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.

“Obviously we’re biased and think our wedding day was magical but we’re also so pleased with how personal and true to ourselves the whole day felt. We want to sip champagne and dance to all our favourite songs with all our favourite people over and over again!” ~ April & Zoe

Wedding photographer’s website

Sam Chipman https://www.samchipmanphotography.com/

Wedding photographer review

Sam was really chilled and specialises in candid photographs which is exactly the vibe we wanted for our wedding. He put us totally at ease with his no fuss approach and really went with the flow.

Your best moment or memory

Walking back up the aisle as newlyweds with all our family and friends around us is a feeling I don’t think we’ll ever top.

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

We decided very early on that we both wanted to walk down the aisle seeing as we’re both brides. We also opted for a pastel rainbow cake as our way of incorporating a little bit of pride into our day!

Venue name + review

Chilli Barn
Leah and all the staff at Chilli Barn couldn’t have been more helpful and nothing was too trouble. The barn is an intimate venue with stunning countryside views and everyone commented on how beautiful it was.

Tell us a little about your outfits

April – My dress was very me! A boho/fairy vibe with a lace top and tulle skirt. I felt that it really suited the venue and I felt ethereal the whole day.
Zoe – I opted for a suit, I’m not really the dress type. Like April I kept it very me so casual and comfy but in pink! Trousers and a waistcoat and custom embroidered converse.

Dress or suit shop name + review

April’s dress is handmade from a lovely shop on Etsy – Lady Versus.

Florist name + review

We went DIY with our flowers and handpicked all the flowers for our bouquets, aisle arch and tables from an artificial flower wholesalers. It really allowed us to put our own stamp on the little touches.

Cake maker name + review

Little Dumplings Cakes. We’re vegan so finding a vegan wedding cake maker narrows the search considerably! Little Dumplings makes the nicest vegan and allergy friendly cakes in the world. We opted for a pastel rainbow rather than traditional white and it went down a treat with all the guests.

Stationery maker’s name + review

We used various small businesses from Etsy to make up all of our wedding stationery. We love supporting small local people.

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

Chilli Barn is an amazing venue where they let you decorate as you wish so we really let loose our inner crafters. We picked classic books for our table names and built our centrepieces around each book with natural log slices and candles and delicate wildflowers. We stained some used wooden crates to make our table seating chart as well as using a heart-shaped stamp to cut paper hearts out of books to sprinkle around the tables.

Wedding readings?

We had 2 readings, both done by family, from the bible – Jeremiah 29:11 and Psalm 139:14 We are a part of a church so this was really meaningful for us.

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

Not traditional at all but we chose Y’all Means All by Miranda Lambert as featured on season 6 of queer eye. The thought of slow dancing filled us with dread so we went for the complete opposite. Playlist recommendations – our playlist was filled with all things 00’s and pop punk – think Busted to All Time Low with a healthy mix of Lucy Spraggan and country thrown in.

Hair + makeup name + review

April really enjoys doing makeup and wanted to do her own (and by extension that meant Zoe too).

The post April & Zoe’s creative, DIY Chilli Barn wedding, with Sam Chipman Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

Alexa Poppe http://alexapoppeweddingphotography.com/

Wedding photographer review

Alexa was incredible. We felt so comfortable with her, she let us just be ourselves and her pictures are beautiful. Our guests said that whenever they saw something lovely happening they would turn round and there she was capturing the moment. Alexa was able to capture the day so well, and we will really cherish these photos and the lasting memories.

Your best moment or memory

The ceremony for us was amazing, the actual getting married part! One of our best friends married us. It was so personal, and just made it that much more special. Also running around in a field when the sun came out was good fun too!

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

Both Mum and Dad walked Faith down the aisle, it was really important to Faith for her parents to experience that. We didn’t have a top table, we were in amongst our guests in the middle of the room.

Venue name + review

The Green Cornwall – https://www.thegreencornwall.co.uk/

The team at The Green were amazing, from start to finish they help us realise our dream wedding. It is such a stunning venue and we also loved the fact that we could stay on site with our guests for the weekend too; it made it that little bit extra special. The food was incredible, the day ran so smoothly, even with last minute weather changes, they were just amazing!

