Soooo….. who’s planning to arrive at their wedding venue in a helicopter then? Nope? Hadn’t crossed your mind? It wouldn’t have been on my list either until today’s rather exciting Cotswolds wedding landed on my screen. But oh – what an adventure, and what memories to have from your wedding day!! Laura and Matt really did create an exceptional wedding, with vibrant florals and a stunning colour palette. The helicopter ride makes their day really unique!! Lucky for us, Upcote Barn wedding photographer Martin Dabek went along for the ride and captured every thrilling moment up in the skies with the bride and her dad on their way to the church!

Wedding photographer’s website:

Martin Dabek Photography- https://martindabek.com

Our Upcote Barn wedding photographer Martin came highly recommend by our friend group… 5 friends had Martin as their photographer at their weddings so he was tried and tested!!

We couldn’t have been happier with Martin. Martin is very personable, professional and relaxed making the experience as easy as possible on the day.

We received the video compilation prior to receiving the photos. The video perfectly captured the day from start to finish and was an emotional watch. Our friends and family loved the video too! We reviewed all the photos with our parents and again amazed by the moments he captured and the quality of the photos. We are in the process of choosing our photos for the album…too many to choose from!

The venue is The Barn at Upcote – a gorgeous space on a country farm in the rolling hills of the Cotswolds. Laura and Matt chose Kirsten from The Little Wedding Helper to style their day with rustic chic display areas, pretty signage and bright coral colours carried from the flowers through to place settings. “Our wedding venue was a beautiful renovated barn so we didn’t want to take the beauty away. We did ask for help though and Kirsten, The Little Wedding Helper helped translate our vision into reality on the day. It also took the pressure off the big day knowing our wedding would be styled when we arrived.”

The flowers are by Bijoux Floral Design, based in Bristol – the combination of dahlias, hydrangeas and roses on tables, and peonies with roses in Laura’s bouquet works beautifully.  “I was in love with my wedding flowers. Becci at Bijoux flowers was truly amazing. Having known Becci for years there was no one else I would have asked to do my flowers. She absolutely delivered on the day and so many guests commented on our flowers.”

Catering was by McBaile, the statement cake was created by the extremely talented Claire at Cake Daydreams, Laura’s dress was from Clifton Brides and James’s suit was from Dyfed Menswear. Kathryn from Powder & Paint in Bristol did Laura’s make up on the morning of the wedding.

Discover more from Upcote Barn wedding photographer Martin Dabek:

http://martindabek.com
Facebook.com/CreativeBristolWeddingPhotographer
Instagram – @martin_dabek_photography
Pinterest.com/bristolwedding
Twitter.com/martindabek

 

 

Wedding venue:

St Johns Church, Old Sodbury, Bristol followed by The Barn at Upcote, Withington.

Wedding month:

August

Can you describe your wedding in fewer than 10 words?

Literally the best day of our lives, emotional but would love to do it all over again tomorrow

Your wedding style or theme:

Modern rustic….(we think??!!)

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

Recommendations, wedding fayres and online research

What’s your top tip for saving money?

Make your own wedding favours, do booze trip to Calais for prosecco and wine and doesn’t hurt to ask for discount…..?!

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

Wedding dress, band, venue and catering

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

We used Norma and Dorothy from Save the Dates through to Invitations and Table Plan. Quality and service was exceptional. The packaging of the stationary was a nice personal touch.

Did you fall in love with your wedding dress?

Absolutely, but it took a time to get there, probably some 80 dresses later but so glad I waited until I found the one!!

Wedding dress designer and bridal boutique:

Augusta Jones, Skyler. Purchased from Clifton Brides, Bristol.
Michaela, owner of Clifton Brides was absolutely amazing. There was no pressure to make a decision and Michaela was welcoming on every occasion I visited with my mum and dad…yes my dad came to all the bridal shops until I found the one! Brenda, Michaela’s mum was also amazing making sure the dress was a perfect fit when I collected it

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

My jewellery was a wedding gift from my husband! Tiffany & Co pearl earrings and bracelet, both perfectly complimented my wedding dress.
Wedding shoes and bag were from Rainbow Club

And what did the groom wear?

Blue Italian slim fit three piece morning suit with coral tie and matching pocket square. Dune tan Darby shoes

Beautiful bridesmaids: what did your best girls wear?

Coral bridesmaid dresses from Dorothy Perkins, bridesmaid range.

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

For both hair and make up I hired professionals. I sourced Emma from Bristol Hair & Make up. Emma was fantastic, listening to my requirements throughout and delivering what I wanted on the day.
Make up for myself, bridesmaids and mother of bride and groom was done by Kathryn at Powder and Paint. She was honestly amazing, so chilled, personable and so pleased with my make up on the day.

Crafts and makes – tell us about any homemade elements of your wedding… did you enjoy them?

We made our favours! Difficult not to eat the sweets whilst making them!
A friend made confetti cones, a big thank you to Ellie for this help.

The wedding cake: what kind of cake did you choose and why?

We had a semi naked cake, 4 tier cake made with lemon and blueberry and raspberry and prosecco. The cake looked beautiful and tasted amazing. Claire at Cake Daydreams discussed our requirements and we loved our cake on the day!

Entertainment: any musical recommendations, surprises or treats?

We knew from the outset we wanted a band for the evening. Choosing a band was difficult but we couldn’t have been happier with our choice. Our band was The Phat Cats. They played our first dance song live and we’re just awesome for us to celebrate with guests.
At our reception we had a string quartet, Ardeton String Quartet. This was lovely to hear them play as guests arrived and mingled with drinks and canapés.
We also had a magician at our reception. Serge the Magician was fantastic, guests were amazed by his talents.
The best surprise and treat was the helicopter my parents arranged for me to travel to the church in with my dad and for Matt and I to travel to The Barn at Upcote. A childhood wish fulfilled and one we will cherish forever!

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

Plan your wedding together, I couldn’t have planned the day without Matt’s input.
Everyone tells you that the day passes so quickly, it really does. Take your time out as a couple, it is so important to have time on your own and reflect, remember it’s your day.

What’s the best thing about being married?

Formalising our commitment to each other and looking to the future ahead together and what exciting memories this will bring.

Favourite supplier web links for other brides and grooms:

http://thephatcats.com
http://www.ardetonquartet.co.uk
https://martindabek.com
https://www.bijouxfloral.co.uk
http://www.littleweddinghelper.co.uk
https://thebarnatupcote.co.uk
http://www.sergethemagician.com
http://www.mcbaile.co.uk
https://www.cliftonbrides.co.uk
http://powderandpaint.co.uk
http://www.cakedaydreams.co.uk
https://www.normadorothy.com
http://www.dyfedmenswear.co.uk
https://vmbespoke.com