Inspiration

This gorgeous Autumn wedding in Dorset is going to stand out from start to finish. Especially bride Ivana's crochet wedding dress which she teamed with a knitted jumper and Nike trainers. She looks thoroughly at ease as she says her I do's to her beau. Which I can only assume made capturing this music video and commercial producer and freelance journalist an absolute dream for Steph Newton Photography. From the styling to the details to the dress...to them. This lovely pair that are creative, relaxed and above all so in love, stayed true to themselves and had a day their way with epic results.

What Made Our Day Unique

The location played a big part for us. Gorwell Farm is situated in the middle of a sacred landscape rich in ancient monuments. With the help of our incredible celebrant Susanna we came up with our own outdoor ceremony under an enormous beech tree. Although not exactly pagan, it honoured our surroundings and the spirit of the English countryside. Oh, and I (Ivana) wore my Nikes. We are lucky enough to have many talented friends and family members and we wanted as many of them to be involved as possible. The DJs, florist, dress, starters and cake all happened this way. For the hog roast, salads and cheeses we used local organic suppliers recommended by Mary Pengelly, our wedding planner Edwina and Arthur's aunt, Phil.

Ivana & Arthur

Crochet Wedding Dress

Bride Ivana was lucky enough to design her dream crochet wedding dress with her very good friend Siri who is a knitwear designer. Together they made a bridal gown that was special but not precious and suits Ivana down to the ground. Siri had the idea to use a special kind of embroidery technique to make the whole design from one single thread. It truly is one-of-a-kind and an RMW first. What's even more special is Ivana is planning on dip-dying the dress so it can be worn again. Because let's face it, this beauty needs to be seen again and again.

Styling

The vibe was celebratory and colourful. We wanted to steer away from anything too traditional (eg. white wedding) while bringing nature into the barn where possible. Arthur's cousin Rosie is an amazing florist and she used things that were in season but also colourful — it was the perfect season for dahlias and they provided deep rich hues set off by bold pops of neon. Ivana's dad and our friend Travis decorated the barn with foliage and made a centrepiece with a huge birch branch. And for the party, we changed the mood with a disco ball and an excellent sound system.

Ivana & Arthur

Ivana and Arthur had lots of lovely advice to share with our couples including roping family and friends in to help with projects, to booking a wedding planner, as well as investing in a trusted wedding photographer. We couldn't agree more with all of these tips especially choosing your photographer, so if you're unsure where to start have a read of our first steps article then seach our wedding supplier directory for a photographer in your area you can reply on.

Lorna Shaw

Written by Lorna Shaw

Venue: Gorwell Farm | Marquee : Taddle Farm | Wedding Dress: Siri Johansen (with help from Niall Sloan and Sebastien Maes) | Grooms Suit: Paul Smith | Ear Cuff: Husam El Odeh | Food: Bella's Bridport & Framptons Butchers for the pork | Drink : St John | Florist : Rosie Bevis | Stationery Design: Ivana Bobic | Stationery Printing: Chris Ratcliffe | Planner/Stylist: Edwina Ashmore + Kerry O'Reilly | Cheese: Ford Farm | Edible Flowers: Maddocks Farm Organics | Wholesale Flowers for Ladders: Dutch Masters Ltd

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