Inspiration

The best thing about at-home weddings is how relaxed everyone is. That, and the fact that you can party until dawn as you aren't subject to any venue noise regulations ;) Joy & Gareth had their big day at home and it just looks like everyone had a lovely day. They clearly put their heart and souls into the decor too, there are just so many thoughtful touches. The lemonade bar is both pretty to look at and provides a delicious thirst quenching drink. The place settings are great too, those dove grey napkins, a sprig of lavender and a stylish menu print out would make sitting down to eat an absolute delight. And can you imagine the citrus scented aroma from the mini lemon tree centrepieces? Such a good idea!

The Theme

Joy The Bride: We decided on a relaxed country theme, with lots of lemons! We wanted our guests to have the relaxed feeling of being at garden party, without compromising on great food and service. Our plan came together perfectly, the food and service was outstanding and we were blessed with some beautiful sunshine. There was a great atmosphere day and night.

The DIY

With the amount of work involved in preparing for the wedding we really could not have made it happen without my amazing bridesmaids and help from friends and family. I wanted to design and make everything for the wedding myself. This involved my own stationery, favours, decorations, signs and dressing the marque. This was an enormous task and luckily I had a lot of willing helpers! We got married at the church next door and the reception was in the garden. Gareth had the mammoth task of getting the outside area ready for the wedding. This involved a large amount of landscaping. 

The Bride

I wanted a dress that was different and had the wow factor, but still with a classic feel. I tried on a few dresses but they didn’t feel right. I was lucky to find a very good bridal shop. Based on the look I described the owner of the shop (Lisa) actually picked my dress for me. As soon as I put it on I knew it was the one, and never doubted it for a second. So I really have Lisa to thank for my amazing dress.

The Venue

Our house is an old vicarage with a gate to the church next door, so it was an obvious choice to get married in the church and have the reception at home. We are so glad we made this decision as it really helped to create a great, relaxed atmosphere.

The Flowers

A local florist supplied the flowers, lemon trees and lavender plants. I found the florist (Emma) great to work with as she carried over my style into the flowers, so everything worked together well.

The Entertainment

We had a 3 piece band in the evening. They were fantastic and really suited the relaxed atmosphere. Gareth’s dad sang one song with the band, he gave a great rendition of the beetles “I saw her standing there”.

The Food

We were lucky to find a fantastic caterer, Catherine Skates and her talented team. The food was amazing. Catherine deigned a great menu which fitted the theme we wanted for the day. The reception started with a visit to the lemonade bar, to enjoy basil, vodka lemonade cocktails from jam jars. This was followed by lots of amazing canapés. We then headed into the marque for a “posh picnic”. We decided against a traditional wedding cake so instead had a cake table with lots of cake. We had vintage cutlery and crockery. In the evening we had fish and chips in cones along with and brownie sundaes, which people prepared themselves. Catherine was a great inspiration for the wedding decoration and great support throughout all the arrangements.

The Photography

When we selected our photographer we looked for two things, “amazing photography” and “great personality”. With Paul and Kelly we definitely got both. We were blown away with our photographs. They manage to capture the emption and atmosphere of the day, so we truly have lasting memories. Paul and Kelly fitted in perfectly, if they had not have been holding a camera you would think they were one of our guests.

Advice

Seating plan – We decided to mix up tables so that the wedding party could get to know each other. This worked out great and people mingled together rather than being in individual groups. Lighting – Do not under estimate the effect of lighting when you are wedding planning. We initially saw this as just another cost but the lighting we had around the garden and in the marquee really helped to create the mood. At night the county marque turned into a night club. Suppliers – Our caterer recommended the Marquee Company and bar/ alcohol supplier. This worked out really well. They were great recommendation and were used to working with each other as team. This helped everything run smoothly on the day.
Fern Godfrey

Written by Fern Godfrey

Dress: Pronovias | Boutique: Wedding Bliss Bridalwear | Make Up: Steph's Beauty Lounge | Florist: Emma's Country Choice | Catering: Catherine Skates | Groom: Groom Hire | Marquee Hire: Tent & Garden | Lighting : Luntstone | Bar: Aston Jones | Entertainment: Fletch Live

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