Inspiration

Sarah and George are a very funny pair. Their witty write up of the day had me giggling, it's very dry and actually quite a refreshing read if you're caught up in uptight wedding planning hell right now. As you'd imagine then, their wedding day looked like a riot - a huge party in a marquee at Sarah's parents house filled with family and friends. Deborah Grace, the couple's photographer, is our new crush and if you're a die hard RMW fan then you'll have noticed Sarah & George's engagement shoot this morning. Today is basically Deborah appreciation day so if you like her work then give her a shout! Enjoy this one lovelies, I promise it will put a smile on your faces...

The Bride

Sarah & George: Sarah followed in her sister’s footsteps with a Sassi Holford dress. She was instantly sold by the warm welcome and friendly, relaxing environment in the London store. The final dress was called Saskia but altered slightly to include an elbow length delicate lace shrug overlay which could be removed as the dancing became more enthusiastic later in the evening. A new necklace from George, earrings from Sarah’s Grandma, and a foliage hair piece completed the look with a touch of glamour.

The Groom

George wanted to keep it simple, but of course couldn’t resist a nod back to his provincial roots in rural Norfolk. So while he wore a classic morning suit with an ivory double breasted waistcoat and teal spotted tie, the wedding florist put together some extraordinary buttonholes, sporting a catholic assortment of wildflowers and greenery. We were especially taken by the thistle, which was remarkably effective at ensuring George remained engaged during a long receiving line, with any slouching of posture promptly remedied by a spine to the lower jaw. George wore shiny black Oxford’s with striped socks from Duckers, Oxford.

The Venue

We were married in Sarah’s home church, All Saints, Ecclesall in Sheffield. The after-party was deliciously green – entering into the back garden at Sarah’s family home through a secret ivy clad gate, to sip champagne in the dappled afternoon light of the orchard. George Mudford & Sons did a remarkable job of constructing a three-level bespoke marquee to cover the three tiers of the garden. Guests entered from the top of the garden down some stairs into the marquee, and exited down another set of stairs to the house at the bottom of the terraces. Bits of garden poked through into the marquee, giving it a rather organic and yet chic vibe. George was persuaded to paint curious water colour birds for the table names. We also had a polaroid camera, and encouraged our guests to replace their table place name with a polaroid photo of themselves. We captured almost everyone in those nostalgic overexposed squares!

The Flowers

The church had a gorgeous centre piece on the font, but otherwise remained relatively unadorned other than a gloriously attired congregation, decked in all sorts of elegant wedding apparel. We used Sheffield based Flora Florists, who really came into their own. Sarah’s delicately rambunctious flower bouquet was composed of blue thistles and pink David Austin roses, rising through a veil of ferns, berries and Gypsophila, with a hair piece to complement. As a plant-lover, one of Sarah’s few wedding requirements was that there had to be as many plants and trees as possible. In the marquee, we had bunches of flowers dotted around the tables in assorted jam jars, but perhaps the most enticing were the verdant pillars of ferns set in old port crates and bamboo stands, kindly loaned to us for the day by Philip Smith Nursery.

The Wedding Party

Bridesmaids graced the day with dusty pink silk and lace dresses, beautifully made by Kathryn Walker, Mother of the Bride. Groomsmen were a rag-tag bunch of morning suits, but uniformed by a similar, if slightly less overflowing, buttonhole to the Groom.

The Ceremony

The ceremony was full of joy and thankfulness as we both promised our lives to each other. To be in a place surrounded by all those who love you, committing to love the one you love the most for the rest of your life is a rather extraordinary event! Perhaps the most memorable part was George’s grandpa, who we were honoured to have marry us, reaching his hands to the heavens in praise while we sung our hearts out after tying the knot. We of course laughed and fumbled our way through the ceremony, thankfully not forgetting any words!

The Entertainment

While the speeches were of course entertaining, each introduced with fervent wit by Sarah’s brother as MC, the real fun came on the dance floor. We were fortunate enough to secure the highly talented Jesse Baines (Swerve Concepts Ltd), who’s deliriously enjoyable beats kept the dancefloor full from our first dance (which finished in an usher break-out to Uptown Funk) until the party finally disbanded at midnight. Everyone was dancing – we even had the pleasure of hitting some shapes with Sarah’s Grandmother, who at 92 still shows an admirable verve for life!

The Food

The food was extraordinary. We ate and drunk like kings and queens, starting with canapés and champagne in the orchard followed by Beef Tournedos Rossini roasted to medium rare perfection and a trio of desserts – warm brownie, rhubarb crumble and tequila jelly. The desserts continued, with chocolate dipped strawberry’s sustaining hungry revellers on the dancefloor later on. We had two cakes – one was a marvellous tower of cheese, and the other a stunning fruit and victoria sponge wedding cake created by Naomi Church, George’s auntie. Emerging through enormous flowers, and much to my delight, floral cabbages, the cake was dispatched with a tremendously blunt sword from the Crimean war which certainly felt like the appropriate method for introducing Naomi’s magnificent cake to the next stage of its existence.

The Photography

Deborah Grace – what a legend! She took gorgeous photos, was extremely encouraging and just a general joy to have as part of the wedding. After the ceremony, we headed for the field behind Sarah’s house, hopping over the style for some Pride and Prejudice-esque snaps. We also did an engagement shoot in the Peak District a couple of days before the wedding which was great fun and ensured we were suitably warmed up to the camera for the big day. Debs has become a great friend since the wedding and we love hearing about her latest ventures and peaking at her holiday blog posts every now and then!
Fern Godfrey

Written by Fern Godfrey

Bride: Sassi Holford | Marquee Hire: Mudford Marquees | Florist: Katie Peckett

Inspirational articles you may also find useful