Happy Friday!
Who can resist a quintessentially English wedding at home in the country filled with pretty pastels, succulents and rustic, handmade details?
Featuring a gorgeous bride in a lace wedding dress, sparkly heels and classic pearls (a family heirloom that was her something borrowed), bridesmaids in blush pink (my fave) and boys in navy blue. Throw in lawn games, giant balloons and a field of bluebells and you've got yourself one delightful wedding!
Alysia and James' handmade and heart felt nuptials were captured beautifully by Katherine Ashdown Photography.
Colour Palette & Style
We didn’t want a lot of fuss to take away from the stunning ancient woodland surroundings so we opted for a neutral beige/pastel-themed colour palette and let the endless fields of bluebells act as a subtle accent. We’re a very hands-on but laid-back couple and really liked the idea of making our day feel homemade and personal to us and our guests. So, we worked with the rustic setting to create an intimate day wasn’t too literally “country”.
The Ceremony
The organist filled time before the ceremony and during the signing of the register by playing a selection of show tunes to lessen the formality.
The Attire
We kept it simple and comfortable – we were in the country after all. The bridesmaids coordinated with soft pink, breeze-catching bespoke dresses with soft gold accessories and the gents wore coordinated navy Ben Sherman suits with quirky socks and brown shoes.
The Photography
After a quick chat with Katherine Ashdown and a look through her portfolio, we knew we liked her style and personality. She was a great fit for us.
Décor & Details
While most of our decorations were done ourselves, we shared hours of laughter working on the following DIY projects, in particular:
– Crab apple and black currant jam jar wedding favours made with local fruit and labelled with kraft paper stickers.
– Hand cut and painted signs directed guests around the venue.
– Orders of service were printed on A4 paper with a kraft paper cardstock cover with either a transparent envelope filled with colourful confetti for the send-off or a tissue pocket on the back cover.
– The centrepieces were made up of various jars, some wrapped with twine, on circle cuts of spare logs.
– Seating plans were printed on cream cardstock and hung from a ladder with twine. Kraft paper gift tags secured with cutlery with twine acted as name cards.
The Flowers
The bouquets, buttonholes and centrepieces were mix of apricot peonies; pale blush, white and cream roses; hints of grey foliage; grey succulents; waxflower and gypsophila; thistle and twigs; cream and peach berries; and pungent herbs.
The Refreshments
Upon arrival, guests filled their own glasses with a variety of cocktails and soft drinks, and nibbled on finger sandwiches, from stations throughout the venue.
Dinner was cafeteria style. Guests snacked on olives and bread while waiting for the buffet of locally-sourced produce, seasonal vegetables and colourful salads.
Following toasts, the cake-cutting revealed a dreamy dessert smorgasbord including: trifles, towers of macarons and eclairs, cookie jars, stacks of brownies, and bowls of fruit surrounding a three-layer naked wedding cake adorned with flowers and fruit.
Favourite Moments
Our favourite moments were our first look at each other from down the aisle, roaming around in fields of bluebells, sneaking in to see the dessert buffet for the first time and laughing (and crying) during the speeches.
The Wedding Music
Processional: “Canon in D”
Recessional: “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba”
Our first dance was to “You and I” by Ingrid Michaelson.
Advice For Other Couples
1. Make a list of what is important to you both and prioritise around that. It will keep the budget in check.
2. The small details matter, but none are worth stressing over.
3. It will be a perfect day, but plan for all types of weather to ensure everyone is comfortable – just in case.
Congratulations James & Alysia! Thanks for sharing your lovely wedding with us – thanks also to Katherine Ashdown Photography for brightening up our Friday with these gorgeous photos.
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