There are some weddings so beautiful they look like they’ve jumped straight from the pages of an heirloom wedding album, passed through generations. That timelessness and grace is one of the loveliest things I see in my wedding blogging days! Whether you adore the vintage look, or simply want to create a wedding which will stand the test of time (and then some!) Flo and Ben’s day will inspire you no end! Images are all by lovely Hertfordshire wedding photographer Tori Deslauriers Photography, who gets a glowing review from the happy couple!
Wedding photographer’s website
Wedding photographer review
Tori was amazing. Before the wedding, she arranged a complimentary engagement shoot with us. It was a great way for us to meet Tori and get comfortable having our photos taken. We also loved the pictures! On the day, Tori was just fantastic. She brought a second photographer too. She was so kind and friendly and made everyone feel at ease. Her documentary style meant that she captured the genuine joy and fun of the day, without making photo-taking dominate the day. We love the photos that Tori took and we will treasure them forever.
Your best moment or memory
For Flo – when Ben sang Nice ‘n’ Easy by Frank Sinatra during the speeches. He sang like a pro and it was very romantic
For Ben – being announced as we walked into the wedding breakfast with everyone cheering as we walked in hand in hand (with a pint too)
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
I didn’t have bridesmaids. I asked my 3 brothers to walk down the aisle in front of me instead.
Venue name + review
Rothamsted Manor. The venue was so beautiful. We had a winter wedding so we wanted a venue that would be inside as well as outside. The rooms are just stunning and it was such an incredible place to host all our friends and family.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Flo – I bought a vintage 50s wedding dress from ebay and had it tailored a little bit. I bought my vintage style shoes from etsy. I had my hair done in a 50s style with a big white flower. I absolutely loved planning my outfit and loved my 50s look.
Ben – I wore a beige suit, with cherry red shoes, chequered burgundy tie and a Yorkshire Rose pin badge. I got all the groomsmen to wear the pin badge too.
Dress or suit shop name + review
Ebay & Moss Bros
Florist name + review
http://www.stephanierandall-theflowerstudio.co.uk
The flowers were gorgeous
Cake maker name + review
Mel’s Bakes
Wedding readings?
Camomile Tea by Katherine Mansfield and a poem written by Ben’s dad
Camomile Tea
Outside the sky is light with stars;
There’s a hollow roaring from the sea.
And, alas! for the little almond flowers,
The wind is shaking the almond tree.
How little I thought, a year ago,
In the horrible cottage upon the Lee
That he and I should be sitting so
And sipping a cup of camomile tea.
Light as feathers the witches fly,
The horn of the moon is plain to see;
By a firefly under a jonquil flower
A goblin toasts a bumble-bee.
We might be fifty, we might be five,
So snug, so compact, so wise are we!
Under the kitchen-table leg
My knee is pressing against his knee.
Our shutters are shut, the fire is low,
The tap is dripping peacefully;
The saucepan shadows on the wall
Are black and round and plain to see.
First dance song? Playlist recommendations?
Beauty and the Beast (Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson) It was epic
Hair + makeup name + review
makeupbyjodie Loraine was my hair and make up artist. It was great that they matched me with an artist who had experience of doing vintage hair. I was so so happy with my hair and make up!
I would love for 2023 to be the year of the celebrant-led wedding. The more I see and hear about wedding celebrants, the more I think they’re perfect for so many couples. Today’s gorgeous wedding of Kieron and Rachel is a wonderful example. With images by lovely Tori Deslauriers and some fabulous Essex and Hertfordshire wedding suppliers, this is a truly lovely wedding we’ve been looking forward to sharing with you!
Wedding photographer’s website
Wedding photographer review
Absolutely amazing, made our day perfect and the pictures are perfect
Your best moment or memory
Having all the family there – But the whole day was perfect!
Tell us anything you did differently – we love hearing about NEW traditions (or none at all!)
We did nearly everything ourselves, knocking on people’s doors asking if we could have some pampas grass, building and making all the decorations.
Tell us a little about your outfits – both of you!
Kieron had a light grey suit with a cool purple design on his waistcoat to match the purple bridesmaids’ dresses.
I had a princess dress with lace and a bit of sparkle!
Dress or suit shop name + review
The Bridal Rack, Burnham on Crouch, and Moss Bros for suits
Florist name + review
Samantha May – Absolutely amazing, we could not have asked for better flowers
Cake maker name + review
Cakez! We had a cake with a twist and it was perfect.
Any crafty projects or homemade styling touches?
