We’re starting the week with a beautifully whimsical beach wedding. Gorgeous couple Sophie & Carl walked with their guests down 200 steps to a secret beach for the most amazing photos. Their wedding venue is styled with dried flowers – Sophie carries a stunning dried bouquet – and it’s all just too lovely for words! We adore Sophie’s Grace Loves Lace dress with a slit up the side – perfect for a walk to the beach and a cheeky dip in the sea! Incredible photos by Alexa Poppe Photography, who gets a brilliant review from our happy couple!
The main advice we got on the run up to the day which we would like to share was that the day goes by so fast and to make time to spend alone together. We are so glad we did this, we have some gorgeous memories of sneaking off together for a drink and to admire the sea view.
Wedding photographer’s website
Alexa Poppe: https://www.alexapoppeweddingphotography.com/
Wedding photographer review
Alexa is wonderful- she understood the relaxed vibe we wanted for the day and made the most of all the amazing scenery around us. She is great fun to be around and made us feel really at ease. We have memories to treasure forever that she captured wonderfully.
Your best moment or memory
We have so many wonderful memories of the day but the one we both share as a favourite moment is the first time we saw each other. There are so many nerves and so much excitement on the day building up to that moment that it can feel a little overwhelming but as soon as we saw one another everything and every one else just melted away. It was so special to make eye contact and just see the relief and feel the happiness and emotion in us both and we knew in that moment that the whole day would just be perfect and it was! The whole ceremony was something we had felt nervous about and it ended up feeling so special and personalised to us.
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
We kept our wedding really small and intimate which we are so pleased about. We got to spend so much more time with the people closest to us. This meant we chose no bridesmaids or a best man because everyone there was really special. We also chose to write our own vows which felt so emotional and personal. So many of our guests commented on how special it was to hear personal vows. We took our whole wedding party to a really amazing beach, called Broadsands. The only way to get there is through some woodland and down 200 steps which the venue was initially surprised we wanted to do. We know our guests and we knew everyone would be up for it. This made our wedding unique and memorable for us all and created such variation for our photos. It is a truly magical place that we associate now with our day and will continue to visit for many years to come.
Venue name + review
Sandy Cove Hotel, Berrynarbor
The venue on the day was brilliant, everything ran smoothly and the setting is second to none. It was exactly as we wanted it to be. However, we didn’t have the best experience on the run up to the wedding as we were passed between so many members of staff which resulted in multiple repeat conversations. We also had several challenges about being vegetarian and were made to feel a burden to the staff.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Bride- I adored my dress! I wanted something that still felt bridal but that wasn’t too OTT as we wanted a fairly casual and relaxed day. It had a big split which allowed me to run into the sea and take on all those steps and it had layers of different lace on top of silk. I dreamt of eyelash and chantilly lace and I found it in one dress. I also wore an oversized denim jacket personalised with ‘Mrs Ashton’ and pearls to match the pearls on my dress. My veil was the monet veil by grace loves lace. The Groom- the suit matched the day wonderfully. It was a sandy coloured suit with a waistcoat and trousers that rolled up easily for paddling. We had a really warm day in September and we both felt comfortable and special in our outfits. Guilty pleasure- we both rocked crocs on the day!
Dress or suit shop name + review
Grace loves lace- song gown
Hugo Boss suit
Florist name + review
Pampas by post- dried flowers. Sammy was wonderful- we met her just once to discuss our ideas and for her to show us the variations of dried flowers. I sent her some Pinterest photos and she created everything perfectly based on those. The arch pieces were stunning and so easy to drive from Manchester to Devon and looked amazing! My bridal bouquet was stunning, I had a vision of a dried protea which not many people have and Sammy sourced the perfect one. We couldn’t have been happier and what makes dried flowers so wonderful is we’ve kept so many of them and gifted others to our families.
Cake maker name + review
Bibble Bakes – Gorgeous cakes both visually and to taste! We also had vegan cupcakes to go alongside our main cake and which also went down very well! Our orca cake toppers matched the beautiful shell decorations perfectly- it was so personal and reflected our favourite adventure together to Canada which everyone commented on.
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
All of the place setting cards were designed by myself using an Etsy template, including the illustrations. I really wanted everything to be sea themed as it’s my favourite place to be. My mum made the place setting board to attach them to, as well as the welcome sign which was beautiful. She included shell paintings which made them even more bespoke and special and lots of people had a photo with the sign. For place settings we also decided to be a bit different and print our own in the style of Polaroid photos- we chose our favourite photo of us with that person to display for their seat. This also went down really well as everyone enjoyed looking at each others photos and they were a good conversation starter.
Wedding readings?
My best friend of honour read a vow by Wendy Cope
First dance song? Playlist recommendations?
Paolo Nutini- loving you performed by Sam Dowden who is a brilliant local guitarist and singer in north Devon. We went from Paolo to wheatus- teenage dirtbag to Dr Dre! The great thing about a small guest list was we could choose music we knew all of our guests loved to make everyone feel comfortable and involved!
