Inspiration
Henley Brewery Wedding With DIY Decor
Photography by
Cat Stephens Photography
Photography by
Cat Stephens Photography
Hillary & Ciaran's wedding at Henley Brewery was a long time in the making, but absolutely worth the wait! They were engaged in December 2019 and after postponing twice, the first due to Covid and the second because of Ciaran's accident that left him without feeling from the waist down, the couple were unsure their wedding would even happen. The couple chose Recommended supplier, Cat Stephens Photography to capture their day on June 23rd as it coincided with the Selkie Henley Classic (a 2.2km swim in the Thames), which Hillary was participating in a few days later to raise money for the spinal cord injury charity, Aspire. They also chose Recommended supplier, Minnie Field Cake Design for their epic wedding cake.
Henley Brewery wedding with a boat ride
There were so many incredible moments throughout our day, but one of our favourites was the first look we had before our ceremony. Ciaran and I knew we wanted to have this moment between us, and it ended up being so special. We could also sneak away for a private photoshoot before the ceremony with our incredible photographer, Cat Stephens, and videographer, Paul, from Harvey Films. They captured our last moments before becoming husband and wife and it turned out amazing. We highly recommend this!
Henley Brewery & DIY Decorations
Hillary has always been a non-traditional bride and really liked the idea of a subtle boho vibe with some modern touches. The boho vibes made sense with the venue in Henley, the Hotel Du Vin, with its amazing brickwork and wood beams. One of the couple's fave memories ever was when they originally visited Henley and took a boat ride down the Thames. So they incorporated this for guests during the cocktail hour with a beautiful boat that took them down the Thames for an hour with champagne and canapés. Hillary's bridal look was made up of a variety of different Recommended suppliers. Her shoes were from Rainbow Club, the veil from Britten Weddings, and the dress from Lovely Bride.
Smart Wristband Wedding Favours
DIY is wonderful and really adds a personal touch to your wedding. Hillary wanted to DIY almost every element of the wedding and we have to say all that time was absolutely worth it! It looks so gorgeous! For their first dance, Hillary & Ciaran always knew "We're All We Need" by Above & Beyond would be their song. One of the first things Hillary purchased for the wedding were Bluetooth-controlled light-up wristbands, which they added to the seating chart and instructed everyone to wear for dancing. In the middle of the first dance, the music started to build and everyone came onto the dance floor. The wristbands all lit up in unison, which sounds like such a perfect moment.
The best way to make your wedding feel personal is with DIY decor!
As soon as we locked in our venue, I started searching for suppliers close to our location. I knew our cake needed to be close by for easy transport and I was also lucky enough to find The Henley Florist, which was right around the corner. Since I'm from California and unfamiliar with UK suppliers, I desperately needed some help. I did some research for an on-the-day coordinator and found the incredible Occasion Queens! Nina and I had an inspiration session and she recommended so many fabulous people. I loved all of our suppliers!
Want to travel in style on your big day? Why not go on a boat ride too? Love Henley Brewery? It's a perfect boho and rustic wedding venue. We have an article all about choosing an accessible wedding venue.
Written by Leah Blundell
Featured suppliers
Minnie Field Cake Design
Britten Weddings
Venue:
Hotel du Vin | Photographer:
Cat Stephens Photography | Videographer:
Harvey Films | Entertainment:
Londons DJ | Florist:
The Henley Florist | Cake Maker:
Minnie Field Cake Design | Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist:
Jo Clayton | Wedding Dress:
Lovers Society | Bridal Robe:
Free People | Bridal Boutique:
Lovely Bride | Hair Piece:
Lelet NY | Veil:
Britten Weddings | Shoes:
Rainbow Club | On The Day Coordinator:
Occasion Queens | Chairs/Table Settings:
Options Great Hire | Decor & Hire:
Locate to Create | Table Linens:
Just 4 Linen | Boat Transport:
Hobbs of Henley | Smart Wristbands/Wedding Favours:
Pix Mob