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

We wanted to make sure our bridesmaids and groomsmen felt comfortable, so we didn’t pick their outfits for them. We just said green, any green! We love the fact that they all ended up being different shades of green! Jack got his suit made in the same shop that his brother got his wedding suit made. Faith’s dress was the third one she tried on, and just felt so confident in it. The embroidered leafy top with the clean skirt just “made me feel so like me, even though it was like nothing I’d ever worn before”. Dance tests were of course conducted in it too! For both of us sustainability is important, so Jack wanted to have a suit he could wear again and Faith is getting her dress made into a jumpsuit (and probably dying it green).

Dress or suit shop name + review

Dress: Bridal Caprice- https://bridalcaprice.co.uk/

The team at Bridal Caprice were amazing. “They were so friendly and made me feel so comfortable, I always looked forward to going there for my fittings, and they made me feel incredible in my dress.”

Suit: Norton & Townsend – https://www.nortonandtownsend.co.uk/

Graham Hall made Jack’s suit. He was an amazing tailor- the suit was designed to be breathable because of it being a summer wedding. It was incredibly comfortable and had a great finish.

Styling and decor name + review

The Table Decor was done by Unique Designs by Tina – https://www.uniquedesignsbytina.com/

We had trees as our centre pieces, and these were moved onto plinths around the room with tea lights in them for the evening. Fred and Tina were amazing, so friendly and cheery.

All of their centre pieces, although aren’t real look incredible; so it’s all reusable! We loved feeling like we were having our wedding breakfast in a forest. And they were so great at helping us realise our ideal designs for the tables, menu/name cards and our table plans!

Florist name + review

The Flowers (the bouquets, boutonnières and corsages were by Green Rabbit Flowers – https://www.greenrabbitflowers.co.uk The flowers were beautiful and we couldn’t have been happier with Gemma’s designs. Gemma grows all of her own flowers and only delivers locally which we loved too!

Cake maker name + review

We didn’t have a cake. More time for dancing! We also spent that budget on a keg of local beer! (Tribute)

Stationery maker’s name + review

We made our own save the dates and invites. We got them printed on seeded paper so people could plant wild flowers. The table name cards and menus were done by Unique Designs by Tina. Our name cards and menus were made to look like ticket stubs and had quotes from the movies on them.

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

One of our best friends made our wedding rings. He is a jeweller and did such an amazing job. We love our rings so much.

We designed the table signs, and plan; they were all film names. And we decorated them with props and objects from the movies. We also had a savoury pic n mix stand that had things like corn, cheesy moments, pretzels etc and we brought some second hand jars and utensils with paper cups for people to put together snacks for themselves throughout the day. We had so much left over though! People took boxes home (including some of the venue staff haha!!)

Wedding readings?

We didn’t have any readings, but our officiant wrote our vows and they were based around TV and film characters. So we promised to be the “Frodo to your Sam” and the “Bob to your Linda”, the “Yzma to your Kronk” things like that. He also put so many film quotes in, it was so cute!

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

Our first dance song was ‘Fooled Around and Fell in Love’ by Elvin Bishop. We were friends for a while before we became a couple, and kind of accidentally fell in love. We followed up our first dance immediately with ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’ by The Darkness, was a floor filler! The DJ was great and really enjoyed the night- said he enjoyed it as much as we did Definitely chat with your DJ beforehand and give a list of “do not plays” and “definitely play” this helps them understand your music taste better!

Hair + makeup name + review

Hair: Kimberly Holland – https://www.khbridal.com/

Kimberly’s hair styling is just stunning and she just made us all look and feel incredible. We had such a wonderful morning with her as well.

Make-Up: Hannah Symons – https://makeupbyhannahsymo.wixsite.com/makeupbyhannahsymons

Hannah managed to make me and the rest of the gang look amazing. She was so much fun to giggle with as well and was just wonderful.

Entertainment and games

We also had games in the barn (which would have been outside if there hadn’t have been a weather warning for wind on the day!)

Archery: Lonewolf Archery – https://www.lonewolf-archery.co.uk/ The archery was so much fun and the instructor Nicola was amazing.

Games: Vintage Fun and Games – https://www.vintagefunandgameshire.com/ Beautiful wooden games and had so much fun playing these!

The post Faith & Jack’s movie themed wedding in Cornwall, with Alexa Poppe Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

More gorgeous pics from this outdoor wedding on our Instagram – @englishweddingblog

Wedding photographer’s website

John Mottershaw https://www.johnmottershaw.com

Wedding photographer review

My husband and I were so happy with John as our wedding photographer. He was so professional and easy to work with, and he made us feel really comfortable in front of the camera. We loved that he took a lot of candid pictures, so we were able to capture the real emotions of the day. The end results were absolutely stunning, and we will cherish these photos forever.