We did lots ourselves, from signs to pampas rings, table decorations and hoops for the marquee.
Our celebrant was amazing, Amanda’s Beautiful Ceremonies
First dance song?
Ed Sheeran, best part of me
Hair + makeup name + review
Makeup by Zhana, hair by Roo Onslow – Both were perfect!
Katy and Ben’s wedding is the loveliest breath of fresh air, filled with fabulous florals. Their day looks relaxed and filled with happiness – everything a wedding should be! This gorgeous pair have shared reviews for favourite suppliers, which we’re super excited to share with you here and over on our insta through today. The photos are wonderful – they’re by lovely Hertfordshire wedding photographer Tori Deslauriers. If you’re looking for a photographer in St Albans or Herts (or anywhere in the UK) do check out Tori’s profile in our wedding photographer directory pages.
As Christmas approaches it’s lovely to share heartwarming little nuggets on the internet, and it’s giving us all the feels to read the kind words Katy and Ben have for their wedding suppliers. We’ve tweaked our couples interview slightly to give you lovely lot the chance to review your faves when you share your weddings – so please, give your wedding photographer a poke and ask them to submit YOUR wedding to English Wedding! We’ve been a top UK wedding blog since 2009 (!!!) and we’re always looking for love and laughter-filled weddings to share.
Wedding photographer’s website
Wedding photographer review
We came across her website on Google and it looked fun and inviting. She called us back and we knew immediately that we had made the right choice.
We were so pleased we asked Tori to be our wedding photographer. She was fantastic on the day, all of our guests loved her. She was on top of everything, it was like having an extra friend who knew a lot about weddings! She very gently steered us in the right direction through the wedding routines. And this was on top of photographing everything! We had an engagement photo shoot, which was very helpful and meant that we felt like we knew what we were doing when it came to the photos on the day. The photos we had from this were beautiful. Tori sent us a few photos from the wedding the very next morning, which are wonderful to look through, we are so excited to get back the rest of the photos from the day!
What’s your fondest memory of your wedding?
Looking across the garden and seeing all our friends and family enjoying themselves together.
Tell us about your venue – what made this place special for you?
The ceremony and reception took place in the orangery, which was so bright, I fell in love with it as soon as I walked in. We especially liked the views over the garden, which made it feel a bit like being outside without any risks from the weather. But above all this the best thing about the venue was actually the staff, they were so friendly and relaxed, it really set the tone for the whole wedding.
Did you love wearing your outfits? How was your shopping experience, was it fun to find your wedding gear?
We both went to choose Ben’s suit from Waterers in St Albans, a local tailors. We wanted something lightweight and not necessarily a typical ‘wedding suit’ look. It was so comfortable on the day, Ben loved wearing it. I found my dress at Heritage Brides, it was the first one I tried on and helped me to decide the theme for everything else.
Did you hire a florist? Tell us about any floral amazingness 🙂
We got our flowers from Sam at Perfect Moment Florist in Welwyn Garden City. She absolutely blew us away with her creativity and totally surpassed our expectations. I wanted loosely arranged, fairly untraditional wedding flowers and I struggled to find photos as examples, but Sam listened carefully when I tried to explain, and she really cared about what I wanted.
The result was the most colourful, eclectic displays and bouquets which were central to creating the whole ambience of the day. Somehow Sam created, delivered and set up bouquets, boutonnières, wedding combs and a bridesmaid’s flower crown, cake flowers, table displays, 2 huge flower stands for the ceremony, a staircase garland and a fireplace display. Phew! She must have worked so hard and yet she turned up full of smiles on the wedding morning with my bouquet. We had so many compliments about the flowers.
As cake lovers here at English Wedding we’d LOVE to know who made your cake, and how delicious it was?
We often have birthday cakes made by Chloe from Chloe’s Cakeaway in Potters Bar and they are the best cakes we’ve ever eaten! Chloe mainly makes birthday cakes, but we were so pleased we persuaded her to make a wedding cake, it was beautiful and of course as yummy as usual.
Wedding childcare recommendation
There were a lot of children at our wedding, so the first thing we booked after the venue was All Events Childcare They entertained the children during the wedding breakfast and speeches and then put on a film and stayed until the last child had gone to bed (about 11pm). We had so much positive feedback about them from our guests and it gave everyone a bit more time to relax and enjoy themselves.
Tori Deslauriers Photography is a member of English Wedding
Web: https://torideslauriers.com
I’m so glad, as the rain tumbles down outside, I have an inbox full of beautiful, happy photos bringing a splash of summer to my day! They’re from lovely Hertfordshire wedding photographer Tori Deslauriers, who’s joined English Wedding this month.
