Jo & Simon

We've been treated to some gorgeous bouquets this week and todays country affair set in a privately owned rustic barn is no exception. Made up of big bloomsy pink peonies, popping against the cool mint Coast bridesmaid dresses and stunning Mori Lee bridal gown. Then there's the barn reception full of everything we love, fairy lights, wild flowers in jars, bunting and quaint mis-match vintage china to serve the delicious afternoon tea on. And if all the sandwiches and cakes wasn't enough, there was also a fabulous cheese tower and pork pie wedding cake to tuck into too. Mmm delicious. Such a happy wedding, I challenge you not to smile along with this gorgeous couple as they celebrate their special day.

The Venue

Jo The Bride: My dress was a Mori Lee Blu 5276 from Glamourous Gowns in Camberley. I contacted a local seamstress to help make the dress exactly what I wanted. She added an integral lace jacket with a ‘V’ neck opening at the front and matching button fastening at the back.

Jewellery

I chose an Azendi set from House of Fraser. Drop earrings with a matching pendant which followed the neckline of my dress. They were made from freshwater pearl cubic zirconia for a touch of sparkle to match my dress.

Veil/Headpiece

I kept my veil simple and stuck to a medium length with pearl and sparkly bead edging, again, to pick up on the sparkle of my belt. I really wanted to wear a veil and to walk into church with my face covered as I felt it added to the drama and the traditionalism of the day. My hairdresser also dotted some gypsophila flower through my hair as well as the bridesmaids’.

Florist

Green Parlour in Pangbourne provided the wedding bouquets and boutonnieres. My local florist and one which always produces beautiful blooms which entice you back to the shop. The owner, Emma, was fantastic at interpreting what I wanted and she even decorated our tiered ‘cheese’cake and pork pie cake. You might have seen her flowers at another local girl’s wedding at Westminster Abbey. I chose coral peonies to match the mint of the bridesmaids’ dresses. I really wanted to keep the flowers natural and slightly vintage with soft pastel colours, to be reflected in the day. My Auntie Rita worked tirelessly the day before to create fantastic flowers for the table centres and church.

Venue

A local private barn in the village I grew up in, in the Berkshire countryside. We wanted a relaxed venue without the usual rules and restrictions. It belongs to a family friend and, although they do not advertise the barn, they are very happy for local people to hire it out for parties and weddings. They were happy for us to go in for the few days before to give us time to put our own mark on it. It has been lovingly restored and beautifully maintained with lots of lovely farmland surrounding it. We had a great marquee from ‘Magnifitents’, just in case we had a British summers’ day of rain.

Decor/styling

We wanted to maintain the rustic feel of the barn so we did a lot of the decoration ourselves, we spent months scouring eBay and Gumtree for rustic crates, bunting, candle holders and other props. The wedding party all pitched in to help get everything in place for the big day. We had professional help with the lighting from a company called Oakwood Events who expertly placed a fairy light canopy across the beams of the barn and added gold and coloured uplighters for a warm glowing effect at night. We also chose festoon lights for the courtyard which all came together with a centre pole which looked so effective once the sun had gone down.

Cake Maker

We had 3 cakes although the main wedding cake was a 5 tiered cake of cheese; we thought everyone would be ‘caked out’ after afternoon tea. This was supplied by the local cheese shop in our village, Greys of Pangbourne. Angela got it just right. The other two cakes included a pork pie cake, a wedding gift from my brother and sister-in-law and a gluten free traditional fruit cake made by my Mother-in-law.

Caterer

A friend of a friend, Fiona Ambler was recommended to us for making amazing cakes. She is an excellent cook and guided us through all the options for afternoon tea. She also made a lovely selection of canapés. We found a local supplier of vintage crockery to set off the afternoon tea perfectly. For the evening food we had hog roast & Ice Cream Tricycle from Graham’s Hog Roast. The Jude’s Ice cream and sprinkles went down a treat.

Ceremony

The church is in the village I grew up in so was an easy choice. The Rev. Becky Bevan was warm and funny and made the ceremony special, she even managed to retrieve the garter without anyone noticing after it fell down whilst signing the register! We went for 3 traditional hymns including Jerusalem and kept the reading’s simple which were read by my Brother and one of the bridesmaids.

Stationery

My brother in law designed all of our invitations, save the dates, menus and orders of service.

Entertainment

Somehow we managed to have our big day the same day as FA Cup Final day so we sourced a large second hand TV and set it up at the venue for everyone to watch the game after the speeches. For the evening we wanted a band that would get everyone on the dance floor. After listening to many samples on-line we went for The X rays. They certainly delivered on the brief.

Transport

A split screen VW campervan called Bluebelle from Kev’s Kampers.

Photographer

We first met Kirsty at my brother’s wedding where I was bridesmaid and she made me feel instantly comfortable and at ease. So, when it came to our big day, there was only one choice. Her enthusiasm is infectious and we had great fun having our pictures taken. Her creativity and quirky style has given us some great memories.