Today’s wedding is everything I love. An intimate, meaningful ceremony. Thoughtful details with pops of fabulous colour. A gorgeous couple whose words and wedding supplier reviews fill my heart. And breathtaking images by lovely Charlotte Sams Photography. I just know you’ll love this one too! Huge congratulations to Zoë and Shree – and thank you so much for sharing your day with English Wedding.
Wedding photographer’s website
South west wedding photographer Charlotte Sams
Wedding photographer review
We discovered Charlotte while searching online for a Bristol-based photographer. We looked on her portfolio and saw that she had shots from the Christmas steps, a location that was dear to us, so we sent an email asking about our day and what we wanted. She sent us an offer which we accepted (informally).
We then had a Zoom call to get to know each other and what we wanted, she was very friendly and just wanted to get know us a bit to better understand what we wanted and to put us at ease. We wanted mostly candid moments of the day and some couple shots around the city, she had shot at all the locations we wanted so understod exactly what we wanted.
We only needed half-day coverage to cover the morning from the Avon Gorge hotel to the afternon tea at Harbour Hotel. We had a rough idea of the timeline but she helped us structure it more and from the start, everything felt straightforward and well organised on her side, from signing the contract to discussing timings and locations.
Since we didn’t have a wedding planner Charlotte was a brilliant source of guidance, she was helpful with questions regarding how the ceremony would unfold: information we couldn’t find on the website of the registry office.
Close to the day we had a second zoom call to iron out final details so that everything flowed smoothly. During the day she blended into the background when appropriate to get the candid shots but was very accommodating of specific shots some of the guests wanted.
Charlotte knew some fantastic photo spots around Bristol. We have such lovely couple shots around the city thanks to her, including several that were special to us. She even stayed beyond her scheduled time to make sure we got a few extra shots, which we really appreciated.
Her communication was excellent throughout, and the turnaround time was rapid. We received a sneak peek within a couple of days and the full gallery just three weeks later. Charlotte is a lovely person to have with you on the day, and a total professional! We can’t recommend her enough.
Your best wedding moment or memory
Seeralan: My favourite moment was when we had dismissed the parents and went to Small Bar with our friends, it was nice to just relax and enjoy catching up with our friends.
Zoë: Walking around the city for the couple photos and going to all of the places such as the benches on King street where we first met and Christmas Steps where we walked down after a first date. We have now moved away from Bristol, so it was like we were taking a piece of Bristol with us.
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
We originally wanted a very small family only wedding, so we planned just the ceremony and some afternoon tea with around 16 people. But then as we got closer to the wedding day we realised we wanted friends as well. Luckily we chose a fairly large ceremony room so we could get more people in just for the ceremony. However, the afternoon tea can only hold a maximum of 20 people so after the ceremony we had to dismiss our friends for the tea, and then we met up with just our friends in Small Bar for the evening.
Venue name + review
Some of our wedding guests stayed at the Avon Gorge by Hotel du Vin, we mostly picked due to proximity reasons but it turned out to be an ideal venue for pre ceremony photos. It has beautiful interiors and balcony with great views of the gorge and the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Our ceremony took place at the Bristol Registry Office in the city centre. When we went for our notice giving and interview we were shown the inside of the room for the ceremony. We chose the crimson-walled “Red Room” (officially the Mayoral Room), and while I admit I was slightly taken aback by the bold colour at first, the light and setting of the room were beautiful and the photos turned out great. The two registrars involved were also very friendly and welcoming.
Following the ceremony, we hosted our afternoon tea at the stylish Harbour Hotel right next to the registry office. The interior is gorgeously decorated and the photos from there turned out so well. The staff were brilliant from start to finish. They were friendly, attentive, and incredibly accommodating, especially with a few dietary requirements in our group. Everything was well organised, and even though the space only seated around 20 people, it was ideal for our small gathering of family and close friends. The food was great, the scones were especially delicious, and everything felt freshly made and beautifully presented.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Shree: I hired my wedding suit from Clifton Suits, a navy three-piece with a subtle tweed check, and was thoroughly impressed with both the quality and the service.
