Andrea and Simon were married in July 2011. I don’t think that there could be a more simple, effortless and elegant affair than this… from the stunning satin bow sandals to the simple monotone gypsophila pew ends, Andrea has the balance of simplicity, style and detail down to an art.

Katherine Ashdown compliments Andrea’s vision perfectly with a set of striking and classic images that exude emotion.

Choosing A Location.

I moved from Canada to London to be with Simon 2 years ago. It was a hard decision as to whether we should have our wedding in England or in Canada. In the end, we decided to have our wedding in Norwich, where Simon grew up, with a promise to return to Canada next summer to celebrate with those who couldn’t attend our special day.

We arranged for a coach to transport all of our guests from the chapel to the reception and back at the end of the night. The reception took place at Earsham Hall in Bungay, Suffolk. We instantly fell in love with Earsham Hall with its charm and stunning grounds. Annabel, the homeowner and events cooridnator, is a gem and we had a great time working with her and her staff. Our cocktail hour was held in the front grounds and on the main floor of the Hall. This allowed people to enjoy both the outdoor views and all the gorgeous rooms inside. Once it was time for the wedding breakfast, the gate leading to the hedged in grounds where our marquee was set up, was unlocked marking the start of the evening festivities. Plenty of tables and chairs lit with candlelight were dotted around the grounds so our guests could enjoy the outdoors throughout the evening.

Pure Silk.

I chose a Jenny Packham “Isadora” dress from Silk in Lichfield It was a 1920s pure silk ivory gown with sheer buttoned up back and crystal butterfly embellishment on the front. The dress truly was a reflection of my personality. I was unable to attend the London Bridal Show so my mother-in-law and sister-in-law said it would be fun to attend the one in Birmingham – a girl’s day. It was the absolute last place I expected to find my wedding dress and to be honest, I really wasn’t looking. But there it was hanging on a rack as if it was waiting for me. I tried it on and knew it was the one. Catherine from Silk, a small boutique of gorgeous gowns in Lichfield, was wonderful and I knew that it would be worth the couple of trips to Lichfield to make this dress the perfect fit. The ladies at Silk are lovely and so very helpful. Helen, their seamstress, is a miracle worker and worked through the night one weekend so I didn’t have to make another trip back to Lichfield. It truly was an enjoyable experience.

The Finishing Touch.

I absolutely love jewellery but I really had to be careful with my choices as to not take away from the gorgeous crystal buttlerfly on my dress.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to wear a veil but after trying one on with my dress I decided that it did add the finishing touch. I chose a simple narrow fingertip veil worn from Silk which I wore only for the ceremony. To balance off the Jenny Packham bracelet, I borrowed an antique silver watch which was Simon’s grandmother’s who has passed away. I also wore small, silver and crystal barrel-shaped earrings.

CoCo Toes.

I wore Rachel Simpson “Coco” ivory satin slingback sandal with bands of silver that fasten with ivory satin bows. So pretty and extremely comfortable with a 9cm heel – I wore them the entire day!

A Team Effort.

It was hard to find a hair and make-up team in Norwich that was willing to come to the house where I was getting ready. Luckily, I came across husband and wife team, Louise Walsh and Michael Adcock. When I went for my trial, both Louise and Michael were so lovely and vibrant that I instantly knew I was in good hands. For my hair, I wanted a soft, romantic look that complimented my headdress and wasn’t too fussy. For my make-up, I wanted a natural look but with it being my wedding day, a touch of glamour was needed. My bridesmaids looked amazing as well. Louise and Michael really listened to what they individually wanted and captured both their inner and outer beauty. I couldn’t have been happier with the result.

Local Florals.

Sarah Broome, a local and independent florist recommended by Annabel at Earsham Hall made my flower arrangments. I was really excited about the flowers as I feel that they really set the tone of a wedding. We wanted to use seasonal flowers to create a clean, fresh and romantic look. We decided on white and ivory flowers with touches of grey dusty miller and lime green accents. Simon and I both felt that this palette reflected our personalities. The chapel was kept very simple and decorated with urns and pew ends made only from gypsophelia (baby’s breath.)

The flowers were breathtaking. Sarah really brought our vision to life – so talented.

Vibrant And Fresh.

Two of my bridesmaids are from Canada and I ended up purchasing the bridesmaid dresses from a small boutique in Canada while visiting family last summer. They were actually our first wedding purchase. I allowed them to choose the style of dress as I wanted to feel comfortable and at their best. Once Simon’s sister, Sarah, gave her approval it was a done deal. I had not chosen a colour at this point and decided on the turquoise for the girls as it looked fabulous on all 3 of them and was vibrant, fresh and screamed summer.

Hitch Free.

Simon wears a suit everyday to work so he wanted to wear something that was more traditional and different than his work attire. We hired the Royal Ascot suit from Moss Bros for himself and the groomsmen. With having groomsmen attending from around the globe we knew that hiring was the way to go and we were really lucky that everyone was suited up without any hitches! Simon was so handsome standing at the altar waiting for me!

venue – Earsham Hall

Photographer – Katherine Ashdown

Dress – Jenny Packham

Accessories – Gillian Million

Shoes – Rachel Simpson

Hair & Make-up – Louise Walsh and Michael Adcock

Blooms – Sarah Broome

Andrea looks so darn elegant, I know for a fact that Charlotte went loopy when she saw those sandals and I can understand why.

I think getting married at Simons old school chapel was a superb idea and must have made the day really emotional for Simon and his family.

Adam.

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