Wedding photographer’s website

Steve Jones Photography https://www.sjjonesphotography.co.uk

Wedding photographer review

We are so happy we picked Steve to do our wedding photography – as two people that are a little camera shy, he did such a great job of blending into the background whilst snapping the perfect candids! We are so happy with our experience with Steve.

Your best wedding moment or memory

The groomsmen running people to and from different barns with picnic table parasols to shelter everyone from the rain!

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

Rented potted plants centrepieces! We tried to consider sustainability at every opportunity, and every vendor was great in helping us try to achieve this. (All of the cut flowers were preserved)

Videographer name + review

Grace – captured videography.

Grace had such a similar style to Steve, they worked so well together whilst making sure we were comfortable the whole day. We are so happy with everything we received from Grace, particularly the highlights video – she captured our day perfectly.

Venue name + review

East Afton Farmhouse.

Through the support we received from the first day we booked, to the wedding coordinator on the day, East Afton was the perfect choice for us. Set in the beautiful countryside of the Isle of Wight, it was full of such lovely photo opportunities, and a bonus that we had the venue for the whole weekend! Meant we could spend longer with our guests.

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

Holly: White wedding dress, strapless with lace
Thomas: 3 piece pink suit

Dress or suit shop name + review

The dress and accessories were from Gems, a bridal shop on the Isle of Wight.

They were so lovely, and with an in house alterations service they made the whole process seamless – the dress was a Maggie Sottero

The suit was from Moss, who provided a really quick turn around with the made to order suits, and a lot of flexibility for the rentals (dads and groomsmen!)

Bridesmaids dresses

La Closet de Chanel

They were made to measure at a really reasonable price, and were multiway which meant the bridesmaids could all pick a style they were comfortable in, whilst not having to shop around to find matching colours!

Florist name + review

Sarah Matthews florist

The team at the florist were so lovely, and helped us to achieve our vision. We were so happy with the bouquets, and they nailed the brief!

Cake maker name + review

Ems bakes cakes @_emsbakescakes

Emily is our best friend, and she did SUCH a good job baking our cake. It tasted beautiful, looked gorgeous, and helped us through design choices. (We are biased, but have a look at her instagram – it tastes even better than it looks too!)

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

We designed and printed our own stationery.

All of our tables were named after our family pets!! A lovely lady we found online is very crafty, and she did a perfect little painting of each pet on a wood slice for each table for us. @storminateacupgifts

Wedding readings?

Grooms mum and one of our best friends did a lovely poem each!

Wedding planner name + review

All done in house by East Afton – another bonus of booking with them! They crushed it.

Hair + makeup name + review

Lyndsey-Marie MUA.

Lyndsey and her team were such a nice group to start off our day with! We are so happy with the hair and makeup results which lasted all day.

The post A sunny, joyful sunflower wedding for Holly and Thomas on the Isle of Wight, with SJ Jones Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Have the most wonderful weekend everyone – I’ll be taking a break to spend time with family (and eat chocolate!) so we’ll see you on Tuesday!

Wedding photographer’s website

Melanie Barnfield – https://www.melaniebarnfieldphotography.com

Wedding photographer review

The best wedding photographer we ever could’ve wished for! Mel captured our August wedding day and every emotion that came with it so beautifully. We are in love with the photos and are so grateful we now have so many moments to look back on and treasure forever.

Mel went above and beyond since we first got in touch, providing lots of helpful info and advice, as well the opportunity to have an engagement shoot which was so special and a great way to get to know each other more.

On the day, Mel was so much more than our wedding photographer, but an extra friend to share our day. She captured all the natural moments without being intrusive, but was also equally there to direct when needed and have some fun with the group shots – she’s full of great ideas, creativity and patience! She brought such a calming energy and put everyone at ease even helping me with my dress and the boys with their buttonholes.

She listened to all our ideas and just totally got our vibe. Our family and friends thought she was brilliant too and so friendly and approachable, with several people mentioning how she literally didn’t stop smiling or snapping away all day.

Mel is a sunshine soul and we truly can’t thank or recommend her enough!!

Your best wedding moment or memory

Our outdoor ceremony ended up being one of our favourite moments due to the complete bubble we found ourselves in of pure love and emotion. It was so special looking out and seeing all our loved ones as we read our personalised vows to each other and walking down the aisle as husband and wife was a moment we will cherish forever.

The tractor ride offered by our venue was another stand out memory as we were able to take a few moments away from it all to soak everything in and be just us, walking in a field that overlooked the sea.

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

• Bride’s speech – The groom wrote a bit of a silly song to Max Boyce’s hymns and arias (a classic Welsh song) with audience involvement and everything! It was a real highlight and he hadn’t told a single person so the biggest surprise of the day.
• Sundowner drinks on the beach the night before. As people were travelling far and wide, we wanted to make a weekend of it. Most of the guests ended up joining us on the beach the evening before which was so special and the perfect start to our wedding.
• Tractor ride
• Lots of homemade touches
• Pizza van in the evening of course as pizza is our favourite!

Videographer name + review

Ashley Hughes

Venue name + review

Launcells Barton

The most perfect Cornish venue to celebrate our August wedding. We knew when we were first showed around that it had to be Launcells!

From the very beginning, we felt looked after by the team and their communication and attention to detail throughout was outstanding.

They were always so welcoming and there to answer any questions, as well as providing lots of helpful information and advice throughout our wedding journey.

