Doesn’t it feel like we’re halfway into summer already? The sunshine always makes me happy, and having Holly and Thomas’s wedding on my screen today is taking summer vibes and my smile to a whole other level! This gorgeous pair married in August and chose lovely Isle of Wight wedding photographer SJ Jones Photography to capture their day at East Afton Farmhouse. They’ve written some fabulous reviews for their favourite suppliers so keep reading, and as always, more of my favourite photos on instagram @englishweddingblog – look out for the table plan, it’s amazing!
Wedding photographer’s website
Steve Jones Photography https://www.sjjonesphotography.co.uk
Wedding photographer review
We are so happy we picked Steve to do our wedding photography – as two people that are a little camera shy, he did such a great job of blending into the background whilst snapping the perfect candids! We are so happy with our experience with Steve.
Your best wedding moment or memory
The groomsmen running people to and from different barns with picnic table parasols to shelter everyone from the rain!
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
Rented potted plants centrepieces! We tried to consider sustainability at every opportunity, and every vendor was great in helping us try to achieve this. (All of the cut flowers were preserved)
Videographer name + review
Grace – captured videography.
Grace had such a similar style to Steve, they worked so well together whilst making sure we were comfortable the whole day. We are so happy with everything we received from Grace, particularly the highlights video – she captured our day perfectly.
Venue name + review
East Afton Farmhouse.
Through the support we received from the first day we booked, to the wedding coordinator on the day, East Afton was the perfect choice for us. Set in the beautiful countryside of the Isle of Wight, it was full of such lovely photo opportunities, and a bonus that we had the venue for the whole weekend! Meant we could spend longer with our guests.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Holly: White wedding dress, strapless with lace
Thomas: 3 piece pink suit
Dress or suit shop name + review
The dress and accessories were from Gems, a bridal shop on the Isle of Wight.
They were so lovely, and with an in house alterations service they made the whole process seamless – the dress was a Maggie Sottero
The suit was from Moss, who provided a really quick turn around with the made to order suits, and a lot of flexibility for the rentals (dads and groomsmen!)
Bridesmaids dresses
La Closet de Chanel
They were made to measure at a really reasonable price, and were multiway which meant the bridesmaids could all pick a style they were comfortable in, whilst not having to shop around to find matching colours!
Florist name + review
Sarah Matthews florist
The team at the florist were so lovely, and helped us to achieve our vision. We were so happy with the bouquets, and they nailed the brief!
Cake maker name + review
Ems bakes cakes @_emsbakescakes
Emily is our best friend, and she did SUCH a good job baking our cake. It tasted beautiful, looked gorgeous, and helped us through design choices. (We are biased, but have a look at her instagram – it tastes even better than it looks too!)
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
We designed and printed our own stationery.
All of our tables were named after our family pets!! A lovely lady we found online is very crafty, and she did a perfect little painting of each pet on a wood slice for each table for us. @storminateacupgifts
Wedding readings?
Grooms mum and one of our best friends did a lovely poem each!
Wedding planner name + review
All done in house by East Afton – another bonus of booking with them! They crushed it.
Hair + makeup name + review
Lyndsey-Marie MUA.
Lyndsey and her team were such a nice group to start off our day with! We are so happy with the hair and makeup results which lasted all day.
I can quite happily say that country house weddings aren’t for everyone. I’m one of those people: a fancy pants English stately home with landscaped gardens just wouldn’t suit me – and it wasn’t for Hannah & Laith either. This gorgeous, music-loving pair chose iconic Manchester venue Band on the Wall for their wedding party. The vibe is beyond amazing, the ceremony styled with vibrant sunflowers, and I’ve fallen head over heels for their epic modern wedding day! Images are by lovely Priti Shikotra Photography, who’s based in Manchester and gets a fabulous review from the happy couple!
Wedding photographer’s website
Priti Shikotra https://www.pritishikotraweddings.com
Wedding photographer review
Priti was just brilliant! She was organised, reassuring, lovely to chat to, and of course, the pictures were perfect. Priti met with us a few months prior at the venue to pick out some good picture shots for on the day, which was such a good idea because we could go straight to each planned shot on the day and get the formal photos out of the way nice a quickly! We got a selection of photos just a few days after the wedding, then the full lot just a few weeks later. Honestly, she was worth every (extremely competitively priced) penny!
Your best wedding moment or memory
Oh it’s so hard to pick! I did love walking down the aisle, and meeting Laith at the front. The room looked so beautiful, all our friends and family had dressed so colourfully and looked amazing, the sun was shining and the room was full of light… it was perfect! I also loved the cake cutting, it was a lot of fun, we just laughed a lot and made lots of jokes. I’m also in a community choir called SHE choir, and they did a surprise performance just before the evening party started!