I wanted to say a big welcome to Tori, to show you lovely lot her beautiful images – and as a little excuse for me to explain the kind of wedding photography I love.
Here on English Wedding we often talk about the importance of ‘clicking’ with your wedding photographer. Finding someone who you’ll enjoy being around on your wedding day is essential! Chances are, they’ll be there as you both get ready in the morning, all the way through your wedding day and into the evening, so if they’re happy friendly people you’ll be laughing – literally! And as well as taking great shots so you have gorgeous memories of your day, they’ll be a calming presence and a pleasure to be around. That’s the ultimate goal for choosing a wedding photographer.
Tori’s style is all about love and laughter. She captures the love-filled moments of your day – the looks of love, the hugs and giggles, the happy tears and all of those glimpses of you and your guests which will bring a tear to your eye for years to come. This is how you’ll relive your wedding – not through the styling touches, flowers and decor (although Tori will photograph all of those for you too!) but through the really special human connections caught on camera: the look in your favourite aunty’s eyes when you’re chatting after the ceremony; your dad’s proud grin, and the way your new husband or wife looks at you with eyes full of love.
The pre-ceremony nerves, that first moment you see your best friend on your wedding day, that first kiss as a newly married couple, those tears you’ll shed during your speeches, the quiet moments you sneak away from your guests, the epic (or dodgy!) dance moves… these are all absolute gold and I’d be honoured to capture all of them for you. ~ Tori Deslauriers Photography, Hertfordshire
Every member of English Wedding gets their very own listing page in our directory of UK wedding suppliers. You’ll find Tori in our wedding photographers directory alongside more of our absolute favourite UK wedding photographers! We’re also VERY excited to share some gorgeous weddings from Tori coming soon – so watch this space!
Tori Deslauriers Photography is a member of English Wedding!
Web: https://torideslauriers.com
If a beautiful barn style wedding venue is on your marital lust list, you’re about to get awfully lustful. Milling Barn is one of those special, incredibly rustic blank canvas barn venues that doesn’t want for much more than twinkly candlelight and in this instance, a stunningly tasteful yet simple, ruscus-rich floral installation as a ceremony backdrop.
This styled photoshoot is the work of a group of talented suppliers from Hertfordshire. We love the pretty calligraphy, the gorgeous boho style dress, the gentle candlelight and the fabulous foliage. Models Jen and James have that madly-in-love glow which lights up a shoot, and this styled setup has us smitten here at English Wedding HQ!
Thanks to lovely Amy at Lace & Lemons for sending this in for us. We share her write up of this dreamy, beautifully imagined wedding below.
The ‘bride’ wore a stunning, vintage-inspired strapless gown with weightless chiffon sleeves by Maggie Sottero – courtesy of Clifford Burr Bridal – which perfectly complimented this relaxed, subtle celebration of love. The ceremony took place at 5pm as the summer sun began to lower in the sky, allowing for the candlelight to gently illuminate the barn as vows were exchanged.
After their intimate ceremony, the toot of a vintage VW drew the couple outside for photographs and chatter, before the couple headed off alone for a pre-arranged wedding day date beneath a beautiful oak tree. A low table set for two was filled with the couple’s favourite light bites and a bottle of bubbly. On each of their plates lay a sealed note containing private vows. This moment provided a perfect opportunity for the couple to share a few personal words they’d written for each other in a private setting away from friends and family.
After a short while, the photographer whisked the couple away for shots on the beautiful grounds as the sun set, turning the beige wheat fields golden. Summer wedding perfection.
The couple returned to the wedding party happy, relaxed and ready to see their wedding cake for the first time. The cake lounge housed deep ochre vintage chairs which provided an opportunity for guests to sit and relax in comfort and style, with the option of tea or coffee. A nice addition to a bustling bar. The couple cut their wedding cake, marking a special moment before the wedding breakfast. The wedding cake was served as dessert.
This was a truly relaxed and original barn-style summer wedding photoshoot filled with natural beauty and joy. It was a day designed just for them.
https://laceandlemons.co.uk
https://www.millingbarn.co.uk
https://torideslauriers.com
https://www.sophiarose.uk
https://lettersbyange.co.uk
https://kellyscakekitchen.co.uk
https://www.cliffordburr.co.uk
https://allaboutyou.uk.com
https://www.leighirvingmakeup.co.uk
https://luckypennyweddings.co.uk
https://www.equinoxjewellery.co.uk