Your best moment or memory

The outdoor ceremony was truly special, and the bridesmaids’ and best men’s speeches made it all the more emotional. It was a joy to celebrate with everyone on this special day.

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

We had our official wedding ceremony at the town hall on Thursday, so it didn’t make sense to exchange rings again on Saturday. Instead, we incorporated a knot tying ceremony into our celebration. Also because the wedding was part French part English we changed few things to fit both.

Venue name + review

Dunscar Farm

Our Peak District wedding venue was a field with a breathtaking view. Rachel, was ever so helpful and cheerful, serving as our wedding planner on the day. We are so grateful for her and her father’s kindness and hospitality. It was a pleasure to stay at their bed and breakfast.

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

Tom: light grey suit

Mailys: A boho wedding dress with a twist

Dress or suit shop name + review

Wed2b dress bought on stillwhite

Florist name + review

I picked flowers from my garden and was happy to have something I grew

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

There was a fair bit of DIY. I made the table decorations with painted tree branches and flowers. Every guest had a hand made reusable glass with their names on it.

Wedding readings?

We had our vows for each other and then the bridesmaids’ and best men’s speeches. We wanted to have all the speeches early so people could relax and enjoy the rest of the wedding.

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

A waltz from Howl’s moving castle

The post Maïlys & Tom’s lovely outdoor summer wedding, with John Mottershaw Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

Leeds wedding photographer Matt Sim

Wedding photographer review

Matt was absolutely amazing on the day! He made us feel comfortable and captured the day perfectly with lots of natural shots.

Your best moment or memory

Being surrounded by all our family and friends on the altar at Left Bank for our first dance. This was a really special moment after rearranging our wedding several times for covid.

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

The majority of the wedding was prepared by us and our family! From the decorations, flowers, cake and make up, we had a real DIY wedding.

Venue name + review

Left Bank, Leeds. This is a converted church with so much character found hidden in Headingley in Leeds. The venue was stunning in the day, with a real altar, a pulpit for the speeches, pillars and original stained glass. The staff were incredible and it was truly amazing to dance the night away on the altar.

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

We had traditional wedding outfits. Although the wedding was in August, Christina wore the dress bought for the original wedding date that was supposed to be in December. Although slightly warm for a summer wedding, she loved it so much that she just had to wear it!

Dress or suit shop name + review

Dress- Wed2B Suit- Moss Bros

Florist name + review

Christina’s auntie Susan- all made the day before the wedding at home!

Cake maker name + review

Christina’s auntie Teresa- again completely homemade and totally stunning!

Stationery maker’s name + review

We made all the stationary ourselves.

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

All of the venue decorations were made by us- including floral hoops, table decor, a home made photobooth, table plans and sweetie table

Wedding readings?

These were done by Cathal’s sisters, Roisin and Triona, and Christina’s brother Patrick.

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

Shut up and Dance with Me- Walk the Moon.

Hair + makeup name + review

Christina’s cousin Mary who has a natural flair for hair and make up and does these as a hobby.

The post Christina & Cathal’s beautiful Left Bank wedding in Leeds, with Matt Sim Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

https://libraphotographic.co.uk/

How did you choose your photographer?

Nathan (Libra Photographic) was highly recommended to us by lots of people when we’d asked for advice on Hampshire wedding photographers, we looked at his website & socials and instantly fell in love with his style – we then met with him & it felt like meeting a long-lost friend, he was SO excited to capture our day and was on board with all of our suggestions & ideas. We knew instantly that he was the guy for us!

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

We couldn’t have been more pleased and couldn’t recommend him highly enough, he was amazingly accommodating on the day & we felt like he was part of our wedding party as opposed to a photographer – he fitted in so well & managed to capture everything whilst blending in & not taking us away from our guests for long shoots – something we (and he) felt strongly about. He also managed to cater the way he worked depending on which photos we wanted, i.e., our 1year old Nephew & page boy, Frankie wasn’t likely to pose for long & therefore he captured natural moments of us & him together, which resulted in some candid & fun photos. Fast forward to him sending us the photos, and they were everything we’d dreamed of and more! Within days of our wedding, he’d sent us the most amazing slideshow preview which took our breath away. We didn’t think the photos still to come could top the slideshow, but they were so fantastic that it felt like we were living the day all over again! He is worth his weight in gold!

