Hey lovelies! Let’s dive straight into today’s real wedding – it’s too good to miss! Gorgeous couple Lauren & Duncan were married in July at the gorgeous Merriscourt, Oxfordshire. They had lots of lovely rustic details with flowers and foliage everywhere – and such carefully selected styling elements. Lauren’s dress by Sottero & Midgley (from Once in a Lifetime Bridal)  is stunning! “It was as if it was made for me, and I felt incredible on the big day.”

This wedding is making me feel like summertime… and with the rain this morning hammering against the window in my little office, I’ll take that! Images are by lovely Rachel Lou Photography.

“The venue itself was a series of beautiful barns set in amazing grounds, which wouldn’t have looked out of place in southern Italy! We wanted lots of fairy lights set amongst the beams and also had lots of vinyl decal on mirrors as we wanted to make the most of the light in the venue. We had lots of candles set around and wooden accessories to tie in the rustic theme.

The best home made element was our mirror table plan and welcome sign. I know it was incredibly painstaking work for my mother in law but looked so amazing. My mum arranged loose stems all around the venue in jars.

 

Wedding photographer’s website:

https://www.rachel-lou-photography.com/

Rachel came to our rescue when our original photographer became unwell before our wedding, but she came very highly recommended and we were very lucky to have found her. She completely made our day! Her relaxed yet creative style was exactly what we were looking for and we were in awe of her ability to capture the most amazing candid shots.

We were extremely pleased with Rachel from the very start. She was friendly and approachable, and listened exactly to what we wanted. Our wedding was also on one of the hottest days of the year and Rachel worked tirelessly to capture our perfect shots! She was able to skilfully arrange people for the group shots which was a massive challenge, and also had a great eye for setting up beautiful shots.

When we saw our wedding photos for the first time there were tears all round! She had been able to bring our day back to life for us, and we were so impressed. She even captured the progressive break down of the groom at the altar!

Facebook: @RachelLouPhoto | Instagram: @RachelLouPhotography

Can you describe your wedding in fewer than 10 words?

A dream come true!

Your wedding style or theme:

We wanted a marriage of rustic and elegance!

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

Mostly recommendations from other people or the internet. We got a lot of wedding inspiration from Pinterest, but we found our wedding venue in a magazine and never dreamed we could get married there but we were able to make it work!

What’s your top tip for saving money?

We chose a venue with a no corkage fee which massively helped. Also, ask your family and friends to help and use their talents. My mother in law crafted all of our invitations and an absolutely stunning table plan.

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

Lighting! We had a beautiful venue which was a blank canvas and fairy lighting made all the difference to the setting. We also paid for a saxophonist during our drinks reception and it was so worth doing, she was absolutely phenomenal and created the perfect ambiance.

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

My mother in law single handedly made all the wedding invitations and save the dates. They were beautiful.

Did you fall in love with your wedding dress?

Absolutely. It was as if it was made for me, and I felt incredible on the big day.

Wedding dress designer and bridal boutique:

Dress was by Sottero and Midgley from Once in a Lifetime Bridal in Stony Stratford.

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

I was incredibly lucky and Duncan surprised me with a pair of Valentino rock stud shoes for the wedding. My dream shoes! I wanted to keep the jewellery simple as my dress was heavily embellished, so opted for some Swarovski drop earrings. I went for a chapel length veil also.

And what did the groom wear?

He went for a grey check waistcoat and jacket combination from Moss bros. It tied in well with the rustic theme but also gave a nod to his Scottish heritage.

Beautiful bridesmaids: what did your best girls wear?

They wore dresses by Quiz clothing.

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

We had professionals in for the day and they were a fantastic glam squad! We had Niamh Ford on Makeup and Lorraine Newark of Bridal Hair design on hair. Both stayed in place all day, which was no easy feat considering it was over 30 degrees.

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

Our flowers were arranged by a family friend- Neil Gurney. We wanted to keep it very simple with colouring, opting for only white flowers and foliage. I wanted lots of greenery and to go with what was in season at the time.

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

We had a 3 tiered white iced cake with a ruffled bottom, metallic middle and pearl effect top. We had 3 different flavours, salted caramel, Black Forest and banoffee. We chose the iced style as we wanted the cake to be a real show stopper as we knew it was going to be placed in front of a mirror and needed to command attention. It also fitted well with the elegant part of our theme.

Entertainment: any musical recommendations, surprises or treats?

We had a dj in the evening and a saxophonist, Katie Parker, to play me down the aisle and during our drinks reception. She was outstanding. She played versions of our favourite songs and played relentlessly in the heat. Live music is such a good idea for a wedding if budget allows. Everyone commented on how good she was.

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

If there’s something you want for your wedding, you really must try to incorporate it as you don’t want to regret not having it on your big day. There will always be another area that you can cut back on.

What’s the best thing about being married?

Everything! We have since bought a puppy and our lives feel complete.

Merriscourt Wedding Suppliers

Photography:
Rachel Lou Photography www.rachel-lou-photography.com

Venue:
Merriscourt, Oxfordshire www.merriscourt.com

Make Up:
Niamh Ford https://www.facebook.com/niamhfordmua

Hair:
Bridal Hair Design www.bridalhairdesign.co.uk