From the initial fitting to the final collection, it was a smooth process. A minor mix-up was resolved swiftly and without any fuss, which I greatly appreciated. The suit fitted perfectly and was comfortable to wear throughout the day. I paired it with a navy trench coat from YMC, although the suit itself was more than warm enough.
I wore a pair of tan brogues by Loakes which I got from InStep in bristol. The husband and wife owners are also lovely people who were incredibly helpful, in fact the first pair the owner picked was perfect, the man clearly knows his shoes.
Zoë: For my wedding outfit, I wore the elegant Afra bustier gown from crafted from Solace London. It was made of soft crêpe and satin with a subtle back slit that added a touch of glamour.
Over it, I layered a wool- wrap coat from the white company with an exaggerated shawl collar and detachable tie belt — warm, chic, and the perfect complement to the simplicity of the dress. To complete the look, I wore Rachel Simpson ivory peep-toe shoes, delicately adorned with double bows. They were my dream shoes (a lucky find on eBay for £35) and they made me feel every bit as special as I’d hoped.
Florist name + review
Roots Floral Designs has always been a special place for us. We used to live right next to it and it’s where I bought flowers for Zoë on our very first Valentine’s Day back in 2016, so it was natural to have them create our wedding flowers too. They offer beautfully designed set arrangements at extremely affordable prices.
To us custom arrangements was not important, only that it looked like the very first flowers I bought all those years ago. So we just picked the arrangement that matched the valentines flowers and the buttonholes and ordered online.
In the week leading up to the wedding, I popped into the shop a couple of times just to check in, and the team were always super friendly and very reassuring. They don’t usually open on Saturdays, but since our wedding was that day, we collected the flowers on Friday evening.
The florists gave us clear, practical instructions on how to keep everything fresh overnight and were so understanding about the timing. They even reassured us that if there were any issues the next morning, we could email and they’d come in early on Saturday to sort it! The flowers looked absolutely beautiful on the day and were still perfectly fresh. It felt really special to have flowers and a design from the same place that’s been part of our story from the beginning.
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
Shree is Tamil and is of Sri Lankan origin so we had handwritten name cards for the seats that were in Tamil and English. And we got some lovely real petal confetti from Confetti Bee, confettibee.co.uk!
Wedding ceremony
The ceremony it self was straight forward, one of the registrars took us to a different room beforehand to do get the pronunciation of our names right. We used the speakers they had in the room connected to a phone and had some music planned. We had a pretty minimal ceremony, no readings just music for the procession, recession and some ambient music as various signatures were scribbled.
Hair + makeup name + review
Make up by Macy, makeupbymacy.com
Macy did an amazing job on my hair and makeup! I came to her with a vision for my hair that I wasn’t even sure would be achievable, but she absolutely exceeded my expectations and I received so many compliments on the day.
As someone who doesn’t usually wear much makeup, she completely nailed the subtle yet dressy look I wanted, and I felt so confident thanks to the excellent job she did. I found Macy through an online search for makeup artists in Bristol and booked a trial at her studio. The trial was great, she really listened to what I wanted, offered helpful suggestions, and made sure I was completely happy with the look.
It’s wonderful to be sharing this beautiful September wedding with you all today. Izzy and Tom chose some of our favourite suppliers for their wedding, and they’ve sent the sweetest reviews for their English Wedding interview. Not least, Barley Wood wedding photographer Martin Dabek who gets a glowing recommendation from Izzy and Tom. There are some truly breathtaking images of their day here, so slow your scroll and settle in for a lovely read!
Our wedding photography
We chose Bristol wedding photographer Martin Dabek.
Martin was fantastic on the day. He was relaxed and fun, putting us and our guests at ease. He also managed to be everywhere all at once!
When we saw the photos we were thrilled. They captured the day perfectly and we loved that he also got some great shots of our guests on the dance floor. Martin also made a wedding video for us using footage he’d captured on his iPhone set to some of the songs we used on the day which is the perfect memento.
