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Elsie & Nuno C5

The Old Kent Barn Wedding with Bride in Off The Shoulder Wedding Dress

Photography by Olegs Samsonovs Photography
Just 24 hours before Elsie and Nuno were due to get married at The Old Kent Barn, the U.K was put into Lockdown. Even though they had to cut short their wedding day, and some of their family and friends couldn't make it, they had the best day infused with their Guinea-Bissau and Zimbabwean cultures and were so joyful and thankful to just be married.
Ted Baker sparkly shoes
The Old Kent Barn wedding venue
Magnolia tree at The Old Kent Barn wedding venue
Fairy curtain back drop and floral moon gate
Aisle and altar wedding decor at The Old Kent Barn wedding venue
Bride in floral getting ready robe having her hair down on the wedding morning
Bridesmaids on the wedding morning in floral getting ready robes
Groom in navy suit and burgundy tie for The Old Kent barn wedding
Wedding makeup for black bride
Groom holding heart ring box with wedding bands
Bride on wedding morning in off the shoulder wedding dress
Beautiful bride in lace long sleeve wedding dress
Bridesmaids in burgundy dresses sitting on a bench
Bride and brother in a taxi on the way to the wedding ceremony
Gold glitter wedding shoes with bows at The Old Kent Barn wedding
Wedding ceremony bridal entrance at The Old Kent Barn wedding venue
Groom waiting at the altar for his bride
Emotional wedding ceremony at The Old Kent Barn wedding venue
Little boy ring bearer in navy suit at The Old Kent Barn wedding
Bride and groom exchanging vows in front of their floral moon gate
Bride and groom smiling during the wedding ceremony at The Old Kent Barn wedding venue
Bride and groom walking up the aisle as husband and wife at The Old Kent Barn
Bride and groom walking up the aisle as husband and wife
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What Made Our Day Unique

Firstly, we had a multicultural wedding right in the middle of a pandemic. On the morning of our wedding, the reception was cancelled which automatically made our day unique. Although this was a complete and utter shock our family and friends kept the right energy and celebrated with us even though we would only be celebrating half a day. We had the right suppliers that made the best out of a very different situation that no one had probably encountered before. Despite everything that was going on in the world around us, we somehow managed to say our ' I dos', this impacted our souls and made us extremely thankful.

Elsie & Nuno

Menu card with floral illustration
Wedding reception at The Old Kent Barn
The Old Kent Barn wedding reception decor
Round tables at The Old Kent Barn wedding reception
Tulle chair back decor tied with flower
Lantern and floral centrepiece on tree slice at The Old Kent Barn wedding
Pink and green wedding flowers
Classic four tier wedding cake on Tree stump cake stand
Gold cake topper and floral decor
Lantern centrepiece filled with white and green wedding flowers
Giant E&N light up letters at The Old Kent Barn
Bride and groom dancing under a confetti bomb
Confetti bomb dance floor moment at The Old Kent Barn
Bride and groom dancing at The Old Kent Barn wedding venue
Groom feeding his bride the wedding cake at The Old Kent Barn wedding
Bride and groom portrait in front of a floral moon gate
Intimate bride and groom portrait by Olegs Samsonovs Photography
Bride and groom golden hour portrait in front of a floral moon gate  at The Old Kent Barn wedding
Beautiful bride in off the shoulder wedding dress with long sleeves at The Old Kent Barn wedding
Intimate bride and groom portrait by Olegs Samsonovs
Beautiful black bride in off the shoulder wedding dress with long sleeves and full skirt  for The Old Kent Barn wedding
Bridal party portrait with bridesmaids in burgundy dresses at The Old Kent Barn wedding
Bride and bridesmaids portrait by Olegs Samsonovs
Page Boys in navy suits and burgundy ties like the groomsmen
Groomsmen in navy suits and burgundy ties at The Old Kent Barn wedding

Special Moment

Despite all of the havoc and rush we were in, my husband wrote me a beautifully worded letter that brought me to tears and ruined my makeup & he also bought me a charm that simply stated 'wife'. I just could not believe that despite all of the uncertainty of our wedding and how busy we had been due to the pandemic he somehow found the time to write me a letter. This letter was amazing because even though I had not seen him the morning of the wedding, reading it made me feel so close him. It was as though every thought I felt towards him in that very moment was reciprocated. Even though it felt as though the wedding was crumbling our love, joy and peace were unshaken.

Elsie & Nuno

The Old Kent Barn

With less than 24 hours notice Elsie and Nuno had to cut short their original wedding day at The Old Kent Barn at the end of March to ensure they were adhering to government lockdown restrictions. But as soon as it was safe to do so Olegs Samsonovs Photography arranged a complimentary photoshoot with them at their venue so they could wear their African inspired outfits and reminisce about their day. Both the wedding captures and photography session portraits are incredible. They look soo happy and were just grateful to be able to say their vows.

Inspiration & Styling

The vibe of our day was primarily based upon our cultures, Nuno is Portuguese originally from Guinea-Bissau, and I am British Zimbabwean. We aimed to have music, clothing and aspects of our ceremony that would depict our cultures, however with the classic touch and elements of my favourite colours burgundy & blush. My in-laws sang me a song and clothed us in traditional clothing that had some bright gorgeous colours. We also had African attires that clearly showed off our cultures and slightly deviated from the traditional white dress.

Elsie & Nuno

Bride and groom smoke bomb portraits at The Old Kent barn
Bride and groom smoke bomb portrait by Olegs Samsonovs
Bride and groom holding pink and orange smoke flares at The Old Kent Barn wedding venue
Bride and groom holding smoke flares at The Old Kent Barn
Groom in navy suit and bride in wedding dress with front split holding coloured smoke flares
Bride and groom in traditional African wedding robes at The Old Kent Barn
Bride and groom in traditional African wedding attire
Bride in wedding dress with front split
Bride and groom portraits at The old Kent Barn
Portrait session at The Old Kent Barn by Olegs Samsonovs Photography
Bride and groom portraits in the courtyard of The Old Kent Barn
Portrait of bride and groom kissing by Olegs Samsonovs Photography
Groom kissing his brides forehead
Bride and groom walking through the grounds at The Old Kent Barn wedding venue

Advice

Please enjoy the planning process. Enjoy every interaction, your food tasting and choosing your suppliers. Remind each other why you're getting married throughout the journey. At the time he proposed we would have never dreamt that a pandemic would be taking place. The most important aspect for us was being joined together in marriage, in the eyes of God, the law our families & friends. Although some of our family & friends were unable to make it and the day did not go exactly as planned, we had the best day of our lives because we were joyful and thankful for what we had and no one can take that away from you.

Elsie & Nuno

If you need help adjusting your plans to fit in with the current government guidelines, please read our article on downscaling your wedding. Remember downscaling doesn't mean there should be any less of a celebration, you can still have a memorable day.


Videographer: Russell Kent Nicholls |
Wedding Venue: The Old Kent Barn |
Stationery: Raw Invites |
MC & DJ: Mc Sebhelebhe |
White Wedding Dress Boutique: Ivy Rose Bridal |
African Attire: Arewa Fashion |
Bridal Shoes: Ted Baker |
Bridesmaids : Sola Fashion |
Makeup: Abi Mustafa
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