The setting of the venue is something super special and all of our guests were blown away, with not only all of the incredible spaces but the whole feel and homeliness of it all.

We were fortunate enough to have an outdoor ceremony in the beautiful and intimate walled garden, which ended up being one of our favourite parts (along with the tractor ride – such a unique experience), making for amazing photos!

The reception barn was stunning on its own, but we loved that we were able to put our stamp on it with our own decor and bring our vision to life.

The Manor House was another beautiful feature and there was plenty of space to get ready in the morning. The exclusive use of the venue for the whole weekend made for such a memorable time with our closest family who were able to stay onsite.

We are so grateful for all the time and dedication put into ensuring we had the perfect day and thank the whole team from the bottom of our hearts for hosting the best day of our lives!

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

Bride – my wedding dress reminded me of the way the sea shimmers on a sunny day and was almost mermaid like which is why I fell in love with it. I was able to make it bespoke by adding pearls down the back and off the shoulder sleeves for that whimsical, fairy tale look.

I wore a denim jacket for when it was cooler in the evening that I personalised with pearl initials and little sewn on motifs like a wave, hibiscus flower, stars and a tiny welsh flag.

My favourite part was the jewellery I had made bespoke by Tara Osborne – a unique arm cuff with engraved lines to represent our wedding date, moonstone earrings and a moonstone back necklace with 9 pearls to indicate the number of years we’ve been together.

My something blue were my blue bow shoes which were so cute and fun!

Groom – cream linen trousers with a navy jacket and waistcoat.

The groomsmen were in the opposite, so navy trousers and cream linen jackets.

The ties were peach and as a surprise, the bride had a tie patch made of a photo of our dog, Skye which the groom discovered when getting ready.

Dress or suit shop name + review

Wedding dress – Timeless Elegance, Cardiff

Jewellery – Carrie Elizabeth (bracelet) and Tara Osborne Jewellery (necklace, earrings, arm cuff)

Shoes – Something blue

Groom and groomsmen – French Connection and M&S.

Bridesmaids – peach dresses from VILA and they all had matching white bow heels.

Florist name + review

Steph at Verbena Floral Styling – the most wonderful florist who brought our vision and Pinterest board to life with her beautiful flower arrangements.

We wanted flowers that suited the theme of coastal, whimsical and fun, and Steph got it exactly spot on!

My bouquet was even made into a heart shape and I literally did not put it down all day long!

The meadow style arrangements that lined the aisle for the ceremony were breathtaking, along with the giant urns that set for the ceremony backdrop. It was fantastic that these could all then be moved into the reception barn and we also had bud vases set along the trestle tables which looked stunning.

The power of flowers and the beauty of floral arrangements at a wedding shouldn’t be underestimated and Steph knows how to deliver.

She also kindly helped with the styling in the reception barn and has an amazing eye for detail which made everything look flawless.

Cake maker name + review

Mother of the bride! A 3 tier cake of lemon, cappuccino and malt chocolate.

Decorated with royal icing and gold leaf.

We had a wooden cake topper made of the bride, groom and our dog. The groom is Welsh so the mother of the groom made a barabrith and one of the bridesmaids made Welsh cakes too.

Wedding catering, eats and treats!

Caterers – Fig & Smoke – we had sharing style boards which worked really well as we had trestle tables and it was like one big feast for everyone to get involved with!

Lots of Mediterranean themed food – breads, olives, dips, meats followed by mains of lamb, hake and stuffed peppers with a selection of side dishes and ending with a trio of desserts. The sharing style meant everyone could try a bit of everything.

Evening pizza van – Shoreline pizza

Stationery maker’s name + review

The bride! Save the dates, invites, menus etc all designed on canva and printed using Printed.com

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

Homemade signage (welcome sign and table plan) – made the most of the groom’s skills set to carve out the signs into a wave shape to fit with our coastal theme.

The groom’s trade is in polished concrete manufacturing and we had polished concrete candle holders on the tables.

We met on Tinder and had candles and little glass bottles filled with matches as our favours – the Tinder symbol is a flame and we used the slogan of ‘it’s a match’ to have personalised stickers printed on the bottles.

We decorated the barn with fairy lights, festoon lights and white drapes along the beams.

The mother of the bride made the napkins using a gorgeous coral print fabric.

Wedding readings?

You are the bubbles by Rachel Bright
Wedding poem by Whitney Hanson

Hair + makeup name + review

Hair – Jessica Dodd (@styledbyjessicadodd)

Jess is an incredible wedding hair stylist and was a dream to have around on my wedding morning. She had the big task of doing mine, 5 bridesmaids, mothers of the bride and groom and flower girl and she did such an amazing job!

She listened to everyone’s preferences and we were all so happy and felt amazing all day. It was also great to have a trial beforehand.

Jess is such a lovely person and has such a calming personality which helped make the morning relaxed and fun! Can’t thank her enough and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a hair stylist.

Make up – Gem Ryder (@gemrydermua) I’m so pleased I booked Gem for my wedding make up as she was simply amazing!

She did make up for myself, 5 bridesmaids and mothers of the bride and groom – a big task but she smashed it and we all felt fabulous all day long.

She is so knowledgable, professional and talented, and listened to everyone’s preferences to make us feel like a glam version of ourselves.

It was lovely having a trial beforehand and her warmth, kindness and calming nature made the wedding morning relaxing and run smoothly.

