Over the last week or two I’ve been having the loveliest email chat with Boo, who married the love of her life just before her 61st birthday. Simon & Boo’s day is a breath of lightness, love and laughter. Their story’s really special, and having been a wedding photographer herself, Boo knew how important it was to choose the right person to capture their day. With images by Norwich wedding photographer Andy Davison Photography, and literally everything else provided by friends and family, I’m honoured and thrilled to be sharing this gorgeous wedding with you today. Thank you, Boo & Simon, for sharing with us!

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We are both in our 60’s (I turned 61 just 6 days after wedding). We’ve been together over 25 years but never felt any urgency or need to get married. Then in January this year, my mother died. In February my best friend died, and our 20 year old dog – all in the first 3 months of the year. This was a huge reason for booking our marriage – just realising life is short and we need to make the most of it and celebrate with people we love. 3 more people related to our small guest list then died in weeks before the wedding, so we felt that it was important to celebrate what we could, to reclaim some joy of life. So it was such a blessing to have a day where we could all be happy.

Our Wedding photography

Photographer’s website

Norwich wedding and family photographer Andy Davison Photography

Wedding photographer review

I was a wedding photographer for over 10 years. I retired from it after my small run of tiny Covid weddings. So it was very hard for me choosing a photographer as I know so many brilliant ones personally. My short list of who to ask was dominated by ones I’d worked with and one who’d been instrumental in getting me started in the industry. But then I tore up my short list and messaged Andy whose work I’ve always admired. And despite the 6 weeks notice, he said he’d be honoured – which was very kind of him! And I felt so lucky we’d done this before he retires!

Andy is an old colleague and friend. His photography is beautiful and I knew his calm, laid back and friendly personality would go down well with our family and friends. I knew Andy would deliver exactly what we both wanted – documenting our day and preserving the happiness in an informal but beautiful style. All our guests commented how much they’d liked having him there.

Our wedding venue

Valley House. One day, Valley House will be available for wedding bookings. But right now it’s mid renovation. It’s the stunning home of our friend Cécile.

Our wedding was arranged in less than 3 months, and went from just ourselves and the 4 (adult) children, plus photographer, to 40 guests. As soon as word got out our siblings (and Simon has 9) refused to stay away!

So Cécile came to our rescue by offering us her renovation project. As it’s the most glorious Georgian house, once upon a time a pub, it was a joy to say yes! At present Cécile is able to take enquiries for styled photoshoots as well as hiring out her treasure trove of antique French furniture. (She magically produced from the Coach House attached to Valley House, velvet chairs from an old French picture house, turn off the century tables and white linen tablecloths)!

Fresh lavender from her garden filled dozens of beautiful old vases and jugs, and chandeliers of all sizes and styles hung from the impossibly tall ceilings. Cécile was amazing and I really hope Valley House is completed soon so future weddings can enjoy the same warm hospitality we had.

Photographers: Cécile is welcoming photographers for styled shoot opportunities. She’d be delighted to answer any enquiries from wedding photographers – I’ve chosen not to publish her email address, but please ask me if you’re curious and I can pass your details on.

Wedding wear – Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!

So when we were just immediate family, I was going to wear a short white dress. Nothing particularly bridal. Something I could wear on any Summer day. But then Simon said he didn’t think I should wear white. I am half Chinese and he liked the Eastern custom of red wedding dresses. Plus I’d been married years before, so he felt I’d had my white wedding. But I’d already bought a short white dress…

But then when overnight and 4 weeks til the wedding, I suddenly thought I would prefer a dress that made a bit of a statement. So I scoured the internet and found a red dress! It was so special I can’t think when I’d ever wear it again. But. It was in the sale. So I ordered it online.

It arrived 2 days later and it was more beautiful than I hoped. But the zip was broken!

I contacted Karen Millen where I’d ordered it from. They said I could return but they couldn’t hold the same size to send out til they’d received the damaged one back! I couldn’t take the risk that I’d not get it. I’d really fallen in love with it by then.

So two kind friends who are ace with a needle and thread promised they could sort it along with other tiny alterations. Meanwhile, Simon true to form, said he just wanted to be cool (this was all going on during the June heatwaves). So he dry cleaned an old linen suit he always wore to Summer functions, and chose a pink linen shirt. I love the clash of red and pink.

