Inspiration

There are SO many stand out details at this Norfolk countryside wedding, so hold on to your hats while I give you a little run down. Firstly Bride Lucy's heirloom tiara, literally the crowning glory to her understated, but incredibly pretty polka dot tulle gown by Eponine London. Then there's the lemon arch & tree's decorating the church. Seriously WOW. Now onto the entertainment, which included a fly by, a light show and a fireworks display, as well as various bands, an epic underground disco, chilli cocktails and BBQ'd lamb. See I told you it was good. Capturing all the amazing-ness was RMW faves Story + Colour who makes you feel like you are right there celebrating with this gorgeous couple.

Planning

Lucy the Bride: We wanted to involve as many friends and family in the planning of the wedding as possible. A huge number of the elements to our day were provided by them, which made it a truly unique and personal experience.

Dress

My best friend’s mother is a designer called Eponine London and she designed and made my dress for me. I was nervous of the process but loved every second of the fittings being surrounded by people I knew, and more importantly, knew me so well. I had even confidence that the dress would be perfect because of this. I wanted the dress to be a similar style to how I dress usually – floaty and soft. I didn't want a corset or too much fussy lace. I had a second dress that I changed into in the evening, which was vintage and shorter so easier to dance in. My shoes were from Dune. I wanted a low heel and nothing traditional. I loved the sparkle and they were a bit kitsch in comparison to my traditional dress. My tiara is a family heirloom. My make-up and hair were done by friends who live near me in Norfolk.

The Groom

James was given a suit by his best man as his wedding present. The designer is called Charlie Casley Hayford, who is an old friend. He decided to have a traditional tail suit but preferred a contemporary dark blue, rather than black.

The Venue

The ceremony was held Hardingham Church, close to my house in Norfolk. The reception venue was Kimberley Hall, who are our neighbours. We have been going to their house for parties and festivals for years so it was only fitting that we got married there. We wanted to have the perfect set up for the light display given to us as a wedding present from our friend Rupert Newman. Rupert's show was incredible and we had the added surprise of fireworks at the end. Just amazing. The fireworks and production was designed by the best man who owns Contakt Productions, with the help of Anna Oldham-Cooper who designed the set.

Colour Scheme/Décor

We wanted the day to be simple and elegant. The ceremony and reception venue were all very natural and soft. We used greenery where possible – lemon trees in the church and ivy and evergreen trees with fairy lights kept things simple and elegant during the day. However, when it came to the evening party, we wanted a contrast – it was held in the basement and had a totally different feel – themed décor, vivid colours, and reflected our love of Latin America.

Flowers

I wanted to have a very simple bouquet, my style is generally understated and felt something simple would complement my dress well. I didn’t want to introduce a specific colour so went for pretty white daisies. We rented the trees and arch at the church for the wedding, we especially love lemon trees. The centrepieces were different chilli plants, which the tables were named after, as James especially, loves chillis!

Ceremony

We let our family members pick their own readings – what felt appropriate for us! The music was a large part of our ceremony – we had gospel singers and loved watching and listening to everyone signing along to the songs – this was one of the real highlights of the day.

Entertainment

We had a band playing during the reception called El Capitano. Our evening band was The Fontanas. They are a Brazilian funk band and were incredible! The perfect balance between wedding classics and salsa. The DJ after was Em & Me, and to add to the ‘day of the dead theme, we had a make-up artist called Georgie Tooth painting people’s faces!

The Food

James and I love Latin America and took inspiration from the food, cocktails, decoration and music for our wedding. We had an Asado feast, lamb cooked over fires, typical of Argentina. The catering was taken care of by the London Log Company who were brilliant. The BBQed scallops were amazing! To add to the chilli theme, we had chilli cocktails designed and made by the Rum Runner during our drinks reception.

Cake

Our friend Sandie Dowdell made our very personalised cake! The cake included turn tables as James loves music and DJing, and the cheesecake had chillis and avocados on as we love them both!

Photography

I found Story + Colour on a blog and loved the relaxed and natural style of the photos. The ones of us in the field stand out as some of my favourites, and Dan captured the moments of the day perfectly.

Videographer

Harry at Driftend Films is a brother of a friend of mine, and so we used him to capture the day on film. We love the finished video.

Transport

The tractor and trailer, which took James and his Groomsmen to the ceremony, belongs to the farm that I grew up on. It was driven by the farm manager, who is also a great friend. Rock My Wedding Planning & Inspiration Book: Your Day Your Way
Lorna Shaw

Written by Lorna Shaw

Videography: Driftend Films | Dress Designer: Eponine London | Bridal Shoes: Dune | Grooms Suit: Casely Hayford | Venue: Kimberley Hall | Florist: Janet Barnes | Caterer: London Log Company | Lightshow: Rupert Newman | Fireworks Display: Contakt Productions | Entertainment: The Fontanas | Em & Me

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