The post Sophie & Gareth’s perfect Cornish wedding, with Melanie Barnfield Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

Nikki Terra https://nikkiterra.co.uk

Wedding photographer review

Nikki was incredible to work with and from the moment we met her we knew she would be the one to capture our special day. We had great communication and the engagement shoot was the perfect opportunity for us all to get to know each other and for her to see what we would be comfortable with and the style of her work. This made us even more excited for the big day and we were thrilled with the results – she captured every moment beautifully, as well as the venue and the surroundings and we have hundreds of beautiful images that perfectly encapsulate our day. She was even there for us in a moment of panic when we lost a button on some trousers – Nikki and her sewing kit to the rescue!

Your best wedding moment or memory

Being announced in to the wedding breakfast by our Master of Ceremonies on such a high to the biggest cheers from all of our loved ones!

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

Our mums were central to our day, and as such they played a pivotal role. They both walked us down the aisle and both gave speeches at the breakfast, which is a little uncommon but made our day so special. It also gave our guests a nice surprise as neither of us were waiting at the altar and it kept our outfits a secret!

Venue name + review

Farbridge, West Dean

We visited about 5 venues in our search and Farbridge blew us away – nestled in the South Downs, the flint barn was just stunning and we could do so much with the space. The staff had such incredible attention to detail, and the food and service was impeccable- down to them even discreetly tidying the gravel out the front after our guests arrived. Not one stone was left un-turned – literally! Accommodating 16 of us overnight in beautiful rooms also allowed us to carry on the next day and we had a wonderful breakfast whilst talking about the day before. Everything was perfect and we hope we are lucky enough to return again one day for someone else’s special day.

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

Suits supplied by Hunter & Greys (https://hunterandgreys.co.uk/)

Wilvorst flannel suit in Stone with Kempton dusty pink waistcoat. Floral Liberty of London ties with matching pocket square.

Dress or suit shop name + review

Our mantra for our wedding was to use local – Hannah at Hunter and Greys was no exception and she was wonderful to work with. Exceptional service tailored (literally) to every individual, she gave us so much time and compassion in finding that perfect suit. She had an amazing selection to chose from and it took quite some time to narrow it down but we were thrilled with what we chose in the end and her expert guidance helped to make the process all that more special.

Florist name + review

Hedge Rose Chichester- https://hedgerose.uk/

We were very fortunate to have Hedge Rose provide floristry for our wedding at Farbridge – and with a floral theme and a difficult brief for some show stopper pieces, Meg absolutely nailed it. It was a joy to work with her and it’s clear to see how passionate and creative she is in her work. Her and the team did a beautiful job and so many of our guests had incredible comments about our floristry – we can’t thank Meg and the team enough for a first class service and the journey we had with her in designing the pieces for our special day.

Cake maker name + review

Our cake was designed and made by our best friend and one of our Groomsmaids, Emma. Emma is a teacher by day but bakes in her own time, so the pressure was on! But she designed a gorgeous show stopper for us comprising Victoria sponge, white chocolate and passionfruit and a top tier of cherry bakewell flavour sponge, decorated in buttercream, white chocolate and edible wildflowers.

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

Canva was central to all of our stationery and finishing touches and the level of personalisation the app allows was fantastic. We sourced frames to have photos of loved ones, and the candelabras were second hand from an events business who were going to bin them. The hampers for cards, photos and favours we collected ourselves and the florist kindly added loose stems and greenery to finish it all off.

Wedding readings?

Holleigh Breslin – Adams sisters provided a tear-jerker of a reading during our ceremony.

Wedding planner name + review

Wedding planning was in house by Farbridge – kindly provided by Eleanor and coordinated on the day by Imogen.

Hair + makeup name + review

Laura Skillen Salons https://lauraskillensalons.com/

Laura provided hair both before and on the day – myself and Adam visited prior to allow our hair time to settle, which Laura and Terri kindly styled on the day. They also styled both our mums hair and our two groomsmaids, who also visited prior to the wedding for trials and were so pleased with how they looked. The hair all looked wonderful and fit the theme of our day beautifully.

The post A gorgeous wedding at Farbridge for Adam & Craig, with Nikki Terra Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

Lake District wedding photographer Mark Battista https://www.markbattistaphotography.co.uk/

Wedding photographer review

Mark was simply phenomenal from start to finish. From our initial reaching out to recieving the final photos, Mark’s professionalism, creativity and genuine passion for his work shone through at every step.

On the wedding day, Mark seamlessly blended into the background capturing candid moments without being intrusive. Even was chased around by the kids during the night do! (Sorry!)

Mark knew how to guide us for posed photos whilst still being natural, he even captured heartfelt moments that we didn’t even realise he was taking!

When we received the final photos we were blown away by the quality and attention to detail. Every image told a story and emotions were felt. Mark has an incredible eye for detail, making every photograph like a piece of art.

We truly felt like Mark cared as much about our wedding as much as we did and that was so special.

Your best wedding moment or memory

Nothing will beat that feeling of meeting each other at the end of the aisle for the ceremony! We had Beauty and the Beast playing (saxophone version). This song means so much to Katie as it has been her favourite film since she was a little girl. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house! Reuniting after a night apart, Sam was crying, Katie was crying, it was the most special moment ever.

Videographer name + review

Dominic – @brainblinkproductions
Dominic was an absolute dream to work with! He captured every special moment of our wedding day with incredible skill and creativity. On the day, he was professional, unobtrusive, and worked seamlessly with our other vendors. The final video was breathtaking—perfectly edited with stunning visuals, emotional highlights, and music that brought everything to life. Dominic’s storytelling talent is unmatched, and we’re so grateful for the timeless film he created for us.

