by a whole year to July 2021. As well as the pandemic, a couple we had a really difficult time, with Nicola’s Dad David dying in June 2020 and George’s cousin and best man Elliot dying in May 2021, both unexpectedly. These experiences really highlighted the importance of family and reminded us that life is short, meaning that we were even more eager to get married as soon as we could. The constant uncertainty of COVID and the ever changing rules was incredibly stressful, even down to the week before the wedding…we just thought we would never have our wedding day.

It’s easy to tell couples planning their wedding not to worry, but we know that isn’t possible! But, what we will say is that hindsight is a wonderful thing, and you will have your day one way or another. Avoid the news, keep up to date with wedding rules, and don’t compromise on something that’s important to you – your wedding is a lifetime event and you deserve to have the wedding that you want.

Favourite wedding suppliers

Photographer – Cambridge wedding photographer Damien Vickers – https://www.damienvickersphotography.co.uk/
Dress – Wendy Makin – https://www.wendymakin.com
Cake – Hazlebury Kitchen – http://www.thehazleburykitchen.com/
Flowers – Juliet Bamber at Barnhouse Flowers – https://www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk/members/juliet-bamber/
Hair – Bridal Hair by Jennie – https://www.bridalhairbyjennie.co.uk/
Make-up – Emma B Beauty – https://www.emmabbeauty.com/
Stationery – White Cottage Weddings – https://www.whitecottageweddings.com/
Tipi – The Cambridge Tent Company – https://cambridgetentcompany.com/
Bar – The Beaufort Box – https://beaufortbox.co.uk/

The post Nicola & George’s creative DIY wedding at home, with Damien Vickers Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

http://wedding.hannahbeatice.co.uk

How did you choose your photographer?

Hannah and Luke have been family friends for years so it seemed like a no-brainer to have people we know and love. This felt particularly important with a small COVID wedding of 15 guests in that every single person counts (literally!)
On top of that, it was also really important to us that we considered the ethical impacts of our day (with a particular focus on environmental impact). Hannah has a fantastic eco policy, thinking about everything from equipment and printing to even having a carbon-neutral website; we loved that our day didn’t have to come at the cost of people or the planet.

Were you pleased with your wedding photographer? Do tell… we love a brilliant review!

We cannot tell you enough how much we loved them!
It is amazing to look back on the photos and realise how Hannah and Luke managed to capture so many little moments; we love being able to re-live the day every time we look at the photos. But what is even more amazing is that, despite capturing so many little moments, they never ‘got in the way’ or made us feel awkward or uncomfortable; there was no embarassing posing or awkward smiles . This was especially noticeable during the service. Our faith is very important to us and so the service was really the most important part, Hannah and Luke were able to capture it without ever getting in the way or interfering despite it being extremely intimate and with us all sat in a circle!

Videographer details if applicable – and any thoughts for other couples about having a wedding video?

We had quite a strict budget so didn’t end up having a videographer but had a wonderful friend who livestreamed and recorded the service, we watched this back the day after the wedding and loved being able to see what it was like for guests watching at home!

Tell us about your venue – what made this place special for you?

We got married in, and had our wedding breakfast in the grounds of, St Stephen’s Church, Bradford. Boo’s Dad is the vicar at the church (and married us) and so she really has grown up in it. It also holds a special place for Charlie who started coming along to some of the services after we started dating as teenagers. Boo’s parent’s house is also within the church grounds so it was very handy that she could just walk through her back garden and into the church! Funnily enough, we actually first met in the church when we were about 7 and both attended a kid’s club there (not that we remember meeting each other!)

We also love that the church has a great eco-policy (even with a bio-mass boiler) as well as being totally plugged into the community including having a charity (SHINE West Bowling) running from the church building so it also ticked all of our ethical boxes.

At the time, wedding receptions were only allowed outside so we set up a long table outside the church, thankfully the weather was beautiful and we didn’t need to bring out any of the gazebos on stand by! After the wedding breakfast we headed up to the Yorkshire moors around Haworth for a picnic, dancing, and a walk (because why not!?) Both being proudly “Yorkshire born and bred” we wanted to make the most of the gorgeous countryside around us and the flexibility that having a small wedding party gave us, it was beautiful.

