I've been going through a bit of a fairytale wedding phase lately.
I just can't get enough of them. From beautiful ball gowns to enchanted engagement shoots, Disney princess wedding dresses and everything in between.
(Evidence of this dangerous obsession can be found on my Fairytale Weddings Pinterest board!)
So when Katy Lunsford Photography sent over her dreamy photos of Helen and Richard's English barn nuptials (and I got a glimpse of Helen's incredible, fit-for-a-princess, Ian Stuart wedding dress) I did a little jump for joy.
There's so many pretty details to be inspired by but my favourites are the rose adorned, white wicker hearts hanging from the church entrance and pews, the rustic beams of the barn and even the sweet little flower girl's arm!
The Attire
Our pretty shabby chic wedding featured delicate shades of dusky pinks, with beautiful mauve bridesmaid dresses to contrast the soft ivory of my fairytale wedding dress, layered with romantic silk ripples from the Ian Stuart Collection. Wearing a bespoke tailored suit, Richard looked extremely handsome with his entourage of groomsmen in coordinating attire.
The Flowers
Fresh floral blooms were very important to us, and after a detailed consultation with the lovely Laura, we knew we were in safe hands. All varieties were carefully chosen to complement our beautiful, shabby chic style, with varying shades of vintage pink and purple roses for bouquets and buttonholes. Flowers were interwoven between white wicker love hearts on the church pews and floral arrangements marked each entrance. Ivory candelabras were adorned with blossoms as the table centrepiece, with delicate flowers throughout the venue.
The Ceremony
As the oldest half-timber church in England, we married in a traditional black and white church in the Cheshire countryside. After walking down the aisle to the string quartet playing the beautiful Pachelbel – Canon in D, our ceremony included two very special readings: ‘The Day I Married My Best Friend’ read beautifully by my Maid of Honour Nicola and Corinthians 13:4-8 read by our close friend Charlie. Lighting the eternity candle signified when two became one, followed by our recessional music, Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.
The Photography
As soon as we were introduced to the stunning work of Katy Lunsford, we knew she was the only photographer for us. With a vintage style and love of light, she is able to capture every magic moment perfectly, combining beauty, fine art and raw emotion in its purest form. And she was more than just our wedding photographer, she was our wedding guest as well.
The Refreshments
Following a lovely country drive in our vintage open-top Beauford Tourer as man and wife, pretty raspberry bellinis and tasty canapés were awaiting our arrival at the stunning Sandhole Oak Barn, accompanied by live jazz piano from Olly. After mingling with our guests by the stunning lake in the sunshine, we sat down for a delicious wedding breakfast of smoked salmon and asparagus, succulent cannon of lamb and a trio of delectable treats before three honest and emotional speeches evoked both tears and laughter to create many happy memories.
Decor & Details
The beautiful barn was decorated throughout with delicate, shabby chic details by Tamaryn who was able to bring our ideas to life. As a teacher and avid reader, children’s classic books provided the theme for the table names, with personalised classic bookmarks as favours. A vintage typewriter formed part of our guest book, a bird cage safely collected our wedding post, and vintage letterpress stationery added clarity for guests. To add to the sweetness, a beautiful sweetie table complete with cupcakes for a traditional afternoon tea added to the vintage treats for children of all ages!
The Wedding Music
After our beautiful sunset photographs, we started the evening dancing to the soul and sexy version of Arctic Monkey’s ‘You Look Good on the Dancefloor’, performed live by the brilliant James Franklyn and his soul band to mark the start of a fantastic evening of fun with dancing galore.
Advice for Other Couples
With a love of all things beautiful, being surrounded by such romance and prettiness made the day complete. Always follow your dreams. As a child, I would spend hours planning every minute detail of my wedding and it is so hard to believe that dreams can come true. Do your research and work with professionals you can trust as they can relieve you of any stress and help make your dreams a reality.
Congratulations Helen and Richard – wishing you a very happy ever after!
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