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
I suppose we did things slightly differently from the beginning. For a start, Laith helped me pick my wedding dress and came with me when I tried it on and picked it up from the eBay seller! We booked venues that weren’t usually wedding venues, and we had a Jamaican buffet for our wedding breakfast and patties for the evening food! We had no first dance or videographer, we just weren’t that bothered about those things, and we had the frontman of Dutch Uncles DJ the evening do!
Venue name + review
The ceremony was held at the People’s History Museum and the drinks reception, wedding breakfast and evening reception were held at Band On The Wall, both in centre of Manchester. Both of these venues are Manchester institutions with very unique buildings with lots of character. All the staff at both venues went above and beyond, and were instrumental in the day running as smoothly as it did. My biggest shoutout goes to Laura the Operations Manager at Band on the Wall, she was so helpful, reassuring and really was a delight to work with!
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
The dress was a gorgeous second hand Willowby by Watters white lace dress, bought off E-Bay. It was lovely and figure hugging, showed off my tattoos, and had a tiny train so was practical all evening!
I loved my veil! It was beautiful lace white chapel length with embroidered white dots all over it – it was so different and felt very ‘me’ and not at all stuffy and traditional. It was hired off By Rotation, and the brand was AM Faulkner Studio in London!
My heels were Irregular Choice (bought second hand off Depop), and I slipped into some white Jordan 1 Mids for the evening. My necklace and earrings were from a lovely indie jewellery maker called Ray Makes Things.
Laith’s suit was mostly from Moss, with a few bits from other small suit shops. He decided to go full black-tie, with a STUNNING plum/burgundy velvet blazer, tuxedo shirt and trousers, bow tie, the lot! (Except the cummerbund, I put my foot done on that one haha). We helped each other find and put together what we were wearing, and were both very proud of the results. We enjoy trying out different clothes a lot, so this was the fun part for us!
Florist name + review
The bride and bridesmaid bouquets were from the Dried Flower Shop in Bolton. She made me the most beautiful dried sunflower and autumn greens bouquets, they looked and smelled amazing, and best of all, I still have mine! My granny did all the fresh flowers for the ceremony, she did the flowers for her daughter’s wedding, and now mine, and they were just perfect. Finally, I did all the dried flower arrangements on the tables for the wedding breakfast myself! I bought bunches of autumnal dried flowers from a wholesaler and arranged them into about 24 vases. The hardest part was trawling charity shops and Vinted for months picking up vases – I was very picky!
Cake maker name + review
The Teatime Collective. They do the best vegan cakes – no one at my wedding could tell the cake was vegan! Catherine is incredible, get your cakes from her whether you’re vegan or not!
Stationery maker’s name + review
My little sister designed our invitations, she was a fine art student at the time, and has just graduated! She is absolutely looking to pick up more design work – @pinktillypaints on Instagram! All the other stationery, table labels and so on, I made myself from parcel labels, ink and stamps, and a nice pen!
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
Probably most of it! Our invitations were designed by my sister as greeting cards, and then I wrote them all myself, I made all the table labels myself, and found lots of pinecones to put on the tables too! I made dried flower arrangements for the tables, and the seating plan was made up of bookmarks that my sister made and my dad wrote everyone’s names and tables on in his best handwriting!
Wedding readings?
Invitation to Love by Paul Laurence Dunbar, read by my mum
First dance song? Playlist recommendations?
No first dance! But we did have the choir I’m in do a surprise performance instead! They even sang a reworking of Robyn’s Dancing On My Own which went ‘I’m at the altar, saying my vows, ohhh…’, they had re-written it specially for me!
Wedding planner name + review
Haha, I’m an event manager by day, and I’ve run a fair few weddings in my time, so I planned the whole thing myself! If I were to review me I would say I did a pretty good job by and large but probably could have been a little less stressy towards the end! It turns out it’s quite different on the other side, even when you know how everything works, and I have a extra sympathy for all the brides I’ve worked with in the past!
Hair + makeup name + review
Hair and makeup: Jodie A. Smith – @jodiemakeupuk
Jodie was wonderful! She is the loveliest person, and my makeup and her were perfect on the day – I honestly couldn’t have asked for better! We also happened to have very similar music tastes and spent half our time sharing new artists with each other and talking about them. I highly highly recommend her!
