Lisa & Ross

Isn't Lisa's Stephanie Browne back necklace just divine? We do love statement accessories here at RMW and Lisa has stolen the show with this one! It's the perfect addition to her structured embellished gown by RMW Look Book member Suzanne Neville, and Lisa looks every inch the elegant and sophisticated Bride. Her look was perfectly fitting for the lovely Priston Mill near Bath. Lisa & Ross held their ceremony in the Tythe Barn, filling it with gorgeous blooms by Flowers by Passion, including a stunning floral arch which formed the backdrop to their vows. The barn also looks magical at night, as you'll see in the photographs from John Barwood.

The Bride

Lisa the Bride: So many brides told me that the dress they chose was not the style they ever imagined in the first place so I went in with an open mind and tried a variety of styles. It was the Suzanne Neville, Rose gown that was the dress that felt right for me. Having my mum and bridesmaids with me made it an occasion. It was also helped by meeting Suzanne herself and being able to discuss slight alterations at The Mews Clifton in Bristol. I really did fall for the Stephanie Brown backdrop necklace that I found in Carina Baverstock, Bradford-Upon-Avon. With this being quite a statement piece I wanted to tone down the hair accessories and so went with matching flowers from my bouquet instead of a glitzy headpiece. The bracelet was matching. My hair, done by Liliana Fragpane of Milano, and make up by Louisa Baker, were chosen due to their abilities but also the time and patience they afforded me in the run up to our day. They were always happy to spend more time trialling different styles which is not common and definitely left me feeling more confident.

The Groom

Ross had chosen for his, the best man and page boy suits to be made by Clifton Suits in Bristol. They had an overwhelming choice of materials and shades that it was impossible not to find anything you were looking for. The bridesmaids dresses had been purchased from Coast and were in a neutral mink tone and it was this that Ross based his tie choice on.

The Venue

We visited several venues and although we had not been to a wedding at Priston Mill before it was this venue that we knew was right for us straight away. It was a perfect setting for a vintage/rustic theme with its large barn room and the food was great.

The Flowers

I spent a lot of time with my florist, Flowers by Passion, and collected a lot of pictures to ensure that we were both on the same page with vision of both the bouquets and decoration around the venue. In particular the floral arch decoration was a big focal point for us and so I was in contact with my florist as this was constructed. We were so pleased with the outcome.

The Entertainment

Although it was a late decision, we had a string quartet to entertain our guests on arrival and play some chosen songs for our ceremony. They even learnt requested songs in no time at all. It really did add impact and we are so glad we did this. We wanted to ensure our guests were entertained throughout the day and to keep the energy flowing. Two of our band members from 3 Scots and a Barman provided acoustic entertainment following the ceremony outside during photos until the wedding breakfast was prepared and provided a range of songs on the evening to have something for everyone. We followed this with a DJ who prior to his set performed magic for our guests, which had them in awe.

The Photography

We reviewed a lot of portfolio’s when it came to choosing our photographer. This was probably the most important decision as it would be our lasting memories of the day. For us John Barwood Photography stood out with beautiful pictures and without the cheese. They were so professional, friendly and reassuring throughout and really stood out from all our vendors.

The Videography

Again our videographer we found through reviewing many portfolio’s and we loved the shots captured by David of Wedding Video Solutions. We had 2 camera operators to capture the moments Ross and I were not together and reactions during the speeches, which was well worth the extra cost. We also had by special request a short 5 minute edit, which is a lovely version to share with family and friends.

Advice

One piece of advice I would offer would be to ensure you chose vendors that make time to communicate with you clearly, promptly and honestly. If you have multiple vendors who you are struggling to get hold of and waiting to make decisions on then this can only add stress to the build up of your day and cause disappointment afterwards and one thing we have avoided. Definitely search out genuine feedback where ever possible and savour every moment.