Today’s gorgeous and relaxed family wedding took place at the end of August in the countryside of Canterbury. The church was a 5 minute walk from Rosie’s family home where she held the reception. I love how they’ve incorporated Game of Thrones into their day with subtle little details – and it all looks fabulous!

My Dad made the table plan, order of the day and chopped all the wood from a tree in the garden for the centre pieces. My Mum and brother made all the origami name places. We had a naked cake as this worked well with the theme of the day. My very talented Mum made it and it was amazing! Allan and I made all the signage.

It was a real family effort, we all enjoyed it and it made it personal.

Wedding photographer’s website:

https://www.luciewatsonphotography.com

Lucie was highly recommended by a friend of ours and when we looked at her photos we loved how she used light in different ways.

Lucie was amazing. We had an engagement shoot with her and she put us at ease right away. She has a lovely manner making you feel comfortable and not at all awkward. On the day she was all about the natural shots And managed to capture some special moments that no one else could have done. We couldn’t recommend her highly enough.

We sat down together at the computer so we could have them on the big screen. It was wonderful to relive the day. The photos captured captured our thoughts and emotions perfectly from start to finish. We couldn’t wait to share them with friends and family.

Wedding venue:

Local Church for the Marriage (St Mary’s, Lower Hardres) and then the reception was at Rosie’s family home in Lower Hardres, Canterbury. Marquee in the garden (field) of an old farmhouse (Marquee – Best in Tents)

Wedding month:

August

Can you describe your wedding in fewer than 10 words?

Better than we could have ever imagined!

Your wedding style or theme:

Country wedding – hay bales, bunting, garden games, ceilidh. Laid back feel.

Where did you find your suppliers? (Blogs, magazines, recommendations?)

We were very lucky that one of my Bridesmaids is a Wedding Planner (Natasha Spencer). She helped us plan the day and gave us lots of recommendations. I looked at lots of magazines, blogs and pinterest for inspiration.

What’s your top tip for saving money?

Shop around. If you like to do things yourself then do what you can to help with costs.
We are definitely bargain hunters in all parts of our life so our wedding was no different, cost was a big thing for us, we made sure we tracked everything from start to finish.

… and which elements of your wedding are you glad you spent more on?

Caterer, Band, Photographer.
Blackbird Catering, Riff Raffs, Lucie Watson Photography.

Where did you buy or source your wedding stationery – or was making it a labour of love?

Our invitations were from TK Maxx (a bargain!), the rest of our stationery was home made.

Did you fall in love with your wedding dress?

I did. I was set on a fit and flare at the start but when I tried on my dress I fell in love with A-line, lace and a bit of sparkle.

Wedding dress designer and bridal boutique:

Mori Lee. Tiaras and Tails Bridal Boutique.

Tell us about your accessories: jewellery, shoes and anything else!

I decided to keep it very simple with all accessories and jewellery and just bought some comfy heels from ASOS. My mum surprised me the morning of the wedding with a pair of Cubic Zirconia Earrings which went perfectly.

And what did the groom wear?

Donegal Suit from Next. Charles Tyrwhitt Shoes, Tie and Pocket Square.

Beautiful bridesmaids: what did your best girls wear?

ASOS floral floor length dress. These fitted perfectly with the country theme.

Hair and make-up – did you DIY or hire a professional?

We had our hair and make up done proffessionally. Lori Hill Hairdressing. Michelle Vincent Make Up Artist. They were both very friendly and want to get it just right for us.

Describe your wedding flowers. Who arranged them for you? (florist details would be lovely please)

Wild Daisy Florist in Herne Bay. We went for simple flowers all in White – Roses, hydrangeas and lots of gypsophila. I had a flower crown which I loved. We saved all our jam jars for our table centres.

General styling – did your venue need much decoration?

Our marquee was a blank canvas so needed everything decorating. Natasha Spencer helped with sourcing us all the bunting and fairy lights as well as a lot of the props which instantly made a huge difference to the venue. We had a brilliant toilet company who supplied and decorated our portaloos too! (https://www.321eventspace.com)

Entertainment: any musical recommendations, surprises or treats?

Riff Raffs (band) from Alive Network were incredible. So many of our guests, young and old said they were the highlight of the whole wedding.
We also had a ceilidh before the band which got everyone up and dancing with people they may not have otherwise met. It was great fun.
Photobooth – Star Discos, this was money well spent as was used non-stop for the three hours that we hired it for. The props were fantastic and we have some wonderful photos as memories.

Words of wisdom: share your best piece of advice for other couples:

Delegate jobs to people on the day so you can relax, don’t panic about the small stuff, it fades into insignificance on the day. Accept that you can’t spend as much time with every single guest as you would like. Most importantly, enjoy it! It goes by so quickly so cherish every moment.

What’s the best thing about being married?

Knowing you get to spend the rest of your life with the one you love more than anything in the world. It’s also nice to call each other ‘husband/wife’

Favourite supplier web links for other brides and grooms:

https://www.alivenetwork.com/live-in-session-with-alive-network/riff-raffs-live-in-session
https://www.natasha-spencer.co.uk
http://www.blackbirdcaterers.co.uk
https://www.luciewatsonphotography.com