Our wedding venue
Barley Wood wedding venue in rural Bristol
Barley Wood is a really special venue. It is an old house set in gorgeous grounds with both outdoor and indoor ceremony options and a Great Hall for the wedding breakfast. It has lovely bedrooms so we were able to have family and friends stay for the weekend of the wedding. It really felt like home for the weekend.
We loved that it was a blank canvas and we were able to decorate the house however we chose. Zach and the team there were so helpful and ensured everything ran smoothly on the day.
The morning of our wedding day was rainy but luckily the clouds parted and the sun came out in time for us to have an outdoor ceremony overlooking the Mendips. This was such a magical part of the day. The weather stayed warm so we were able to have our drinks reception outside as well as a pizza van and coffee van in front of the house in the evening.
Our wedding outfits
After lots of shopping around, I found my dress in Lace and Grace in Keynsham.
The dresses there are stunning and I was stuck between two. Becky and Carol were brilliant and helped me make my decision. In the end I went for a minimalist Chosen by Kyha dress and added sleeves and a personalised veil to make the dress my own.
I wanted to add a hair piece and by chance found a beautiful hairband in Bradford on Avon.
I treated myself to some gold Jimmy Choos to complete the look as the slit in my dress meant my shoes were on show!
Tom decided he wanted a tux fairly early on but wanted something a little different, so went for a navy tux with black details. He hired this from Clifton Suits.
Our amazing suppliers
Papadeli catering
Papadeli were amazing as our wedding caterers. We knew we wanted something a bit different food wise and for the wedding breakfast to be sharing style and they really delivered. Lots of our guests commented on how delicious the food was. Lou was so organised in the build up and felt like a friend by the wedding day. She was also brilliant at catering for anyone with dietary requirements which was very reassuring.
Pip Floral Studio
Anna supplied us with the most gorgeous flowers including a lovely arrangement that went up the staircase leading to the Great Hall. I loved my bouquet so much that I had it pressed and framed as a keepsake.
Little Wedding Helper
Kirsten helped us to style our wedding. We had calls with her to discuss our vision and she had loads of props we were able to borrow on the day to save us buying things we wouldn’t use again. She was amazing the day before and set everything up meaning we could have a (fairly!) relaxed afternoon and evening before the wedding.
George Wilson music
We hired George, a singer and pianist, to play for our ceremony and drinks reception. He took requests from guests and brought great energy to the beginning of the day.
Photo & video – Martin Dabek PhotographyVenue – Barley Wood
Dress designer – Kyha Studios
Boutique – Lace and Grace
Suit – Clifton Suits
Catering – Papadeli Events
Flowers – Pip Floral Studio
Styling – The Little Wedding Helper
Hair – Bridal Hair by Jodie
Pianist – George Wilson Music
Our last wedding of the year is an absolute banger. Bride Gem is as gorgeous as she is creative; Brad equally fabulous of course! This stunning pair had a dream autumn wedding in Bristol, complete with out-of-this-world styling touches and alpaca-smooching*. (You can’t miss it!)
Our lovely couple have recommended some brilliant Bristol wedding suppliers, including lovely Becky Weir Photography, their venue Coombe Lodge, as well as the amazing Lucy Can’t Dance. Check out their English Wedding interview below to discover all the best Bristol wedding suppliers and why these two loved them so much!
Wedding photographer’s website
Becky Weir – https://beckyweir.co.uk/
Wedding photographer review
From the very moment we met Becky at a wedding fair, we knew she would be perfect for us. Her aesthetic, values, her kindness, originality & her fun. When we then saw her website and portfolio it all clicked into place.
She was a hand holding us through the day – So easy to talk to, so easy to ask questions. She honestly felt like one of the family.
Both Brad & I aren’t ones for attention or the spotlight being on us, but we felt so comfortable being in Becky’s company. Even when Bec gave us a little direction for our photos, we didn’t feel wooden, we just kept talking and goofing around like she wasn’t even there. She blends in so well for candid photography, you wouldn’t even know she was there!