Venue name + review

Lodore Falls Hotel and Spa

Lodore Falls was the perfect setting for our wedding day! The stunning scenery, modern interiors, and warm, attentive staff made it unforgettable. Everything was beautifully organized, and the team went above and beyond to ensure every detail was flawless. Our guests couldn’t stop raving about the breathtaking views and delicious food. Lodore Falls created a magical atmosphere that made our day truly special. We can’t recommend it highly enough for anyone looking for a picturesque and stress-free wedding venue!

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

Katie wore ‘Mackenzie’ by Morilee. It is a stunning ball gown with an off the shoulder sweetheart neckline. The dress was designed with frosted beading and 3D petals.

Sam wore a light grey suit from Moss Bros with sage green detailing from the tie and pocket square. He had his suit custom fitted with an embroidered addition on the inside of his blazer which said both our names and the date of our wedding.

Dress or suit shop name + review

Katie got her dress from Ava Rose Hamilton. The girls at the shops couldn’t be more attentive, they have great eye for detail and they were so helpful in helping me decide what accessories to pair with my dress. Niamh who helped me in my appointment helped me feel so confident in any dress I wore, I came out of the shop glowing!

Sam picked up his suit from Moss Bros this was ideal for us as they have shops all around the country and as his groomsmen were from different cities and towns this made the process so easy. The whole suit buying process was very streamlined and Sam looked very dapper!

Florist name + review

Evergreens Keswick Debra!

What a lady! As soon as we had our first consultation with Debra we knew she was the one to go with! Her knowledge and expertise of flowers and what’s in season when is second to none. We told her our budget and she was very realistic on what fit in our budget, there was no false promises. On our wedding day our flower displays were incredible, we had so many compliments on the attention to detail on the flower arrangements and that’s all thanks to Debra!

Cake maker name + review

Cakes by Alison Fawkes

We had our consultation with Alison, we showed her our inspiration pictures and she personalised our ideas into our dream wedding cake that matched our theme perfectly. We had 3 layers each with different flavours, red velvet, salted caramel and lemon drizzle. Each layer went down a treat with our guests, so much so we had none left to take home with us! An absolutely incredible cake!

Wedding stationery and personal touches

We made all of our stationery ourselves! From invitations, to name places, table plan and menus. We loved having a little crafty side project to do as we felt it brought us together in the stress of wedding planning, it was so good to have little touches of our own work around our wedding.

Wedding readings?

We had 2 readings during our wedding. Katie’s long term best friend read Union – Robert Fulham. This reading explained our relationship journey perfectly. Sam’s dad read An Apache Blessing. Again this was relevant to our journey walking through all the weathers, caring for each other and being together for as long as we live.

First dance and dance floor fillers!

Our first dance was Take on the World – You Me at Six

We did a surprise for Katie’s parents after our first dance. We got everyone up and we all danced to True by Spandau Ballet, this was their first song. Katie’s mum especially was really touched.

We wanted something different and this song was perfect. It’s a song we used to listen to at the start of our relationship, our favourite line is ‘nobody knows you the way that I know you’ and this couldn’t be more true.

Our night do playlist was very Indie based and they were a hit on the dancefloor! Including:
Not Nineteen Forever
Seventeen Going Under
Handbags and Gladrags
Oh Caroline
Human
You’ve got the Love

Hair + makeup name + review

For hair we used @hairbymorganuk

Katie has known Morgan for a few years and can trust that she will do a great job as she knows her hair type. Katie’s hair lasted all day and stayed in place, it looked more relaxed in the evening which was what we wanted, the curls stayed in place all day and night. We used to have trouble keeping my hair curled so I’m so glad she mastered it!

For makeup we used @kabin9beauty

Again, Katie has known Kirstie for many years and had complete trust in her. The makeup for both Katie and her bridesmaids did not budge all day, she did an incredible job at making us look natural and glam, perfect soft wedding makeup. Very happy!

The post Katie & Sam’s beautiful and timeless Lake District wedding, with Mark Battista Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer website + review

York & North Yorkshire wedding photographer Joss Denham

Joss did an amazing job capturing our wedding day. Neither of us love being in front of a camera but felt totally at ease with Joss for both the posed group shots and the candid, natural photos where we didn’t even notice him nearby. Joss did a great job of directing us and our family and friends to get the shots we wanted, even getting everyone ready for the confetti throw. Our photos all look amazing and we are so pleased we chose Joss as our wedding photographer, and an extra bonus was how quickly he edited the images so we could view our online gallery only 5 days after the wedding!

We got married at York Register Office and then had our reception at The Plough, Fulford. We wanted a casual day and both of these venues were well suited. The Plough is my family’s pub/restaurant/B&B so it felt special to spend the day there. We would definitely recommend both of these venues.

The flowers

Meg’s gran picked flowers from her garden for both of our bouquet’s and the flowers on the tables. It felt special and sentimental to have her grow and arrange our flowers and they looked a bit wild and rustic which we think looked great.

Wedding cake

We had a 2 tier cake from Nelson Bakery, one tier was lemon and the other was chocolate orange. It was decorated with tiny red hearts to match our nail art.

What would be your top tip for a future couple getting married?

Organise everything as far in advance as possible so you can relax on the run up to the wedding!

What advice would you give to a future couple to do/not do to make sure their guests have a great time at their wedding?

