Back To School… Part 2

A lot of you admired the simplicity and clever touches that Andrea and Simon wove into their day, and the reception continues along the same path of classic elegance. The reception took place at Earsham Hall in Bungay, Suffolk

All photography is by the immensely talented Katherine Ashdown.

A True Pro.

Katherine Ashdown was recommended to us by Simon’s cousin. She had done a lifestyle shoot for their family and the pictures were absolutely amazing. After looking at her website we knew that we had likely found “the one.” Katherine came over to Simon’s parents’ house to show us more photos and have a good chat. She was so professional, lovely, creative and talented it was an obvious decision for us.

Part of the wedding package includes a pre-wedding shoot. Both Simon and I were a bit hesitant as we are both quite camera shy. Katherine really put us at ease and the shoot produced some amazing images. On our wedding day, Katherine printed postcards of our favourite image for our guests to take home. On the back were all her website and the login details for our guests to view our wedding pictures at a later date.

Our photos turned out brilliantly! We were thrilled as Katherine captured how both Simon and I felt on our special day and the truly joyful atmosphere that was provided by our amazing guests, the staff and the beautiful surroundings.

Simply Delicious.

The talented Kelly Allen of Eventiss made our wedding cake.

We chose a 4 tiered wedding cake consisting of 3 different flavours – chocolate, lemon and black forest. The cake design was based on Peggy Porschen’s Tiffany Pearl cake. We served the cake with our evening buffet. The caterers couldn’t get over how much cake was eaten – it was simply delicious!!!

One More.

We always knew that we wanted the atmosphere of a band. We came across The Mesh Band on the internet. They are a four piece band based in Peterborough. After listening to them and going through their playlist, we knew we had found the band for us. The dance floor was full the entire evening and even the band members shouted “one more” at the end of the night. So much FUN!

We Are Stars.

We don’t really have a song that is significant to us. Simon and I both have relatively different taste when it comes to music so we knew this was going to be a tough choice. About a week before the wedding I came across the song We Are Stars by The Pierces in my music collection. The lyrics fitting and we both liked the song – a winner!

Booja Booja.

We knew that we wanted something local and edible to be enjoyed after dinner as our favour. After a bit of searching, I came across Booja Booja Champagne Truffles. Utterly divine! We had them served after coffee/tea service with a personalised thank-you card for each table.

Romantic And Relaxed.

I knew that I wanted a romantic and relaxed vibe for our evening reception. I purchased a variety of luminary bags, glass jars, hurricane lanterns and votive holders which our florist filled with a variety of flowers and candles. They provided the main decoration to our cake/buffet table and were also dispersed throughout the marquee and outside in the garden to create the warm and romantic glow that we desired.

Wise Words.

Having our friends and family from Canada and England meet and celebrate together with us was the best gift. To have most of your loved ones in the same place at the same time just for you is amazing.

Make sure to ENJOY the day! Simon and I made a pact that once the dance started it was our time to relax and truly take in the festivities. For us, that meant an evening on the dance floor. We had the best time!

Make sure you feel confident in and have a good rapport with all your suppliers. It really puts your mind at ease on the day and makes planning a wedding a more enjoyable experience.

Stay true to your vision. All the small, personalised touches really make your day all the more special.

Food For Thought.

I would also like to mention our amazing Rebecca and her catering team, Bespoke Events. They provided the canapés, wedding breakfast and evening buffet of local cheeses and chutneys. We had a tasting at The Crown in Woodbridge, the hotel that Rebecca and her husband own, a couple of months prior to the wedding. All the dishes were so tasty that it was hard to narrow down our selection. We provided a meat, fish and vegetarian option for our guests and were allowed to tailor the menu to our tastes.

Rebecca and her staff provided us with the most delicious food and impeccable service from our first meeting to the end of our wedding day. Our guests are still raving about the food.

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

Cake – Eventiss

Entertainment – The Mesh Band

Catering – Bespoke Events

Andrea and Simon stayed true to their vision and I think they created a theme and an atmosphere for their big day that truly reflected who they are. I love all the white bags – the sweet table on its own is like a miniature version of the style and design that ran through the whole day, on every level.

Adam.