Today’s wedding is a blast of colour and joy to remind us all of glorious summer days. The fabulous images by Lake District wedding photographer Hannah Hall capture the love and excitement of this amazing day. Friends and family were all a huge part of Christina & Stu’s celebrations, helping with everything from floral styling (incredible!) to stationery, make up and the wedding cake. And these two are just gorgeous and glowing surrounded by all the LOVE. Scroll slowly, this is a very special wedding to enjoy!
Wedding photographer’s website
Hannah Hall Photography, Cumbria
https://hannahhallphotography.co.uk/
Wedding photographer review
Hannah isn’t just a wedding photographer, she is basically an extra bridesmaid, with all the wedding knowledge! She gave us the most sage advice in the build up to the day and on the day was wonderful! We love our photos. Hannah will go to any length to get them, even crawling under tables! She is the best photographer ever!
Your best wedding moment or memory
We had our ceremony in the woods and it was so beautiful. The colours, the light, reading our own vows to each other, everyone was so happy, it was just perfect and still makes me smile.
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
We split up the speeches so my dad did his speech before we sat down to eat, Stu and I did a speech each after the sharing starters and then the best man speech was after the main meal which was a BBQ. We didn’t have dessert, instead we had a doughnut wall (made by my dad and doughnuts from our local Greggs).
As well as confetti everyone had sticks with ribbons on to wave both during and after the ceremony. Lots of people camped on site including us and we did a BBQ breakfast the next day. Our dad’s wore the same suits as the groomsmen. We hung up pictures in the Yurts of us with all our guests from different stages of our lives.
Venue name + review
Hillside Farm Weddings. The venue was basically a field with a woods at the side. Everything else we had to source ourselves. We used Cheltenham Yurt Hire for the Yurts, they were so beautiful and luckily we had a sunny day so we could have the sides up!
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Stu- suit from Moss Bros. Dark green suit with light green waistcoat. Waistcoat matched the groomsmen but the suit was different because he wanted to stand out. Christina – A fitted dress from Gatehouse Brides with a beaded lace bodice, low back, beaded straps, plain skirt but then a lace train and hem.
Florist name + review
I was lucky enough for one of my gorgeous friends and bridesmaids to do my flowers. Anna Lomas. She did the most incredible flower arch that we used to get married under and then for the entrance to the main yurt. She also did all the bouquets and we all did the table flowers together the day before in jam jars etc. my parents also grew a lot of flowers that we had in pots to decorate the ceremony space and the outside of the Yurts. We wanted to try and make it a bit more sustainable so when it was over people could take pots home to plant in the garden.
Cake maker name + review
My mum Rose made the cake. It was a rum and ginger cake as a nod to my Caribbean heritage and I decorated it with some edible flowers.
Stationery maker’s name + review
Stu’s cousin, Lisa Harrison did our invitations, she is a graphic designer and that was her wedding gift to us. We were also luckily enough for our friend Rosanna to write our name cards.
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
Pretty much the whole wedding was homemade as I have mentioned above! As well as what I have already mentioned, I made all the hair accessories for myself and bridesmaids. I also made the button holes. With my bridesmaids we made macrame hangings to hang in the trees. My mum made silk flower table decorations in little terracotta pots, she also made the table runners. My dad and Stu made the ceremony arch, a limbo, the doughnut wall, corn hole games, a sign post pointing to all the important places in our lives and the wedding sign. My mum decorated the mirror for the table plan and our friend wrote the table plan. We also dried our own flowers for confetti.
Wedding readings?
We had 2 readings read by some of our cousins. Lisa & Shell – how being in love is like owning a dog – Taylor Mali Zara & Georgie – I will be here – Steven Curtis Chapman
First dance song? Playlist recommendations?
Halo – Beyonce We had the most AMAZING wedding band – Tru Groove. They really got the party started and the dance floor was packed from beginning to end! They even set up a sing off with the guests. I would highly recommend them to anyone who likes to dance!
Hair + makeup name + review
My cousin Carly did my make up and one of my friends and bridesmaids Rachael did my hair. I am her bridesmaid next year but strangely she hasn’t asked me to return the favour!
Catering recommendation
I would also like to mention our caterers Hey Pesto Catering. They were amazing, from dealing with our complicated welcome drinks – rum punch, sangria & Pimm’s, to our evening food, curried goat, Ital curry and rice & peas, they were incredible and everything was so delicious despite being in a field with limited resources! I would highly recommend them.
UK wedding superbrand MOSS have been in touch with English Wedding to share the news that the classic tux is making an exciting comeback for weddings! A pretty stable trend in the US since forever, the wedding tux is a look I love, perfect for a city chic reception!
MOSS say, “While tuxedos have long been a popular choice for a variety of occasions – from black-tie events to red carpet appearances – this wedding season is seeing more couples embracing the classic look for their big day, often adding a contemporary twist.”