She definitely understood what our wedding meant to us, with all our quirky takes on the day and my many DIY’s (even down to the wire of making Groomsmen ties 2 days before the big day) for that we cannot thank her enough.
We cannot wait to see our album and share our gallery with our friends and family – Becky’s post-wedding process is so stress-free and convenient, and we’re delightfully impressed with the options she has in place. Truly tailored to you and so original.
Your best moment or memory
There are many that I fall back on when I think about the day. There are two that stand out to me the most.
Seeing my father for the first time in a tailored suit with a tie and a buttonhole I’d created for him. His love, his support, and his emotion was just so raw, I’ve never seen him like that. My parents aren’t really ones to show their emotion, but dad did so well that day to let me know he was proud and pleased. He didn’t have to say it, I could feel it.
My second memory was when I was getting ready in the bridal suite. I could see our guests arriving, then out the corner of my eye when my hair was being done, I could see the children walking around with the Alpaca’s (Barney & Guinness) that we’d previously walked on the Quantocks in 2019 and had hired for after the ceremony. I was beaming form ear to ear and was so thrilled that everyone was happy to see their little fuzzy faces.
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
We’re not really the personalities for following traditions, one thing was that I hate the excess of items that are purchased for a wedding with only a single use.
I wanted our wedding items to preserve the day and have longevity.
I’m not a massive flower person and I’m a serial houseplant buyer. So much so, I almost cried at the till when Brad bought me a gorgeous Calathea at Botanica Studio in Bath.
I knew for sure that I wanted dried botanicals to be adorning myself, the Groomsmen, and my Bridesmaids. I made my bridesmaids botanical macrame wreaths to hold for the day in the hopes they’d use them as a feature piece or wall hanging afterward.
I also decided to request some bespoke tweed from my good and dear friend Charlotte (@fruitbattextiles) and made both pocket squares and ties for Brad and our groomsmen as a gift for the day.
I sourced the most amazing dried botanicals from @HANDANDBLOOM (Etsy, Bristol local seller) and elevated them with dried pampas and pheasant feathers as both Brad and I come from farming backgrounds, we wanted a subtle nod to our upbringing as our families were coming together for us.
Where we could, we researched independently owned businesses, local businesses, and small businesses.
It just so happened that most of these businesses were women-owned too, which we were both so proud to support.
As a little shameless plug, I also made quite a few little embroidered elements for the day that I will soon be selling through my own little small business Etsy. (BrueMoonFibres) This included individual embroidered place names for the head table in my own supply of hand-dyed cotton thread.
Venue name + review
Coombe Lodge, Blagdon – Martha and Issy our coordinators were incredible. Honestly, we couldn’t have pulled off our wedding without them.
The wedding planning and organization fell to me, not because I wanted it to. But, because I had a vision for our wedding and Brad wanted me to have free reign with my creativity and ideas. I’d never done anything like this before let alone thought I’d ever get married!
When we were looking around at venues, Martha stood out to be one of the most accommodating, calm, and down-to-earth members of staff that we had the pleasure of meeting.
Martha and her team were always so happy to help out with any queries or questions. At no point did we feel like we had requested too much of them, and they were always available either through the phone or email to put our minds at ease. Even with my extreme amount of DIY for the wedding, I was so proud to have them in the background of our day as they made it all the more special. Might I add, Brad was won over by Martha with the coffee and a brownie by the fireplace in the initial meeting.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Both our outfits were inspired by our love of nature, forests, and our agricultural backgrounds. We wanted our outfits to reflect our personalities but also fit in with our setting and our theme for the day.
Dress or suit shop name + review
My dress was found by my MOH when I was at my lowest point. I’d been in an unfortunate car accident in Feb (2022) and I was at a real down point feeling useless and frustrated with constant calls and forms whilst being bedbound in recovery.
