Library wedding breakfast at St Giles House for Christmas wedding

Christmas Wedding at St Giles House

Photography by HS Photography

Against the enchanting backdrop of Recommended Venue, St Giles House, in Dorset, Emily & Ben tied the knot on a day full of love, laughter, and unique creativity that ensured every last detail was thought out to perfectly represent Emily & Ben as a couple. The bespoke oversized bow for Emily's hair, the enchanting Christmas decorations and the power ballad first dance made this day one we won’t be forgetting anytime soon. All of the suppliers involved were absolutely incredible and Emily & Ben are so happy with everything from their day. They specifically wanted to shout out their photographer and our Recommended Supplier, HS Photography, who was phenomenal and captured the most incredible images from our day. Plus, the couple had Recommended Supplier, Edward Southwell, to film the day!


Christmas wedding at St Giles House with green wedding theme and festive decor

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I think what made our day unique was that this wasn't just our wedding day - this was a love letter to each other, our children and all our closest friends and family. We poured our heart and soul into making the most incredible day, whether that was hand-making our invitation suites or creating the perfect playlists for each part of the day.

Emily & Ben

Bridesmaid walks down the aisle in an emerald green bridesmaid dress for Christmas wedding
The groom and the best man stand side y side at the altar waiting for the bride
White rose wedding bouquet tied with ribbon
St Giles House country house wedding venue in Dorset
Bride walking down the aisle with her son at the country house wedding
Bride in off the shoulder princess wedding dress wearing oversized bow wedding veil
The bride and groom have their civil wedding ceremony with Christmas theme for December wedding
Luxe wedding ceremony room at St Giles House with white flower arch altar decoration
Bride in off the shoulder princess wedding dress at luxe country house wedding
Christmas tree and traditional white flower arch altar decor for country house wedding for bride and groom
St Giles country house wedding venue in Dorset
Makeup artist sprays setting spray over the bride to keep her makeup in place
Bride and groom share their first kiss as a married couple in front of white flower arch decoration
Green velvet ring box with gold wedding bands for bride and groom
The groom, his son, and groomsmen get ready for the wedding together
Bridesmaid wearing tulle emerald green bridesmaid dress walking down the aisle
Miss Dior wedding perfume with white pointed wedding shoes from Quiz, green ring box and wedding veil
Winter wedding with Christmas wedding decor with black and white nutcracker, disco balls and candles
White flower arch altar decoration with bride and grooat luxe country house wedding
Bridal party wearing blue satin patterned pyjamas as they get ready for the wedding with the bride

St Giles House Wedding

Nestled in the heart of Dorset, St Giles House is a stunning country house wedding venue that had the perfect setting for Emily & Ben's special day. The venue exudes elegance with its regal architecture but what really sets it apart is the secret basement club—with a dazzling disco ball that adds a touch of modern flair to the historic charm! The venue was Emily & Ben’s only non-negotiable, so when wedding planning, this is where they started. To add some modern elements to the otherwise classic venue, the couple included things like bows in the bridal outfits (obsessed with that bow veil) and a string quartet playing modern songs. 

Christmas Wedding Decorations

As a December wedding, Emily & Ben wanted to have subtle Christmas decorations so they included a large wreath, Christmas trees and nutcrackers in the decor. The colour scheme was rich and bold with emerald green, gold and plum tones. The reception hall dazzled with disco balls scattered across the floor almost as much as Emily did in her short white sequin wedding reception dress! Each detail, from the heart-shaped cake crafted by Emily's sister to the handpicked local suppliers, spoke to the couple's commitment to a personal and heartfelt celebration. The retro wedding cake was a vegan alternative to the tiered cheese tower. Yum!

Simplistic wedding place name with gold bells and green velvet ribbon
Groom sits on a chair with the bride standing next to him for couple portrait
Cosy library at St Giles House with dark green and red colour palette for winter wedding
Bride in off the shoulder gown wearing oversized bow wedding veil
Magical wedding tablescape for festive Christmas wedding with red and green theme, candles and bell place name cards
The bride and groom walk underneath and umbrella on rainy wedding day at country house wedding venue
Bride reads out bridal speech at the wedding breakfast in the library at St Giles House
Bride in white short sequin wedding reception dress with statement pearl headband with groom
White wedding post box for cards from guests
Minimalist white and green wedding signage
Bride and groom have their first dance in the secret basement disco club area at St Giles House
St Giles House library with long banquet tables for the wedding breakfast
Bride in princess wedding dress gazing out of the window at the luxe country house in Dorset
Bride wears long sleeve short wedding reception dress covered in white sequins with pearl headband with the groom
Groom in navy morning suit cutting the retro wedding cake with the bride
Bride in princess wedding dress kissing the groom at their library wedding breakfast
Bridal party wearing emerald green bridesmaid dresses for the Christmas wedding
Red and green wedding colour palette for Christmas table decorations
St Giles Christmas wedding with the bride and groom kissing for their couple portraits
Cosy library at St Giles House for Christmas wedding decorated with candlelight and red and green theme decor

A wedding breakfast in the library AND a disco in the basement club!? This wedding venue has everything

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There are so many moments from the day that we loved, so it’s hard to narrow down. I think the best moment was walking out of the ceremony into our reception room with the string quartet greeting us with ‘At Last’ by Etta James and having just a moment for the two of us to take it all in. It was also special having our son, Freddie, walk Emily down the aisle as the father of the bride has passed away.

Emily & Ben


The best advice Emily & Ben have for other engaged and planning couples is to take your time, do your research, and stay organised! The couple had a physical planning notebook along with spreadsheets so that they could tick off everything as they went along. Take a look at our wedding budget spreadsheet and 18-month wedding planning checklist for help keeping organised. Emily & Ben loved picking out all the details that made their day so special. Part of this was getting stuck in with DIY projects to try and stick to the budget. The couple made all their invites, signage, place names, wedding newspapers and selfie mirror! Take a look at our DIY wedding favourites for more ideas to get creative with.


Photography: HS Photography |
Videography: Edward Southwell |
String Quartet: Halo Strings |
Bridal Boutique: Something Old, Something New |
Hair: Evolve |
Make Up: Rosie Babey |
Suits: Moss Bros |
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