Did you love wearing your outfits? How was the dress / suit shopping experience?

We both got our wedding outfits from charity shops (and encouraged our guests to do the same), this was always going to be a bit of a challenge but even more so in a year in which charity shops were hardly allowed to open! Charity shops felt like the perfect way to go as we wanted to minimise the environmental impact of our day and loved the idea of our wedding outfits funding some fantastic charities.
Boo:
I managed to find my dress in the couple of weeks when charity shops were open in summer 2020. I went to St Ann’s Hospice Shop, Cheadle. Being aware that getting a charity shop dress meant reduced options, I didn’t have particularly high expectations that I would find one I loved. However, upon arriving at the shop we received such a warm welcome. The shop had a dedicated bridal section upstairs with so many dresses (probably %50) in a range of styles and sizes and a lovely changing room; it really felt very special and bridal. Throughout the entire appointment there was no pressure to buy anything and it was just a whole lot of fun!

After trying on a couple of dresses it ultimately came down to two. One of them (by Raimon Bundo) had a slight tear in the back so we bought the other one but, as we were leaving, the lovely shop assistant said they would have to scrap the ripped dress so suggested that we could take it for free and maybe use some of the material to customise the other dress. When we got home it felt like such a shame to chop up the dress and we were actually able to cut off the ripped bit (as the dress was very long), after washing it with my Mum (a scary experience!) it was good as new. In the end I decided to wear the free Raimon Bundo dress and save the other one for a celebration we’re planning to have next year. I loved how comfortable, and flowy the dress felt and the beautiful lace detail matched the relaxed nature of their day. Furthermore, I love that I could support a brilliant charity through buying a wedding dress and encourage anyone even considering getting a second hand dress to go and have a look- you won’t be disappointed.

Charlie:
I also went down the charity shop route but, due to lockdown, ended up looking online at Oxfam Online. I found a really nice blue/grey checked suit (brand-new from M&S) and a grey waist-coat. Oxfam Online was a great way to do this as I could try on a bunch of things and send back any I didn’t like. I felt great in the suit, it felt really special and I love that I’ll be able to wear it many times again in the future.

Did you hire a florist? Tell us about any floral amazingness

We didn’t hire a florist and instead Charlie’s wonderful Mum, Angie, did all of the beautiful florals including Boo’s bouquet and flower crown! A lovely friend showed her what to do and they spent the day before the wedding tirelessly cutting, taping and arranging the flowers. They even foraged a bunch of the flowers and foliage from friends’ gardens; it made them even more special knowing that they were made with such love.
Another wonderfully generous family friend, Pauline, also arranged some beautiful flowers for the church, there really was so much love that went into it all.
The day before the wedding Boo’s bridesmaids and family covered the church in ivy and greenery, with Boo’s Aunt Sarah creating a beautiful archway too.

As cake lovers here at English Wedding we’d LOVE to know who made your cake, and how delicious it was?

We had a lot of cake (a wedding really is the best excuse!) Boo made a lemon cake for the wedding cake that was beautifully decorated by her sister-in-law Sarah. We made the felt fox cake toppers ourselves as a date-night activity (Charlie’s surname was Fox and we’re now the Hinton-Foxes so it was fitting!).
A wonderful friend, Andra, also made a delicious peach cake which was succulent themed and absolutely wonderful.
Quite a few neighbours and friends came to stand outside the church and cheer as we came out so it was lovely to be able to offer them some cake too.

Tell us about any special personal touches, or creative projects you made yourselves

With so many loved friends and family being unable to join us, we asked those who couldn’t be there in person to send us a candle which we used to make an aisle for Boo to walk down. We can’t express how moving it was to see the church filled with candles, each symbolising a person we loved. Boo loved walking down between them all and realising how many people there were cheering us on from afar. Boo took the excuse of the wedding to really dive in with more creative projects including painting the order of services and invitations (printed by the print.work who are a great environmentally conscious printing company). She also designed an activity sheet (featuring a crossword, dot-to-dot, sudoku and more) that was inside the order of service and was sent out as part of a ‘virtual wedding pack’ (featuring popcorn!) to those watching from home.