We would recommend creating a guest book filled with photos of you both when you were younger and then of all the key memories you have together. Our guests all loved looking through and leaving comments for us in the book. It gave everyone something to talk about and felt special to include photos of memories we have with each guest and also those no longer with us. We did it in chronological order starting with some baby pics, then toddler etc through to current day and put images of us both around the same age side by side with captions to tell people where the photo was taken/how old we were etc.

Are there any areas or items you would advise future couples not to spend so much money on?

Everything!! None of it really matters – it’s the time you spend together and with your loved ones that matters the most. No one will remember half of the details.

The post Meg & Evie’s beautiful York wedding, with Joss Denham Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

Cambridge wedding photographer Damien Vickers – https://www.damienvickersphotography.co.uk/

Wedding photographer review

Damien was just so easy to work with. We are terrible at taking photos and tend to look incredibly awkward in any that do exist! We had a pre-wedding shoot, which despite my nerves as we tread the cobbled Cambridge streets in the ‘golden hour’, was a great experience.

It meant that on the day, we’d already built a rapport with Damien and it was one less thing to worry about. I don’t know how he managed to be everywhere on the day!

One of the best things about getting our photos back was seeing all the moments we’d missed, being the centre of attention. He had captured so many wonderful candid shots of our friends and loved ones. He was both easy-going and relaxed with us, but also assertive and clear when getting the group shots. His experience shone through as we asked many questions in the run up to the day – all of which he answered with care and provided options or recommendations.

Your best wedding moment or memory

For me, it was the moment that my Dad and I could see our guests as he walked me down the aisle. Everyone was gathered in the beautiful garden at South Farm. I had been the most nervous all day once the music started and my bridesmaids left us waiting in the hallway of the farmhouse. Just the two of us for a few minutes. Then all of a sudden, we were bathed in love from our friends and family. Everyone was beaming and looked so fancy! I made a point to make as much eye contact as I could (whilst also trying to walk slowly). It was really a privilege to have so many people there to celebrate us. Then, there Jake was, smiling at the end of the aisle and we both had tears in our eyes when we said ‘hello!’.

Jake chose the first dance as his favourite moment. He said that the high pressure events of the day were all over, from ceremony to speeches, and he could now relax and have fun! I was not so relaxed in those final moments waiting for the first chords to kick in – as I’m not a natural dancer. We’d worked hard over a couple of months to learn a routine to ‘Come and Get Your Love’ by Redbone, which was played live by The Dominos. Jake used to be in a band and has an extroverted side, so our upbeat first dance suited his inner performer!

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

There was just so much about the wedding that fell into place. We were incredibly lucky to secure a Saturday in August at South Farm, just 7 months before our wedding. This happened to also be the date of our 11th anniversary together – this definitely felt serendipitous. We had no idea how popular South Farm was as naïve wedding planners ourselves!

Our Band, The Dominos, perform at weddings and events internationally and were available on our date! Two of the members of the band, Stu and Alex, had a band with Jake when they were teenagers, so really, we would not have wanted anyone else to perform for us.

We had our dogs, Bear & Arlo, with us on the day. They had many admirers and endless offers for walkies! For us, they’re part of the family so having them with us meant a lot.

In the run up to the wedding of course there’s lots of wed-min which can be stressful, but one of the best things we have ever done is learning our first dance together. We bought an online package which had video tutorials and spent about two months practicing most evenings in our dining room. Although we’re not dancers, we wanted to do more than an awkward shuffle for our first dance! We both loved the song ‘Come and Get Your Love’ by Redbone and wanted an upbeat opener to the evening celebrations. The tempo meant it was both fun and silly to learn, as we’d trip over each other, miss beats and fall around laughing. In all the stresses of day-to-day life our dance practice was a time apart, where we’d simply look in each others’ eyes and give it a go. I smiled so much in all of our practices.

Venue name + review

South Farm What can I say – South Farm are fabulous. Everything from the venue itself, the food and the smooth running of the day – they have it all down to a tee.

We had nothing to worry about on the day, South Farm managed everything. It meant we could be fully present and enjoy the time with our guests.

The spaces are all tastefully decorated, spotlessly clean and the gardens have a range of meticulously tended and wild areas. People can meet in larger or smaller groups both inside and outside, so everyone can be comfortable throughout the day. Having the whole site for your wedding feels special and exclusive.

The team at South Farm are impeccable. Any concern or query was responded to promptly. They provide really clear timelines and communications on decisions, payments and finalisations. The staff are warm and friendly, nothing phases them and any issue is dealt with smoothly and with ease.

The food is divine. We did a tasting evening and were stuffed! The menu is extensive and there are lots of options for those with dietary needs. I’m gluten free (allergy) and nothing was a bother, I felt really safe eating there throughout the day.

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

My dress was from Heritage Brides in Hatfield – It is Lee Lee by ByWatters and Sam, who runs the shop, could not have been a safer pair of hands.

I’d been to one bridal shop before this and so I’d tried on a lot of silhouettes, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I’m not the type of person who has held a wedding for a long time. She listened and asked careful questions to pull out dresses for me to try. As I’d critique a dress, she’d adapt and pull the next choice.

I did have that ‘wow’ moment where I cried when I saw ‘the’ dress – which I did not expect! So there was no going back then. I didn’t expect to go for a gown or for the oatmeal colour in my dress, but when I tried it on, it sang and really complimented my (pale Irish!) skin colour.