What’s your fondest memory of your wedding?

There were so many special moments but our top two are

1 – After the ceremony & on the way to the reception we stopped in at my 94-year-old Grandma’s house so that she got to be part of our day (she was too frail to attend) – Nathan also came along to capture that special & emotional moment & were so glad that we planned to do it.

2 – walking down the aisle to the most incredible piece of music being played by the 28-piece brass band that both Jack & I and lots of our friends and family are part of was a moment neither of us will ever forget, it was spine tingling.

Did you have a wedding video?

Our videographer was Harry Fynn – @harrysweddingfilms and we couldn’t fault him either. Just like Nathan, Harry blended in & caught all the special moments without impinging on ours or our guests experience of the day. Harry is busy preparing the footage & so we’ve not yet seen it, but we just know it’s going to be fantastic.

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

Our wedding ceremony was at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Ringwood, Hampshire – a spectacular church that Jack & I have played in with our brass band, Hyde Band, many times over the years. We also both grew up in Ringwood & our parents still live in the parish which meant it was very special to us to marry there.

Our reception venue was Hale Park House, a breath-taking stately home with views & grounds to match. We always knew we’d like to have our reception there after my father, a builder, had undertaken work there over the years & before they started doing weddings, I’d said to him on many occasions that it would be an amazing wedding venue & that one day I’d hope to have our wedding celebrations there.

I couldn’t believe it when shortly after they started doing weddings Jack proposed, at only 5 minutes away from our home in Downton, after talks with Hale Park Weddings, it became apparent that they had the date we wanted free which was a beautiful summers day that also happened to be Jacks’ late grandmothers’ birthday, it couldn’t have been more perfect.

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

As quite a self-conscious person, I had mixed feelings about the whole dress process & like many brides probably went to most dress shops in the local area but never quite found the dress that made me feel comfortable or gave me the wow factor, I found that part quite difficult and I wasn’t sure I was going to get that feeling, this was until I went to Anna Bridal in Ringwood.

The ladies there were so helpful & I soon found the dress for me & from then I really enjoyed the whole process, the fittings, accessory appointments all the way through to picking up my dress. I then had a string of appointments with the most wonderful seamstress, Alison Pordum who ensured it fitted perfectly. Fast forward to the day and I couldn’t have been happier – I loved my dress so much & just wish I could wear it again!

Jacks experience was a little more plain sailing. A simple trip to the nearest shopping centre with the groomsman in tow was all that was required. With a group of Jacks best friends and family alongside him, he set off to as many high street suit shops as possible, the boys discussed Jack’s key ideas and then decided on colours, styles and accessories between them, always keeping Jack’s wishes at the forefront of their decisions.

Wanting to pick something a little bit different and with an idea to step away from a plain suit, the guys found the Jenson Sky Blue Marc Darcy Three piece suit as the unanimous winner in a well known high street suit shop & after some haggling, purchased the 7 sets required.

In the mean time, we were lucky enough to stumble across a real gem of a suit store. I was helping my Dad look for his outfit which took us to the Cavendish in Romsey. They were great with my Dad who after visiting many stores, immediately found himself leaning towards one of their suits.

We were both impressed by their personal approach and whilst browsing in their store, I noticed they stocked the same suit Jack had chosen for significantly less than the discounted price Jack had secured with the other store. I spoke with them about a bulk order and they kindly offered a further discount. Keen to support a small business, we then placed our order with them. Jack re assembled the lads and they all booked in for their own fitting sessions, having the suits tailored to what was referred to as a ‘Fashion Fit’, featuring tapered trousers and slim fits.

The Cavendish could not have been more helpful, they provided all the shoes, suits, and accessories at the convenience of each individual groomsman. They ordered in different ties to try and were always willing to help with affordability. They are a fantastic shop offering a personable service. They will happily give you their time and advice and provide a fantastic tailoring service.

Jack was very happy to buy from them and felt that when buying a wedding suit, as with a wedding dress, you should be afforded time and an experience as this may be the most important piece of clothing you ever wear. This was something missed by many large retailers however, The Cavendish were able to provide this service as well as exceptionally competitive pricing. A fantastic store, a great experience and something we would recommend time and time again.

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

We didn’t have a florist, instead choosing to have handmade artificial bouquets & buttonholes by Little Village Floral Design. We found this to be the most cost-effective way for us, seeing as we had 7 bridesmaids, 6 groomsmen, a flower girl & page boy. We were also confident that it was going to be a hot day & therefore didn’t want real flowers to wilt before the day was out – looking back we’re glad we made this decision as it turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year peaking at 36 degrees!

