Tess and Tom’s February wedding has so many layers to it: there’s the romance between our gorgeous couple. Then there’s Tess’s Dad’s story (you’ll see what I mean when you start scrolling!), which totally captivated me (and shows just what your wedding day means to the ones you love!) There’s a wonderful camaraderie amongst the beautiful bridesmaids, who shimmer and sparkle through all the photos! And I love how there’s a lovely humour in the day – as Tess puts it, “who doesn’t like a Colin?!”

The images are simply breathtaking – and Tess and Tom’s review for Northbrook Park wedding photographers MIKI Studios is a joy to read! (You’ll find more on MIKI Studios in the English Wedding Directory – they’re based in the UK and travel worldwide capturing beautiful weddings like Tess and Tom’s.)

So sit back and enjoy. Tess’s bridal look is ever so beautiful – she wears her hair half up, half down with some roses tucked in the back – and they stay in all day long! Her dress from Gowns and Garters is so intricately detailed – the sleeves are exquisite! And Tom is her perfect match in a rich navy morning suit with simple white waistcoat. The flowers are amazing; the little touches are really sweet. Northbrook Park looks fabulous as always, and the photography is breathtaking – don’t miss the evening shots, which are actual magic.

Wedding photographer’s website:

MIKI Studios – https://mikistudios.com

How did you choose your photographer?

My best friend choose Ash Davenport as her photographer in September 2016 and I was in awe of how Ash managed to capture moments of the day! So I had to have him as my own!

Were you pleased with your wedding photographer? Do tell… we love a brilliant review!

We were more than ‘pleased’ – we were over the moon!
The photos Ash managed to create were beyond what we could even imagine. We didn’t think a photo could capture the ambience of any exact event however the photos we got captured exactly that- the love, laughter and happiness on our day is evident in all of our pictures. We decided as a couple not to get a videographer and this was never a regret as when I look over the photos I can envision a moment and movements of that time in the day. Ash was invisible in the most complimentary way possible – I am still struggling to work out how he got some of the angles he did without me noticing!
I would say one of the biggest compliments I can say is that Ash more importantly felt like a good friend in attendance at our day as he made us feel comfortable and because of that we wanted him involved in the day with every special and intimate moment.

Tell us about the moment you saw your wedding photos for the first time?

Ash build up the anticipation in an amazing way! He promised that we had to see them together. He said he would not send us the link until we were both together with a celebratory drink. We had to send him a picture to prove it! So I used a bottle of champagne we received for the day we sat on the sofa took a selfie and moments later he approved and sent the link!
We were astounded, emotional and in absolute bliss that we go to relive our day.

 

Can you describe your wedding in fewer than 10 words?

A celebration of our love with everyone we love

Your wedding style or theme:

We used colours like blush, cream and greens- the venue is stunning so we wanted to compliment this!

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

Websites

What’s your top tip for saving money?

Look around, speak to lots of suppliers, team work as a couple!

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

Wedding Photographer!
Photo Booth!
Drinks for guests!

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

My Brother and his Partner are designers so it was a labour of love for us both!

Did you fall in love with your wedding dress?

Yes- I felt it was very me- and after trying on many it made me feel comfortable: that was a priority.

Wedding dress designer and bridal boutique:

Gowns and Garters in Kettering

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

Jewellery- husband gifted me on the morning with diamond earrings to match my engagement ring!
Shoes – I had to go with old comfy shoes which I intentionally chose as my something “old”

And what did the groom wear?

The Groom wore a morning suit from a hire shop in Stanmore

Beautiful bridesmaids: what did your best girls wear?

My bridesmaids (all 8!) wore Maya brand dresses from ASOS! Can’t go wrong! They looked amazing.

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

My sister in law did my hair and one of my best friends did my make up! I loved having people in my life help me as it made it more special and they knew me and what I would like.

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

My very good friend Jane Keogh who is an incredible florist kindly did our flowers!
They were a mixture of blush, cream and greens and my bouquet had gorgeous plum coloured roses in them. They were stunning and fitted in with the venue perfectly.
We had huge displays for the mantel piece and wonderful vases for the centre pieces, button holes, bridesmaids bouquets, aisle details it all looked unreal!

General styling – did your venue need much decoration?

No we were minimal we had some lanterns, lighting etc but the venue is naturally beautiful. Which is one of the reasons we choose it!

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

All of our wedding stationery was made by my brother and sister in law, we had a cork signage system for people to sign corks and they put in a shadow box for us which had an engravement of our wedding invites.
I’m a teacher so my art teacher colleagues at school built and painted a post box for wedding cards! It’s Fab!

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

We always tradition have Colin the caterpillar cakes from M&S for our birthdays every year and when we found out that we could order a 80 person Colin and Connie the Groom and Bride for our wedding we had to get them. They were a real hit and very us! Who doesn’t like a Colin!

Entertainment: any musical recommendations, surprises or treats?

We had TMD who kept the dance floor full!
Our very good family friend recreated our first dance and sung it live- he is a professional singer and blew our minds!

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

Team work makes the dream work! Keep each other informed on everything.

What’s the best thing about being married?

Now I can use his credit card as we have the same initials!