Our amazing suppliers

Andy the photographer was the only true ‘wedding’ supplier.

As I said, our venue was our friend’s home.

My bouquet and my bridesmaids bouquets were large bunches of flowers from M&S hastily hand tied at 1am the day of the wedding.

Our traditional fruit cake was made by our friend Mandy who owns Norfolk Yarn. She also knitted the stunning lace white shawl as a gift to me. Which sadly, (!) meant I did have to have a change of dress to a white one later in the day!! That dress was another last minute sale purchase, from Zara.

Our beautiful cup cakes were made by our friend Caitlin, who happens to be a scientist. But makes cakes to relax!

Our sit down meal was provided by every guest. They all made and brought something to share. Even the guests who cycled back to Scotland after the wedding (650 miles) brought quiche. Other guests from the Highlands managed not only to magic up sandwich platters, but sent an Ocado van filled with prosecco ahead of their arrival.

Styling and personal touches

Wedding ceremony and readings

Norwich Castle. Readings from: The Amber Spyglass & Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Music : Lana del ray, Van Morrison, Abba and Bruno Mars

Stationery designer

Our table plan was made by my daughter Flora and printed off by Cecile.

Our family and friends were determined to not let us get away with a tiny wedding, but they all arrived with drink and food that kept the party full until midnight.

Two more friends gifted us music and played violin and keyboard for hours. They are Marisca Trio and are available in the Norwich area for weddings.

Hair + makeup name + review

I didn’t have a make up artist. Instead Ruth, the totally wonderful Dior consultant at John Lewis in Norwich, set aside a huge chunk of time to teach me how to get the look I wanted. She was going to be on holiday the day of my wedding, but still different break her holiday to do my make up if I felt unconfident. That’s Diamond level customer service.

And my hairdresser, Lauren at The Egg salon in Norwich, moved appts all over the place to fit in my last minute wedding request.

Wedding cake maker name + review

Our truly scrumptious cheese tower cake came from The Cheese Lady! The delivery driver dropped it off outside another address on a day the temperatures reached 37 degrees!! I was in a complete state. But miraculously the depot managed to be contacted, and the driver returned to retrieve the cheese and deliver it into my hands! And thank god. Because the cheese was DIVINE. SO. thank you to all our ‘suppliers’ – our friends and family.

Our Wedding Story

The best wedding moments and memories

For Simon: seeing me walking in with my daughters
For Boo: seeing Simon, being with my daughters, one son giving me away, the other handing the rings over.

Tell us anything you did differently – any NEW traditions (or if you had none at all!)

Everything. Starting with going on honeymoon the week after we booked the wedding! We went to Vietnam for 3 weeks, ordering the wedding rings a couple of days before we left, then came home to have the notice of marriage meeting with registrar.

Two of our family came from Germany. Via captaining a boat in a regatta in the Solent. How they pulled off being taken off a boat during a race, arranging a temp crew to replace, then getting a train to Norwich in time for a midday wedding, and then getting back to the boat to continue the race, is still beyond my comprehension. But I did mention, our siblings were determined to attend this wedding. They said they’d waited quarter of a century for us to get round to this, and they were not going to miss it after all that time! Two other friends interrupted their holiday to come to Norwich for the day – we think no one actually believed we were finally doing this. They had to see it with their own eyes.

Notes for other couples planning their weddings

Everyone’s kindness was out of this world. Everyone was amazing. I’m still not sure how we pulled off a wedding in 3 months on a minimal budget.

The registrar, photographer and wedding rings came to around £3000. The bare essentials of any wedding so we couldn’t change those. But we maybe spent another £1000 on things like a music spreader, prosecco and beer and soft drinks.

I hope it will help other couples on a budget or not inclined to spend tens of thousands, see they can have a perfect day on very little.

We included elements from all our family’s races and nationalities in the wedding, including of course my red dress, as I’m half Chinese, our French cheese wedding cake, and we gave out Chinese and Vietnamese silk fans at the wedding ceremony to guests (it was so hot).