I also had a flower crown handmade by Suzy, our Florist. My necklace was from Jersey Pearl. It was a present to me from Jake on the day – Jersey was where we’d spent a really lovely holiday a few years earlier! My earrings were handmade ceramic by Vivi Embellish (Elara Drops) from MarriMe in Newcastle. My bracelet was by Martina Hamilton, an Irish Jeweller, which was a present on the day from my parents. All of the accessories I have worn since and they bring a smile as I think back to our wedding day!

Jake’s suit was from Edit Suits in London – He had tried many high-street shops and rental options, but couldn’t find quite the right fit or colour so he opted to have his suit made. He said they offered a personalised service at a reasonable price, with numerous customisable options and provided quick turn-around from measure to final fit. His shoes are from Loake & the tie and pocket-square are a Liberty of London print bought from Etsy.

Florist name + review

Suzy Randell – Suzy was warm, knowledgeable and we worked well together to develop the vision for the flowers.

She was open to incorporating my creative elements into her floral displays. Using mood boards, visiting her in her studio and trying out a pre-wedding flower crown all really helped to bring the bold and bright florals to life. We took all the flowers home and had them up for weeks! She was very sensitive to any particular flowers we might want, for example, dahlia’s were Jake’s Nan’s favourite flower and she couldn’t be with us on the day. We had lots of dahlia’s! Across the different floral aspects – from meadow flowers, garland, bouquet to table arrangements, Suzy brought variation but matched this within the overall theme through her styling and flower choice.

Cake maker name + review

Our cake was made by a neighbour of ours, Chris. She made a gluten free Victoria sponge with raspberry conserve. She worked tirelessly making the individuals wildflowers which were modelled on those from Jake’s tie & pocket-square. She added fresh rosemary and a surprise of shamrocks, nodding to my Irish heritage. She is a warm and incredibly generous person and we loved the cake. It tasted wonderful too!

The topper is handmade in Vietnam (Chabinu Pegdolls on Etsy). Mika asked for details of our wedding outfits and also photos of us (and the dogs!). She sent proofs before she painted the figures and even clarified details for the dogs! I love them!

Stationery maker’s name + review

Grace Taylor @ Wildwood Paper – We opted for the Wild Meadow design for all of our on the day stationery. It matched the bold and bright colour theme, as well as featuring some of the same flowers in fabric and on the cake.

Grace was so easy to deal with, clear in her communication and managed expectations around delivery/timelines well. She gave a range of options based on her vast expertise. The quality of the prints was great and many guests took little mementos of the menu or their place-names!

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

Lots! I’m a maker and an art therapist by profession so once our wedding became a reality I had lots of ideas!

A bold and bright theme of colours overall. Given the height of Summer and our plan to get married in the gardens, I knew the flowers would be exploding in rich colours. There were nine different core colours.

We made 300 woollen pom-poms – transforming these into parts of the table decorations, bunting and chair tassels, as well as decorations along the aisle. The idea for pom-poms came from my work with people with a learning disability. I was doing some research into group art therapy, one group I went to had me making pom-poms and it was filled with such joy that I wanted to take this into our wedding.

We also made 100 origami birds. A few years ago, I’d made a mobile of origami birds that was focussed on grief in my life. For our wedding, I wanted to re-work the theme of the paper birds, with joy as the focus and so the 100 colourful origami birds were born. My bridesmaids and parents were the key helpers in making and assembling this vision!

Alongside what we’d made, Charlie (The Stables Prop Hire) hung paper lanterns in the barns and trees outside. Suzy (our florist) had carte blanche to go wild with colour, though we did agree that as many locally grown flowers would be included as possible.

My shoes were wedges from Hobbs and I sewed leather flowers onto them, which echoed the large applique flowers on my dress.

My mum knitted me a fabulous mohair cardigan to a 1980s pattern I found. Though on the day it was too warm to wear my cardi – I have it now as a wonderful token from our day and love wrapping up in it.

Wedding readings?

‘Everything I know About Love’ by Neil Gaiman

My dear friend Edward (O’Grady-Walshe) read this for us at our ceremony. I’ve known Edward since 2007, we met working together in an architectural practice. He’s the kind of person you could not see for a year and then stay up all night talking to catch up. He is wildly talented as an artist, on stage and behind the scenes. Creativity is part of his DNA. I knew he’d be perfect to make the reading memorable for guests and I really wanted him to have a role in our day. What I didn’t expect was that all three of us would choke up as he read the poem. The sense of love and gratitude at being together, celebrating love and friendship, was palpable. And the audience loved it!

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

‘Come and Get Your Love’ by Redbone

Jake was the master behind our playlist. We’d asked guests when they RSVP-ed for any requested songs and included these. We tried to have a range of musical styles across the day and into the evening so that everyone, if they wanted to, could get up and dance at some stage. We also worked with The Dominos to make sure that their set list was unique and our playlist didn’t repeat anything.

Other recommended wedding suppliers

Our band The Dominos have such a range of music and possible sets. They’re friendly and have just the right energy to match the vibe of the day. For us, they played during our drinks reception in the garden and then into the evening. They even checked outfit colours to ensure they wouldn’t clash with the wedding party!! Absolute professionals!

Coloured Paper Lanterns by Charlie Waters @ The Stables Prop Hire – https://www.thestablesprophire.co.uk/ She could not have done more for us – she was so helpful and so warm in all her communication.

Wedding bands were both from Galio Jewellers in St Albans – https://www.galio.co.uk/ Jake’s was custom made in Germany, mine was an accidental find which I was very pleased with as it fitted perfectly with my engagement ring, which Jake had chosen without any hints or suggestions.