While barn and festival weddings seemed to rule the world in 2023, classic celebrations are making a big comeback. Elegance, minimalism and chic styling make weddings feel really special – and the tux is a perfect fit.
Moss Hire’s Tailored Fit Tuxedo is designed to accommodate all body shapes with its slightly looser fit. It provides a fresh take on the classic tux while remaining faithful to its roots. They say the tailored fit has proven especially popular for its comfort and versatility, allowing grooms and their groomsmen to move effortlessly through every stage of the day, from ceremony to celebration.
?“The tailored fit is ideal for weddings because it’s both sharp and comfortable. It’s traditional enough to respect the occasion but modern enough to suit today’s evolving taste.” ~ Moss
Whether you’re after a classic black tuxedo or a more modern style, Moss offers a wide range of options to ensure the groom and his party look their best. To secure your perfect tuxedo for the big day, visit Moss. Available to buy, hire or have custom-made.
Today’s wedding features the most stunning bride in a sparkly dress, as Trang marries her love Kurtis. The couple’s love bursts from the screen in the sweetest glances and moments. Trang and Kurtis filled Cripps Barn with the most incredible florals by The Wilde Bunch, and the day is captured in breathtaking images by English Wedding member Barb Asboth Photography.
Wedding photographer’s website
Banbury & Cotswolds wedding photographer Barb Asboth
It was really special when we got the photos & were able to relive everything, including things guests were doing while we were preoccupied. All the big moments were captured brilliantly and will be a lovely representation of what our wedding was for decades to come.
Your best wedding moment or memory
The first moment I saw Trang in her dress & looking into her eyes during our first dance. – Kurtis
Venue name + review
Cripps Barn was the first venue we visited and as soon as I saw the interior I fell in love with it! I knew before that I wanted a venue with period features, and the barn’s indoor ceremony room was amazing with a fireplace and a big hanging greenery wheel. Kurtis was also very happy with the venue and mentioned to me that he noticed I had these excited sparks in my eyes when we were looking around the venue, so it was a very quick decision for us.
Styling touches and inspiration
The colour palette was inspired by a scene in Spirited Away (Studio Ghibli), where the main characters go through a narrow flower alley. I love pink and wanted to go for a soft romantic look. I showed this image to my florist as inspiration, had a discussion with her about what flowers would be available and we decided on using multiple types of flowers in shades of pink and lilac: rose, delphinium, clematis and lisianthus. For my bridal bouquet, I asked for lilies of the valley because of what they symbolise, I had always dreamed of having them as my wedding flowers.
The decorations were also provided by my florist; we added a lot of small touches like hanging tea lights on the ceremony room flower ring, mirror welcome sign, tapered candles on dinner tables for a cosy and classy look.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Trang – My wedding dress is Aretta from Eva Lendel. During the earlier phase of wedding planning, I spent a lot of time on Pinterest and I just saw this dress pop up on my feed one day. I could not forget about it and luckily Ellie Sanderson Bridal had it in stock. This was the first wedding dress I ever tried on and no other dress made me feel as special as it did. I was looking for a design that would age well when I look back in decades’ time; and this dress is exactly it! Classic silhouette, quite a statement piece with sparkly fully beaded body but not too ‘loud’.
To compliment the look, I wore a cathedral length blusher veil, dainty pearl tiara and pearl embellished wedding shoes. All had very simple designs, to not take the attention away from the dress
Kurtis – I wore a light-brown/grey tweed 3-piece suit from Moss Bros, using the waistcoat to differentiate from the groomsmen. I wanted to fit in with the aesthetic of the venue & avoid the risk of something like a morning suit making me look like a toddler dressed in his dad’s clothes. I have quite a short and wide body, so some things that look good on most men look silly on me. I also wanted it to look relatively muted because – honestly – the dress is more important.
Cake maker name + review
The Village Cakery
We only wanted a small two tier cake because we do not have a lot of guests. I found this hidden gem of a local bakery via Instagram and saw a design that I really like (sprinkled edible pearls that look quite similar to my wedding attire). The cake tasted amazing and we even asked the venue to save a big chunk of the cake for us!
Musical entertainment
We both love Ghibli movies (as can be seen from decoration choices), so we wanted to have Ghibli music for our special day. It was very difficult to find local wedding musicians that play these, but we were very lucky to have found the Aderyn String Quartet. Their example performance was amazing, one of the members even had Ghibli music for his wedding as well, so we knew we got the right team. Their performance brought me to tears when I was walking down the aisle because it was everything I had imagined it would be.