Hair + makeup name + review
Natalie Nichols for hair who was amazing! She gave me so much advice for extensions to have more volume and thickness in my braids. She also had suggestions for hair accessories which worked perfectly for what I wanted. She was a really calming influence on the day for everyone and my bridal party were also really pleased with their hair. Loved her company and couldn’t have been happier with the end result. Stacey Louise MUA – Stacey gave great advice as the whole wedding party weren’t overly confident on make up and she made everyone feel beautiful. Stacey also gave me advice on the run up the wedding on skin care to make sure my make up application was as perfect as possible. They both arrived on time and got us all ready with time to spare!
… and suddenly it feels like summer! Today we’re sharing this wonderful country style wedding in Kent. With a stunning boho bride and dapper groom, dried flowers and really special personal touches, this truly is a perfect day! Huge congratulations and thanks to lovely couple Iona & Ed for sharing their story and reviewing all their amazing suppliers for us. Their recommended Kent wedding photographer is Benjamin Toms, who we’re delighted to say is a member of English Wedding (and one of our top 100 bloody lovely wedding photographers too!) – do check him out if you’re looking for a wedding photographer, won’t you!
We wanted the day to feel very personal so included lots of friends and family in the whole day. We had a family friend, Nigel, carry out the service at St Clement’s Church in Sandwich, which made it really special for us. The church itself was also significant to us as Iona’s parents also got married there and Iona was christened there.
Wedding photographer’s website
Benjamin Toms – https://benjamintomsphotography.co.uk
Wedding photographer review
Ben did an amazing job capturing not only the fun of the day but all the special moments too. Ben put us and our guests at ease and worked around us to the point we weren’t aware he was there half the time! The photos he sent over are beautiful and we couldn’t be happier with them.
Your best moment or memory
Iona – My favourite memory is singing to The Greatest Showman on my husband’s shoulders with absolutely everyone on the dance floor! It was such an amazing atmosphere. Oh, and also watching my husband climb up one of the poles of the marquee being assisted by the vicar of our service.
Ed – riding in with Iona on my Vespa, Giovanni. Our guests weren’t expecting it and it added another element of fun to the day whilst summing us up well.
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
We drove from the church to the reception in a 4×4 Jeep that needed a step ladder to get into! We definitely got some interesting looks driving down the country lanes. When introduced into the marquee by our MC, we rode in on Ed’s vespa. It went down very well! One of Iona’s best friends Tabitha sung a slow version of I’ll be there for you (Friends edition) during the signing of the names at the wedding service – there were many tears!
Venue name + review
The venue was a marquee in a farm belonging to a friend of Iona’s Dad. It had never been used as a venue before but it worked perfectly. It was a beautiful summer’s day and the views look over the countryside of East Kent and to the sea.
Our marquee was provided by Maypole Marquees. They were brilliant at answering all our questions in the lead up to the wedding. The marquee was set up a few days before the wedding so we had time to decorate it. It was a stunning marquee which was opened up down one side. It also came with a luxury toilet block, a vintage bar, tables and chairs, lighting and flooring! We would highly recommend them for big events.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Iona – It was important to me that I either bought a second hand dress or a dress made from recycled materials. I ended up buying a three piece dress all made from recycled materials from Bridal Boutique of Jules in Deal, Kent. All three parts were Catherine Deane and I loved the modern style with a twist. The skirt was so soft and comfortable and I loved how it floated (although I forgot there would be so much straw on the farm so the end of the skirt definitely suffered a little!) The bandeau and lace top were perfect. I felt relaxed and comfortable yet also like a boho bride! Having an extra lace layer on top meant that I could take that off for the dancing later!
Ed – A navy three-piece Hugo Boss suit from Moss Bros. I’m not quirky enough to pull off anything out there and anything more formal wasn’t “us” (and plus, I can use it again!) They were really helpful with suggesting options for me to try on in my style. The whole process was incredible quick and easy!
Florist name + review
Jane’s Country Roses – We got our flowers from one of my best friend’s mum, Jane. I absolutely loved our flowers! We went for dried wild flowers which were pastel colours so complimented the bridesmaid dresses perfectly. Jane did an incredible job and creating such beautiful bouquets as well as button holes, centre pieces and hair clips! The most amazing part is that they last forever so we still have my bouquet and many of the centre pieces in our house (looking as incredible as they did on the day!)
Cake maker name + review
We went for a bit of an alternative option for this. Two of Iona’s closest friends (Izzy and Lauren) made a cake each for our wedding. We weren’t interested in having a big three tiered cake and actually, these went down a treat!
Our caterer was Tim Wilson, a friend of my Dad’s. The food was simple yet delicious and we made sure we had extra canapés as we know how much everyone loves them! We were very impressed with all the food and Tim and his team did such an excellent job.
Stationery maker’s name + review
Iona’s sister Kirsty made our wedding invites and we did the rest!