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

Jacks younger brother Harry made our wedding cake for us. He isn’t a professional baker but has the talent to be just that if he so wished. We went for a slightly untraditional cake and opted for 3 tiers of different cheesecakes, which were sensational. There wasn’t a crumb left over, so safe to say they went down a treat!

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

I’ve mentioned already that Jack & I are part of a brass band, Hyde Band, and as such they were heavily incorporated in the day, they played in the church & at the reception they played a welcome set & later an entertainment set.

Lots of our friends and family also play in the band and therefore we managed to create some lovely moments where we all joined in with the playing. This was something we loved doing and was very special to us as the band has always been a huge part of our lives & it was through the band that Jack & I formed our relationship.

Another personal touch was having photos of our late grandparents on an easel at the front of the church, we were of course sad that they couldn’t be there but by doing this we felt that they still part of our day & it was our way of acknowledging them on such an important day in both of our lives.

We also had table names that were family names as opposed to numbers – this again felt like a nod to all of those before us & a really personal touch.

In the evening, we had a DJ & also Soul conspiracy, a soul band that both Jack & his dad, Martin play in – both were fantastic entertainment & Jack and I also played ‘Everlasting Love’ with the soul band which was another very personal moment of our day.

Did you have any wedding readings? What were they?

Jacks mum, Niki read ‘Captain Correli’s Mandolin‘ by Louis de Berniéres

Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part.

Because this is what love is.

Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion.That is just being in love, which any fool can do.

Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.

Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.

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

For our first dance, one of Jacks Groomsmen & very talented DJ, Jay, kindly made us a remix of songs that meant something to us. We started with a snippet of ‘You’re still the one’ by Shania Twain, but the Teddy Swims version which led in to an acoustic version of the Kings of Leons ‘Use Somebody’ by Boyce Avenue. This gave us the opportunity for the customary ‘slow dance’ but then to shake things up as it got to the chorus it merged into the original Kings of Leon version & then into The Killers ‘Mr Brightside’ where we got our bridal party to join us which in turn got all the guests got on their feet to join in. It was such a great moment having everyone join in with us, we didn’t fancy 3 minutes of slow dancing, to us this felt a little awkward so to do it this way, meant we got the best of both worlds!

Favourite wedding suppliers

Hyde Band – https://hydeband.co.uk
Hale Park Weddings – https://haleparkweddings.co.uk/
Marlin Marquees – https://www.marlinmarquees.co.uk/
P&P Catering & Events – https://www.ppcateringandevents.co.uk/
Anna Bridal Couture – https://annabridal.co.uk
Grace Olivia Make Up – https://www.graceoliviamakeup.com/
William Guy – https://www.williamguy.co.uk/
Libra Photographic – https://libraphotographic.co.uk/
Harrys Wedding Films – https://www.plato-video.co.uk/wedding-films
Little Village Floral Design – https://www.facebook.com/LittlevillagedesignCo/
The Cavendish Romsey – https://cavendishmenswear.com/
Alison Pordum – https://www.alisonpordum.co.uk/
Photobooth – https://www.hantsphotobooths.co.uk/
Soul Conspiracy – https://www.facebook.com/SoulConspiracy/
Best Disco – https://bestdisco.co.uk/

The post Jack & Joanna’s timelessly beautiful Hale Park wedding, with Libra Photographic appeared first on English Wedding.

We do love a black-tie wedding – especially for a church and stately home setting, the look is just fabulous. Maruzzella’s all-over-lace wedding dress is absolutely stunning, and along with the elegant floral styling and that amazing calla lily bouquet this wedding oozes luxury and elegance. But it’s the story that wins our hearts. The little glances from bridesmaids and parents, and the look of love shared between the bride and groom… they’re what make our hearts sing!

Weddings are never just about the couple. As much as we adore those loved-up shots of our brides and grooms on English Wedding, it’s the interactions between wedding guests that are always fascinating. In this wedding we stopped our scrolling for proud parents, massive heartfelt hugs and belly laughs. Oh, and there’s always a little humour in the best wedding photos, so watch out for babies with little baby opinions on events, and other little ones supping OJ from champagne flutes. This is pure documentary wedding photography at its best and it’s just brilliant!