Shellac Manicure (my first ever!) by Skin & Tonic in St Albans.

Mother of the Bride dress from Sinead’s Boutique, Ireland – https://sineadsboutique.com/ My mum felt really taken care of in Sinead’s. She was nervous about finding the right outfit as she’s more used to getting out and about in the countryside than wearing elegant dresses! So she needed a shop where they would work closely with her to make sure she was comfortable, but also that little bit special.

Bridesmaids dresses from Model Chic, Australia – https://www.modelchic.com.au/ Their communication was great and deliver estimates were spot on, also very reasonably priced. I wanted my bridesmaids to be able to choose a sleeve/strap style that they felt comfortable in, so the infinity dresses were perfect as there’s so many ways they can be worn.

Groomsmen & Father of Bride suits rented from Status Formal Hire in Harpenden. Efficient and professional service.

Wedding planner name + review

N/A – Though I must give a nod to South Farm here. Their team was incredible from our very first viewing, right through to having Evie as our wedding co-ordinator on the day. They know every aspect of weddings inside-out and so it felt like we had a team of wedding planners keeping us on track!

Hair + makeup name + review

Elouise Wallis @ Elouise Hair Stylist on Instagram as @elouise_hairstylist Elouise is my regular hairdresser, whom I’ve known since 2017 and followed her from salon to salon! I just knew it had to be her handling my hair and nerves on the day! She wouldn’t have let me go with a style that didn’t suit my face or hair type. A great piece of advice she gave at the trial was to try everything, every wild style idea I’d ever had and then see what felt most like ‘me’. She was a gem to have around on the day!
Katie Bullot @ GLOW by KT – Whom I chose for her natural looking dewey finish – I wear hardly any make up, so I wanted to feel like ‘me’ on the day, with a touch more glam! My bridesmaids and Mum also rarely wear make up, so I knew they’d be comfortable too. Katie is both professional and organised, with a keen attention to detail.

The post A super colourful South Farm wedding for Nicki & Jake, with Damien Vickers Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

Hannah Larkin https://hannahlarkinphotography.com/

Wedding photographer review

Hannah was the perfect choice for our wedding photographer. As well as being super talented, she gets to know you as individuals and is an all round wonderful human. She is kind, warm and funny but also a true professional. We appreciated the opportunity for her to get to know us in the engagement photos included in our package and found she made good suggestions to meet what we wanted in terms of formal and candid shots and how we might cater for our venue choices and different group/ family dynamics. We had great feedback about her from our guests and seemed to magically be everywhere at once, organised, approachable and assertive yet discreet. We absolutely love our photographs (even the kissing ones, we didn’t think we were those people!) and hope to use Hannah for family events in the future. She was adaptable on the day, noted and focused on key guests and captured everyone well including children and our puppy! As for our couple shots – we can’t recommend her enough. It is also worth noting she saved Gwen from a mishap including a taxi door and her veil, all with absolute calm! Thank you Hannah!

Your best wedding moment or memory

There are too many to mention as it really was the best day! One memorable moment was our bubble tunnel (instead of confetti) just after we came out of church – we’ve never seen so many bubbles. The guests (old as well as young!) loved the bubble guns and continued using them at the reception. This moment was extra magical as it rained hard all day but the sunshine came out just as we exited as newlyweds. Hannah also suggested we capture all our group shots while the sun was out, which was a great change of plan and we are really pleased we did this.

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

We took the option to take a boat to the venue, just as a couple with our photographer. As well as some lovely photos we also had a moment to just take a breath, soak it in and say “We did it, we got married!” before joining our guests for the reception party (we sent them by vintage bus).

Boat – Oxford River Cruises

Bus – Nostalgia Travel

We had lots of speeches! Father of Bride, Alex, Gwen, Maid of Honour (sister, with a bit from my nephew) and Best Man. They were all great and different and the timings worked well as we did them before a later wedding breakfast.

We had our puppy join us for a bit, with the brilliant Martin from @doggytopiauk as a “Dog Wedding Chaperone” (who knew such a thing existed?!) looking after him for the weekend but popping him in for photos and enthusiastic links, in his “Best Boy” bowtie.

Instead of a florist we used dried flower bouquets/button holes/hairpins from Hidden Botanics. As they are dried, they’ve made beautiful keepsakes. For the rest of the flowers we brought houseplants and a range of lovely pots matching our theme – we kept these and gave some as presents. They looked really good on the tables and we have been able to enjoy them since, not just for one day.

This might not be news to you but did you know you can get personalised Love hearts from Swizzels?! We had a tradition between us about giving each other love hearts so what a great find for favours.

Venue name + review

Wedding – Our Lady and St Edmund’s Church, Abingdon (a family church where Gwen was christened)

Reception – The Perch, Oxford.

Absolutely brilliant wedding venue. Particularly with Emily Clark as an event coordinator, who was amazing from start to finish. We had in person meetings, food and wine tastings and she was there on the big day too – she is one of the most organised people we’ve ever encountered and also friendly, unflappable and accommodating.

The Perch itself was already a favourite pub due to it’s great location by the riverside in Port Meadow, the consistently great service and the delicious food. For weddings they have a private marquee in the garden, which is already decorated well with beautiful fairy lights and quirky details. They let you make it your own – we had bunting and photos, a neon light, games including a football table and a sweet station. As well as decor, we were able to make choices about layout, timings and what to stock the bar with. The whole vibe was very relaxed but high standard and the wedding feast was a real highlight! We had many comments on the great food and drink. Service was really good and the whole set up felt slick. We weren’t even disappointed by the rain as it was a party in the marquee and everyone spilled out into the garden with umbrellas anyway. 5 stars for The Perch!

