Inspiration

Graduate design students Ellie and Miff have really injected their personalities into the design and details of their colourful wedding. You'd think the mix of modern and kitch wouldn't go, but it looks absolutely beautiful amidst 18th century country house, Barley Wood in Somerset. Even more beautiful are the couple themselves, absolutely bursting with joy, making A Thing Like That Photography's job capturing special moments an absolute dream. Just wait until you see all the heartfelt ceremony pictures. Holy swoonsville.

The Dress

Ellie the Bride: I initially thought I had a really clear idea about the sort of dress I would go for, but that quickly changed! My mum and I visited various shops and it was quite overwhelming. However, then my cousin, Rebecca Jenkins, came to the rescue! A dress maker by trade, she offered to make my dress. It was an incredible experience being able to sit with her and design something which best suited me, but also see it come together piece by piece. Rebecca had a fantastic eye for fabric, and sourced beautiful materials, from silk chiffon to stunning lace. On the day, the dress was perfect and it was so special to wear something completely unique! Not a big wearer of heals, I settled for a lovely pair of Rachel Simpson shoes. These didn’t last long however, as I snuck into a pair of white speckled Vans (much more my kind of thing!)

Grooms Attire

Miff the Groom: I knew I wanted a blue suit and came across the Kennith Cole 3 piece relatively quickly, the suit was a great fit and had a nice mix of light and dark blues in the material. I had some great service when purchasing the shirt from the staff at T M Lewin. I spent a long time looking for the right shoes, I wanted something simple in design in a brown leather to compliment my belt (also from T M Lewin) and the strap of my Farer watch, eventually I found Oliver Sweeney, a London based shoe maker with a great reputation - they were and still are extremely comfortable. As for the tie and socks, I wanted something a bit more fun, the socks are by The Quiet Life and the tie is from a UK company called Mrs. Bow Tie - who had a great selection of liberty prints.

The Venue

We visited Barley Wood on a cold, grey January day. As we pulled up the drive, the house looked ver unassuming from the outside. However, as soon as we began to explore it inside we both instantly knew it was special! Despite the rainy day, the rooms were filled with light and the view of the valley below was incredible. The house has so much personality, from the amazing hall (once the sports hall for the Wills family) to the gardens, full of hidden pathways. The ‘DIY’ nature of the venue couldn’t of been more perfect. We were able to make it our own, and it really did feel like our home for the weekend!

Colour Scheme/Decor

Because the staff at Barley Wood were so relaxed and helpful about how we could decorate, we could really create an atmosphere which was personal to us. We are both illustrators, so keen to be quite creative. We chose blues, yellows and oranges but really it was all about colour. All the decorations were made by us and our fantastic team of friends, from painted jam jars and ribbon curtains, to paper bunting and over 200 handmade pompoms!

Flowers/Florist

Ellie the Bride: Although I had a few ideas in mind for the flowers, I was quite happy to be guided by Xanthe from Ivory Flowers, who expertise and advise was so helpful. The bouquets were beautiful, with some fun touches and stunning colours. The hand painted jars and bottles were filled with some of the same flowers and looked great on the tables.

The Wedding Party Fashion

I left the bridesmaids dresses completely up to them (almost!). I wanted them to be able to choose something they would all feel comfortable in. Having only given them an idea of colour, and not being able to get everyone in one place beforehand, the dresses were all perfect together on the day! Miff the Groom: I made sure my Best Man and Ushers were aware I was wearing navy with brown leather and left the decision up to them in terms of suits as we didn’t care if everyone was matching. I did however buy them all ties and socks to match mine (socks: The Quiet Life tie: Mrs Bow Tie)

Entertainment

We had music playing throughout the day, having carefully crafted a playlist of our favourite songs. In the evening, our fantastic neighbour Pete (a record dealer) had agreed to DJ. He turned up with an amazing collection of vinyl, some of which he had bought specifically for us. Friends and family (including grandparents!) danced the night away to songs from every decade and genre.

Food

Kate’ Kitchen were recommended to us by Barley Wood. We met Emma, not really having a plan for the day or knowing how it would all pan out! Luckily, Emma was a wedding organiser extraordinaire and was able to help us plan what would happen when, in addition to putting together a fabulous menu! We wanted a buffet style meal, which gave a more relaxed atmosphere to the food part of the day. The food itself was incredible, delicious and colourful! Our guests were extremely happy when they were invited up for more. The cake was made lovingly made by Miff’s mom and we also had a cheese cake from a lovely independent shop. Rosie at Bristol Cheese Monger was extremely helpful and passionate about finding the best local cheeses that would suite all of our many guests.

Photographer

Neither of us are particularly big on posing for photos. However we both felt the photographs were a hugely important part of our wedding. We were so lucky to find Rebecca and are incredibly happy with all of our photos! Rebecca and Heather made us both feel at complete ease from the moment they both arrived on the morning of the wedding. So many of our guests commented on how lovely they both were and the candid nature of our photos is exactly what we were looking for. They really captured the atmosphere of the day, while also picking up details and moments of sheer joy!
Lorna Shaw

Written by Lorna Shaw

Dress Designer: Rebecca Jenkins | Bridal Shoes: Rachel Simpson | Grooms Suit: Kennith Cole at House of Fraser | Shirt: TM Lewin | Tie: Mrs Bow Tie | Venue: Barley Wood | Florist: Ivory Flowers | Catering: Kates Kitchen Bristol | Cheese Tower: Bristol Cheese Monger
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