This is a wedding from the summer of 2019, when we were all free to hug, and laugh, and dance and sing our hearts out with no restrictions at weddings. I know all of my wedding photographer friends are back out there capturing amazing celebrations again this summer, and it fills me with joy to know weddings are back.

What makes every wedding unique is the couple at the centre of it all. It’s their personalities, the friends they gather around them and the families who shaped their lives. And yet, these are the things that every wedding shares: the connections between people and the moments that make life so bloody amazing. Without gushing too much… I love publishing our York Place Studios weddings because they capture this essence of a wedding like no other photographers can.

The post Maruzzella & Ben’s joyously real wedding at Goldsborough Hall, with York Place Studios appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

https://benjamintomsphotography.co.uk/

How did you choose your Kent wedding photographer?

As a bride, choosing a photographer was the thing I agonised over most in the planning of our wedding. I spent several days searching the internet, reading review after review, and scanning through many talented and unique portfolios. When I came across Ben’s portfolio there was no question in my mind that this was the photographer I wanted to capture our special day.

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

Looking back on the day now and the photographs Ben captured we truly couldn’t have made a better choice!

First of all, Ben is a kind and friendly man to work with. His cheerful and relaxed manner put everyone at ease on the day, including my usually camera-shy self.

When we received our wedding photographs they made us smile, laugh and cry all at the same time! Ben did a fantastic job at capturing those little moments and we will treasure these memories forever. Our guests have been equally as impressed with our photographs.

A wonderful job in every respect. Thank you!

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

https://www.momentweddings.co.uk/
Karl Egan
Moment Weddings

Having a videographer was not a clear cut decision for us to begin with. Despite wanting to have a videographer we were torn between what we desired and what our budget allowed. However, in the end we decided that having a videographer would allow another special element of our day that a photograph alone could not capture. We were so pleased that we opted to do so, as we can now re-live our special day time and time again with the simple click of a button.

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

Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve

A truly magical venue in the heart of a wildlife reserve, this had always been the venue where we had envisioned our wedding reception.

Overlooking Romney Marsh and the English Channel, the historic Grade II* listed Port Lympne Mansion is surrounded by 600 acres of magnificent private parkland. It’s one of Kent’s finest country houses and and a stunning Kent wedding venue.

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

Bridal Dress:
Grace and Lace- Chelmsford, Essex
https://graceandlace.co.uk/

Due to the pandemic our wedding had to be postponed and like many we decided to try for a baby before our new date. Giving birth less than 3 weeks before my first and final dress fitting, and 6 weeks before the wedding date was a task in itself. A massive shout out to the seamstress at Grace & Lace for turning my dress around in such a short space of time. I couldn’t have been happier with the dress! (Juanita Louise by Maggie Sottero)

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

Clare Staplehurst
See Rose Floral Design
https://seerosefloraldesign.com/about-me/

As any bride will know it is so important that everything on your special day is just perfect and the flowers are no exception to this… Regarding the flowers Clare supplied all I can say is WOW! I was absolutely blown away by how beautiful they were (as were all our guests). Every last detail was exactly as I had asked for and most importantly everything that I envisioned and more. Clare was an absolute delight to work with- always on hand to discuss any ideas/changes and answer any questions I had, provide her professional opinion where required and just to have a general friendly chit chat when needed! Clare is not only an exceptional florist but a lovely, warm and approachable person. I can’t thank Clare enough for her service and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone wishing to get married.

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

A local cake maker supplied our cake and did the most amazing, scrummy job.

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

Kodaline – The One

We choose this song as the lyrics had a special meaning to us as a couple.

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

We had to postpone our wedding due to the COVID pandemic. This massively impacted the build up to our special day.

When our actual wedding day arrived, which to our relief was not impacted by any COVID restrictions, if was perfect and worth every bit of time spent agonising over.

Favourite wedding suppliers

Photographer – Kent wedding photographer https://benjamintomsphotography.co.uk/
Wedding venue – https://www.aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne/weddings/
Bridal boutique – https://graceandlace.co.uk/
https://www.eventhireessex.co.uk/
http://www.bowschaircovers.co.uk/
https://www.mintdjs.co.uk/
Flowers – https://seerosefloraldesign.com/
Hair – @hair.by.bethx (Instagram)
Videographer – https://www.momentweddings.co.uk/

The post Eppie & Jamie’s classic chic wedding at Port Lympne with Benjamin Toms Photography appeared first on English Wedding.