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

Alex – a custom made suit from Moss.

We loved the colour and having the lining embroidered with our names and wedding date. The Best Man and adult usher also had suits made and BM said he might wear it when he gets married as they all fit so well. Alex had a special kingfisher tie to match our theme. Younger ushers had suits in a matching colour from Next.

Gwen left it quite late to try on dresses not realising how early some brides look but then fell in love with the first dress she tried on at Proposals, Witney. It was gorgeous dress from Sincerity Bridal with sequins all over. Gwen also had a full length veil which was a favourite item on the day (a surprise after previously having no opinion on veils!). Gwen’s shoes were white vans embroidered with the date, flowers and “Mrs Mack”. Bridesmaid dresses (adult and child) were from In One Clothing, London and were multiway so they could style them differently but all in a beautiful teal colour. The fabric was great and Gwen got a “emergency spare ” which she can’t wait to wear! Younger bridesmaids and flower girl also rocked Vans – theirs were sparkly!

Dress or suit shop name + review

Moss, Oxford

Great service and really loved the suits. Good range of options and fitting service was good and flexible with appointments. The suits were made quickly and they communicated with the groom well.

Proposals, Witney.

Cannot recommend them enough. Warm, friendly, professional service who were great at listening and making recommendations but also giving space and time to find the perfect dress. They helped arrange alterations and presented the dress and veil beautifully for pickup the day before the wedding.

Florist name + review

Dried flowers, buttonholes and hair pins from Hidden Botanics.

These were a great choice. It was easy to choose online and they arrived in good condition, with the added bonus of being able to sort these well ahead of the day since they last. They are now lovely keepsakes.

Cake maker name + review

The Cake Shop, Oxford

It was a last minute decision to have a cake and we are so glad we did! Super service with the tasting and customisation and they directly communicated with the venue so it was seamless. Our cake topper was us in our wedding outfits sat on a bench with Pickles our puppy and Pippin our hamster. This was one of our favourite details!

Stationery maker’s name + review

Homemade – we included watercolour illustrations by Gwen. We did order some special stamps for invitations (birds) from The Royal Mail, which were were pleased with!

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

• Invitations, including a map
• Bunting
• Signage including the seating plan
• Photo strings
• We put together individual activity packs for each child guest

Wedding readings?

As well as traditional church readings we had an extract from The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

First dance song? Playlist recommendations?

Home by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros Followed by a band The Junos https://thejunos.co.uk/ which were absolutely brilliant and gave us an eclectic mix including 90s dance hits to keep the dance floor jumping! We had lots of positive feedback from our guests about the band. Before the evening music we had instrumental versions of songs in the background.

Hair + makeup name + review

Rachel Walsmley @rachelwhairandmakeup

Rachel was wonderful! My make up and hair made me feel absolutely at my best and most beautiful on the day and look great in the photos. Rachel was warm, friendly, professional and catered for all the wishes of bride, mother of the bride and four bridesmaids. The timing and organisation was carefully considered and the bride’s trial was a great opportunity to get to know each other and try things out. Highly recommend.

The post Alex & Gwen’s beautiful riverside wedding, with Hannah Larkin Photography appeared first on English Wedding.

Wedding photographer’s website

https://jayepeg.co.uk/

Wedding photographer review

Jaye is an absolutely amazing photographer and one of life’s truly good people! She has an amazing soul and it shows in her work! We feel so lucky to have found her!

Your best wedding moment or memory

It was the atmosphere…. We wanted a family house party vibe, and that’s exactly what we did….. everyone relaxed and enjoying sharing the moment all together….

Venue name + review

Broadoaks at Troutbeck

Amazing!!! The team took care of everything and more, we were so looked after and they really made it special – a big shout out to all the team in the kitchen too, they bought our bespoke menu to life, we asked them to re create dishes that had meaning to us, and they smashed it!

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

Bride – natural and comfy were in order…. And my head piece and veil were my mothers from her wedding a mere 35 ish years ago!

Groom – traditional with a twist, personalised linings with bespoke stitching with our initials inside…. It was all in the finishing touches!

Dress or suit shop name + review

https://www.arelesbridal.co.uk/ Boutique shop ran by the most wonderful mother & daughter duo….!

Florist name + review

We did our flowers ourselves, they were all artificial so hopefully our daughter can use them in the future!

Cake maker name + review

Wren cakes – make a fantastic gluten free cake…. Nobody knew!!

Stationery maker’s name + review

https://www.ruffordprinting.co.uk/ Hand made on traditional press…. What they guys don’t know about printing isn’t worth knowing! They were fantastic….

Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?

We really enjoyed making all the place names, we didn’t want just little cards we wanted them to be keep sakes, so we used little slates and more of the artificial flowers to bring it all together.

First dance song?

Just Call by John Butler Trio a very personal favourite that no one will have ever heard…. [apart from Claire! I have a quote from John Butler’s Bound to Ramble on my wall!]

Hair + makeup name + review

Brides hair – mother of the bride and maid of honour – 5* and very reasonable price!! One bottle of bubbles!

The post Ann & Robin’s classic Lake District wedding, with Jaye Peg Photography appeared first on English Wedding.