My MOH mentioned to me that my favorite small business (Lucy Can’t Dance) was having a sample sale, I took a quick look and then fell in love with her. My dress was called Pumpkin and it fit so perfectly with our anniversary being the Halloween weekend, along with the delicate sequin leaf mesh that I adored when I finally got to see her. I took a risk buying her being a sample size, but luckily being a seamstress I was able to amend her straps and then with some help from my bridesmaids MIL we amended the length.
Florist name + review
Our wedding stylist was Kelly from Ambiance, Bristol. Kelly was an absolute babe and honestly took our ideas and made them a reality. She was like-minded in the way that we preferred foliage over floral, and she really got into our minds and helped us analyze our ideas and brought them to life.
We sleep with the foliage from the day attached to our macrame hanging above our bed and I’ve just recently used some of the excesses to make us a chunky wedding/Christmas wreath for our front door.
We’re so lucky to have worked with her for our wedding, she has decided to hand the baton to her colleague and is spending more time with her family. We support her decision and both wish her well for the future and will never forget the incredible day she allowed us to have.
Cake maker name + review
Ahh Toots, a brilliant bakery/cakery based in Bristol owned by Tam & Amy. Brad and I used to visit Ahh Toot’s little stand in St Nick’s market each time, most of the time going to Bristol just to see them and their cakes. When they opened up their cafe on Christmas Steps, we had no second guesses on who we’d love to make our wedding cake.
They did such an amazing job and made the most amazing cake we could have ever hoped for. We still have some in the freezer and we’re trying to not eat all of it so we can savor the day each time we sit down with a cuppa.
Wedding readings
Love Poem with Apologies for My Appearance by Ada Limón I Like You by Sandol Stoddard Warburg
First dance song? Playlist recommendations?
You & Me song – The Wannadies
Hair + makeup name + review
By Sarah Kate – Sarah was incredible, soft, understanding and so so amazing.
I explained to her that makeup wasn’t really my thing but I wanted to look photo ready. She enabled me and my bridesmaids to look our absolute (as close as we could be) natural best on the day and enhanced our features so much.
She gave me skin tips and recommended products that I still use to this day. She honestly opened my eyes a lot more to make-up and I am in awe of her incredible talent.
*Check out our insta for an alpaca special – exclusively from Gem & Brad’s gorgeous day! (Coming soon if you don’t see it yet!)
We’re excited to share today’s amazing wedding with such a beautiful bride and handsome groom, and an awe-inspiring location. Becky and Andy were married at Bristol’s Clifton Observatory, and chose top Bristol wedding photographer Martin Dabek to capture their day.
Wedding photographer’s website
How did you choose your photographer?
Martin was well-reviewed online and his price point fit our budget
Were you pleased with your wedding photographer? Do tell… we love a brilliant review!
Martin was fantastic and left no stone unturned. He was able made us both feel very comfortable – although we’re not the most confident in front of the camera – and he also captured the fun nature of the day. Martin was constantly taking photos throughout the day, and even the posed photos were quite relaxed.
The quality of the photos are exceptional. Martin has clearly taken a lot of time and care in editing the pictures and they brought out the best in the day and our guests.
Find out more – Clifton Observatory wedding photographer Martin Dabek
What’s your fondest memory of your wedding?
The wedding occurred weeks after Covid restrictions were lifted in July 2021, and meeting all of our friends and family after years of being apart, and years of planning and re-planning the wedding, we don’t so much have a fondest moment, as much as are grateful that the whole day could happen exactly as planned. Everyone had a wonderful day, and this was what we had all wanted.
Tell us about your venue – what made this place special for you?
The wedding took place at Clifton Observatory in Bristol. This venue was perfect: it was small but spacious, it had a lovely terrace and it had a picture-perfect view of the bridge.
Did you love wearing your outfits? How was your shopping experience, was it fun to find your wedding gear?