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
We created our own table names using photos of us from places we’ve visited together as well as our table plan and a palette with the order of the day!
Ed’s mum created our menus and Iona’s sister produced some lovely drinks menus for our vintage bar.
A close friend of Ed’s (who is a blackboard artist) made a Welcome to Iona and Ed’s wedding sign.
Wedding readings?
Corinthians 13 v 1-13 I’ll Be There For You – Louise Cuddon Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith
First dance song? Playlist recommendations?
The luckiest – Ben Folds
Wedding planner name + review
Iona – the bride! Highly recommend 😉
Hair + makeup name + review
Natasha Quinton Bridal – http://www.natashaquinton.com/ Tasha is a good friend of Iona’s and is incredibly friendly and professional.
She did my hair and makeup and also styled all my bridesmaid’s and my mum’s hair. She was amazing at keeping everyone calm on the wedding morning and adapted when anyone wanted slight changes to their hair do’s.
I am someone who doesn’t feel comfortable wearing too much makeup and I was so pleased that Tasha made me feel natural (but better!) I loved my relaxed hair look which made me feel confident on the day.
A glorious wedding in the beautiful Lake District, an adorable couple and fabulous rainbow styling touches! This is a wonderful wedding to inspire you all – we do hope you love it! Do click through to the full feature for Roz and José’s supplier recommendations and reviews. We loved reading about their day!
Wedding photographer’s website
How did you choose your photographer?
We interviewed a few photographers. Jaye really understood our vision, and she was able to do make up as well which meant less contractors during very uncertain covid times.
Were you pleased with your wedding photographer? Do tell… we love a brilliant review!
Jaye Adams was fantastic. Not only was she incredibly supportive with every wedding cancellation due to covid, and followed what we wanted, she went above and beyond to take as many candid photos as possible and stayed late to capture special moments. We also arranged a post wedding photo shoot to go out into the Lakes and capture the real beauty of Roz’s home. The photos speak for themselves, they’re stunning.
Tell us about your venue – what made this place special for you?
Our wedding venue was ideal for a small wedding with the whole venue to ourselves, meaning that we could party into the night without worrying!
Did you love wearing your outfits? How was the dress / suit shopping experience?
Roz had her dress custom made, with rainbow fabric in the back – nobody was expecting an even vaguely white dress, so the whole outfit was a surprise for the guests, with a little added ‘Roz’ in the back! José bought a three piece Hugo Boss suit and felt amazing because it was tailored perfectly and helped the day feel even more special.
Did you hire a florist? Tell us about any floral amazingness
We didn’t hire a florist, Roz made the button holes out of old piano music (as she’s musical!) and her bouquet was made out of recycled Harry Potter books by Literary Bouquets. We wanted the flowers to last a lifetime, and be environmentally conscious in the process.
As cake lovers here at English Wedding we’d LOVE to know who made your cake, and how delicious it was?
Our cake was UNREAL!! It was made by Cakes by Hannah in Yorkshire. Our wedding was re-arranged five times due to the pandemic, and we had to completely change our cake design every time as we were in a different season! The cake itself was gluten free and rainbow layered…and most importantly it tasted phenomenal!
Tell us about any special personal touches, or creative projects you made yourselves
We arranged all of the decorations ourselves, with rainbow helium balloons above every table (which the groom and best man took hours filling and placing!), Roz made all of the button holes and corsages for the women, the place names were made out of recycled wine corks (collected over a long time!!) and the wedding invitations and love heart emblem were designed and made by Roz. Each table also had recycled wine bottles with fairy lights in, and we gifted these to our guests when they left the next day – all of them still use these for dinner parties and we often get photos of them featured on table settings which is really lovely!
Did you personalise your vows or have any wedding readings? What were they?
Our vows were personalised. José is Venezuelan, so he read his vows in English, and Roz read her vows in Spanish – each guest had a copy of the translation on their chairs.
What was your first dance song? Why did you choose it?
Our first dance was a Bachata song – ‘Bachata en Fukuoka’ by Juan Luis Guerra. We are both Latin dancers, and we actually changed our song choice just before we danced because it just felt right!
How did the pandemic affect your wedding plans? Do you have any advice to share with couples planning their weddings right now?
Our wedding was cancelled five times due to the pandemic and when we were finally able to tie the knot we were still heavily impacted by restrictions. Most significantly, none of José’s family were able to attend as they live abroad and flights were not allowed to enter without isolation. We only had 34 guests, and had one friend each. Worst of all, no dancing was allowed!! That’s the hardest thing to look back on, particularly having attended other weddings since with dancing! Our advice would be to keep your wedding small, only with people that you truly love, and try to keep it simple with contractors and other people involved. It’ll save you a massive headache if anything needs changing!
Favourite wedding suppliers
Jaye Adams (Jaye-Peg Photography and make up artist),
Cakes by Hannah (gluten free rainbow cake)
