Sustainable Wedding at Elmley Nature Reserve with Plant Based Menu and Homegrown Flowers

Photography by Nicola Thompson Photography

If Hannah and Alistair's wedding decor and details couldn't be made, borrowed, or built, then they did their utmost best to support local suppliers in an attempt to have a sustainable wedding as possible. They had a purely plant-based menu, built an amazing flower arch and used homegrown flowers to decorate the marvellous barn at Elmley Nature Reserve in Kent. The results are truly spectacular, and the couples smiles captured by Nicola Thompson Photography say it all.

Groomsmen Getting Ready on Wedding Morning

Bride on Wedding Morning Ready Card from Her Groom

Order of The Day Wedding Sign in Gold Ornate Frame

Wedding Morning with Bride in Getting Ready Robe and Flower Crown

Beautiful Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress, Curly Hair and Flower Crown

Emotional Father of the Bride First Look

Groomsmen in Navy Hugo Boss Wedding Suits at Floral Covered Arbour

Bridal Party Walking to the Wedding Ceremony

Outdoor Wedding Ceremony at Elmley Nature Reserve in Kent

Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Bridal Entrance in Lace Watters Wedding Dress and Colourful Flower Crown and Wedding Bouquet

Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Bridal Entrance in Lace Watters Wedding Dress

Order of Ceremony with Green Laurel Design

Wedding Ceremony with Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress and Groom in Navy Hugo Boss SuitStanding at the Altar

Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress and Groom in Navy Hugo Boss Suit Kissing at the Flower Covered Altar

Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress and Groom in Navy Hugo Boss Suit Holding Hands Laughing at the Flower Covered Altar

Confetti Exit with Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress and Groom in Navy Hugo Boss Suit

Confetti Moment with Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress and Groom in Navy Hugo Boss Suit

Plant Based Vegan and Vegetarian Wedding Canapés

What Made Your Day Unique
As much as possible we wanted our friends and family to feel part of our day and to celebrate the amazing talents of those closest to us. Our friend designed all the wedding stationery including order of service, table plan and table names, the Bride's father handwrote place tags, the table flowers were grown in the Mother of the Groom’s Norfolk garden, the cake was baked with love from a friend, the Mother of the Bride stitched reams of bunting, our old flatmate played acoustic guitar, and during the service our best friends led a rendition of Stand by Me.
Hannah & Alistair

Sustainable Wedding

As vegans and vegetarians, Hannah and Alistair wanted their wedding to be a chance for their wedding guests to experience delicious plant-based food and so invested in a wonderful menu with Home Gurr'own, who use primarily local, seasonal and homegrown produce. They also wanted to keep their wedding as sustainable as possible so created online invites and save the dates to save on paper and used flowers from the UK, supplemented with homegrown ones. One of their favourite parts of the wedding was the epic flower arch the Groom’s stepdad handbuilt from scratch. Engraved with their names, the arch was then put together at the venue acting as the centrepiece for their outdoor wedding ceremony, and backdrop for their photo booth. It's truly a wonder.

Inspiration & Styling
Our venue was set in the incredible beauty of Elmley Nature Reserve, so we wanted to celebrate nature and keep the styling to a minimum to complement the venue with a boho, relaxed feel. Our flowers were all English grown, meadow style and were supplemented with ferns and greenery wrapped around the pillars in the barn. The tables all had home-grown flowers in varying jam jars wrapped in hessian and lace. Our guests were staying in tipis on-site so the décor outside on the lawn reflected the festival style feel of the wedding.
Hannah & Alistair

Wicker Basket Full of Flip Flops for Dancing Feet

Colourful Homegrown Flower Centrepieces in Jars

Rustic Naked and Semi Naked Wedding Cake on Tree Trunk Cake Stand Decorated with Wildflowers

Elmley Nature Reserve Rustic Barn Wedding Venue

Bridal Party Portrait with Bridesmaids in Blue Floral and Blue Lace Oasis and ASOS Dresses and Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress with Flower Crown

Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress and Groom in Hugo Boss Suit Standing in their Glamping Field

Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress and Groom in Hugo Boss Suit Standing in Front of Bell Tent

Seating Chart with Illustrations tied up with Twine

Bride and Groom Laughing During a Joint Wedding Speech

Chair Back Wedding Decor with Lace Ribbon and Wooden Mrs Plaque

Barn Wedding Reception at Elmley Nature Reserve in Kent

Wedding Guests Selfie in Front of Photo Booth Corner

Peg Your Pose Photo Booth Corner with Strung Up Polaroid Pictures

Groom Embracing His Bride in a Lace Watters Wedding Dress

Groom in Hugo Boss Suit and Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress Standing in a Field

Freckly Bride with Curly Hair and Flower Crown Laughing with her Girlfriends

Wedding Guests Enjoying Giant Jenga Garden Game

First Dance with Bride in Lace Watters Wedding Dress and Flower Crown and Groom in Navy Hugo Boss Suit

Dance Floor Antics with Groom Picking His Bride Up

All the magic happened at their wonderful wedding venue Elmely Nature Reserve which Hannah and Alistair found via our handpicked supplier directory, The List. They also found their fabulous caterers Home Gurr'own and photographer Nicola Thompson Photography. These talented suppliers really made their wedding stand out and unique to them. Why not give The List a search to see who can help make your wedding dreams come true.