Becky did a lot of research when searching for her dress, and although she thought she wanted a 3/4 length dress, after trying on a few she decided she wanted a full-length, slim and simple piece, which she found. Fortunately, she was able to purchased her dress before the pandemic and found a local seamstress to alter it the moment lockdown was lifted.
Andy wanted his suit to be more than an ordinary two piece that he would normally wear for work, and found a stylish oatmeal three piece suit. As he wanted it to be perfect, the search was stressful at times, but he was thrilled when he found the suit that he bought.
Did you hire a florist? Tell us about any floral amazingness 🙂
We hired the super Emma Petersson who not only created a modern and interesting bouquet for myself and bridesmaid, but she also decorated the room with jars and boards to add a rustic touch to the venue.
As cake lovers here at English Wedding we’d LOVE to know who made your cake, and how delicious it was?
Lola’s cupcakes provided us with a delicious, and well-priced, two-tiered naked sponge cake for which we had to keep the car very cold transporting it from Birmingham to Bristol! Emma added some tasteful and elegant flowers to the cake to make it look stunning and tasty.
What was your first dance song? Why did you choose it?
We were torn between two songs: ‘The Whole of the Moon’ by The Water Boys and ‘You Make My Dreams Come True’ by Hall and Oates – both being fun, party songs. We chose the latter as it echoed our sentiments and it is from one of our favourite films, ‘500 Days of Summer’.
Did you do anything differently? We love hearing about NEW traditions!
Rather than having half an hour of speeches, we split them up over them the meal with the father of bride speaking after the starters, the groom after the mains and the best man after the desserts.
Other favourite wedding suppliers
The wedding was catered by Parsnip Mash (https://parsnipmash.co.uk) who were fantastic – definitely the best wedding food we have ever had! Simon and his team worked with us to curate a delicious Mediterranean-themed menu and ensured that the wedding breakfast happened flawlessly.
Atelier (https://www.atelierclifton.co.uk) looked after Becky’s hair and the hair of Andy’s mother and Becky’s brother. Ella (very patiently) put up Becky’s hair exactly as she had wanted it, and it looked amazing.
We have a lovely wedding with a countryside / farm twist and tons of personal touches for you today. Liv and Taylor were married at Chew Valley and chose Bristol wedding photographer Martin Dabek to capture the story of their day. Friends and family chipped in to help with the styling, and Olivia made the wedding cake, arranged the flowers with help from her mum and grandmother, and the couple collected old photos to make a game to entertain their guests!
Taylor’s dad loves American cars and has owned several during his lifetime and it was important to Taylor that we bring a little bit of everyone into the wedding so him and his groomsmen arrived to the church in the fancy cars. Whereas I had spent my childhood around farmyards and building sites so naturally I wanted to arrive on a tractor. I have wanted to drive a tractor to my wedding for as long as I can remember. However the long dress meant I definitely wasn’t going to be the one driving it- but we got a trailer with hay bales and blankets and Dad drove us down to the church. It’s a journey I will never forget.
Wedding photographer’s website
How did you choose your photographer?
Martin was recommended to us by our venue. He had shot there before and we were able to look at his style of photography.
Were you pleased with your wedding photographer? Do tell… we love a brilliant review!
We loved Martin! He really blended in with the party, and he really understood what we wanted. We didn’t want to be dragged away from our guests for hours of intimate photos. We wanted to party with our guests and he really captured that.
Do check out Chew Valley wedding photographer Martin Dabek! We think he’s amazing.
What’s your fondest memory of your wedding?
Our fondest memory was walking out of the church surrounded by our family- we actually left the church and then ran around to the side entrance and waited for everyone to leave the church before walking back into the church so our photographer could organise everyone into 2 lines either side of the path to throw confetti (which me and my mum had dried in the oven ourselves). Walking through our newly joined families as Mr and Mrs Sweet for the first time is really special.
Tell us about your venue – what made this place special for you?
Chew Valley Weddings was spectacular. The view of the lake was really what sold it to us. The lake has been a big part of our lives, it was even where Taylor proposed. We knew we wanted to marry close to home and the tipis with the lake is such a beautiful background.