There is also a part of the service where the congregation are asked if they will ‘support and uphold’ us in our marriage and (if they will) respond ‘we will’. We asked people watching virtually to send in a video of them saying ‘we will’ to play at this point in the service, there was a really touching moment when we were reminded of all of the people cheering for us from home. We felt that there were so many people who were such a big part of the day even if they couldn’t be there in person.

Another special touch was Boo’s veil which she embroidered with flowers from significant places on our story. It was even more special in that it was actually Boo’s mum’s veil from her wedding which was also worn by her sister-in-law.

We designed the rings ourselves at a wonderful jewellers in Bradford (Myron Hunka). Both of our rings feature 3 strands twisted together as this is a key picture from us (from the Bible verse Ecclesiastes 4:12). Myron was great at talking us through what he could do and also used as much recycled gold as he could.

So many of our guests also helped with the creative projects too. Charlie’s Mum, Angie, and Boo’s bridesmaid, Alice, spent hours making wax-print napkins and table runners to add some colour. A lovely family friend, Jean, also make colourful wax-print facemasks for our guests and Boo also used some of the fabric to make some aprons with our new names (that we’d kept as a surprise).

We have some incredibly talented musical friends and family who also contributed. Boo’s uncle Mike arranged and recorded a version of the song ‘How long will I love you’ from the film ‘About Time’ (we went to see it for our first date) which was played as Boo walked down the aisle. A wonderful friend Max also arranged and recorded a medley of some of our favourite worship songs/ hymns which we originally planned to sing in the wedding couldn’t (COVID!), instead he mixed them together to create a beautiful piece that we played as we signed the register. After we left the church we were greeted to a chorus of Zimbabwean drummers (again some more friends who Boo’s Mum asked to play as a surprise), this was particularly special as Boo and her family lived in Zimbabwe.

We had homemade curry for our wedding breakfast with a few wedding guests bringing their ‘signature curry’. We also served the curry to our guests ourselves as we loved the idea of starting our marriage by serving our wonderful family and friends.

Did you personalise your vows or have any wedding readings? What were they?

We used the traditional vows (we love the idea of echoing words that have meant so much to so many people before us). We took time in the weeks leading up to the wedding to think through what each line meant to us and what we were promising each other as we said them- we’d really recommend this.
We had 3 readings from the Bible (Psalm 139: 1-18, 1 John 4:7-21, and Romans 12:9-16, 21); they spoke about God’s love for us, that as we love God we should love others and, what it looks like to love and care for those around us (what we want to do as a married couple!)
We also had some messages/ ‘words of wisdom’ from a few people who are important to us but were unable to be there on the day, this was instead of a typical sermon. These ranged from anything from prayers to advice for married life. We love looking back over them!

What was your first dance song? Why did you choose it?

Our first dance was ‘What a wonderful world’ by Sam Cooke. We picked it because we met, and started going out, at school and so it felt very fitting to have a song which was related to that. We had our first dance on the moors with music played on a Spotify playlist on some speakers. It was perfect.

How did the pandemic affect your wedding plans? Do you have any advice to share with couples planning their weddings right now?

It’s tough planning a wedding when there is so much change and so many unknowns, we found it difficult having multiple different scenarios in motion. We originally started planning for a summer 2021 wedding, however, it felt too hard to predict in advance so we decided to bring the wedding forward to spring and embrace the fact that it would be very small (with plans for a celebration a year later). The restrictions were a bit tougher than we thought they’d be (15 guests instead of 30) but we just took it as an opportunity to have the most intimate and lovely wedding and to do things we could never do with a 100+ guest list. Taking this approach of seeing it as an opportunity made us really keen to add certain touches like seating everyone in a circle for the service, cooking all the food ourselves, going for a walk, and even getting cheesy chips at the end!

Favourite wedding suppliers

Photographer: Hannah Beatrice (http://wedding.hannahbeatrice.co.uk ). @hannahbeatricecreative
Invite printing: print.work (https://www.print.work). @print.work
Boo’s dress: St Ann’s Hospice Shop, Cheadle
Charlie’s suit: Oxfam online. (https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk). @oxfamonlineshop

The post Boo & Charlie’s beautiful, sustainable Yorkshire wedding, with Hannah Beatrice Photography appeared first on English Wedding.