Did you love wearing your outfits? How was your shopping experience, was it fun to find your wedding gear?
I found my wedding dress in the first shop I went in to. I knew the type of style that I liked the look of and I did my research. But due to COVID bridal shops were only allowing 1 or 2 guests maximum. So I went to a total of 5 bridal shops with different people and ended up buying ‘the one’ in Lace and Grace in Keynsham during a trunk show with 10% off. Madi Lane- Halani.
Taylor on the other hand had no idea what he wanted and just went into Bath one day and bought his suit from Suave Owl. And then we went out for lunch together.
Did you hire a florist? Tell us about any floral amazingness 🙂
I really wanted to do the flowers myself and make a real occasion out of arranging the flowers with my family and friends. We collected flowers from hedgerows and family members gardens. My mum and my grandmother grew wildflowers especially for me. We made our centre pieces in gravy boats Taylor’s grandmother collected, it was lovely to do something in her memory. However, for my bridal bouquet and the buttonholes we got them done professionally by Banksia in Chew Magna, a local florist. They were beautiful.
As cake lovers here at English Wedding we’d LOVE to know who made your cake, and how delicious it was?
I made our wedding cake! It was 3 tiers of lemon sponge with lemon curd filling and buttercream icing. I had to do lots of trial cakes which my colleagues gratefully tasted and gave me some notes. I made the sponges 3 days before the big day and iced in 2 days before. I then transported it to my grandmothers house (the most nerve wracking journey of my life) and it was taken to the venue with the topper (from Etsy), ready for me to assemble when we arrived from the church.
I did however forget to bring the fruit with me from the fridge on the morning of the wedding so we had to decorate the cake with flowers from the bridesmaids bouquets and from (non poisonous) shrubbery. By the end of the night it was almost all gone! I did also make gluten free cupcakes for my gluten intolerant guests.
Tell us about any special personal touches, or creative projects you made yourselves (we love that stuff!)
We wanted our wedding to be really personal to us. So one project we started was collecting old wedding photos from both sides of our families and putting them in frames (mismatched and from charity shops) to display- it became a really talking point, and people were trying to guess who was who in photos from 50+ years ago.
We also collected decorative wine bottles and put lights in them for table decorations, as well as using corks for name place holders and table numbers.
Another idea I loved was having photos of me and Taylor as children, and it was amazing how many of them were so similar in nature (sat in paddling pools/ holding Christmas presents/wearing our dads work boots). We made a game out of it the day before the wedding- match the photos. I separated them into Taylor and Olivia piles and our wedding party had to try and match them up. Then we put them on the tables back to back so people could see how far we have both come.
Outdoor party games for adults as well as children. Flamingo hoopla, welly wanging, coconut shy. Great fun! Although we did lose a welly- we looked for it forever before giving up.
Did you have any wedding readings? What were they?
We had a traditional church wedding and the reading was given by our reverend.
What was your first dance song? Why did you choose it?
Our first dance song was How long will I love you- sung by Ben Coleman, Jon Boden, and Sam Sweeney (from About Time). We spent a long time trying to decide which song to choose but this one always made us want to dance together in the living room.
Other favourite wedding suppliers
My hair was done by my family friend Rebecca Dix- she helped me find a style I really liked. I didn’t really know what I wanted but when I told her about the rest of the wedding and my dress she had a few suggestions for me and we tried out a few. Even on the morning of the wedding she was making sure I stayed hydrated and stopped so I could eat some breakfast.
My makeup artist was recommended by my hairdresser. I know nothing about makeup- it has never really interested me. I wanted a really natural, light makeup look and Jade helped me achieve that. She was great!
We decided on a DJ for our wedding reception as we have quite an eclectic mix of musical styles- we hired Offbeat Entertainment. Sebastian was great- he asked us for a list of about 20 songs which we love and even asked us if there were songs which were absolutely not allowed to be played. We hired him to play some background music for the start of the reception as well.
