Rural England Wedding Weekends are our favourite! I love looking back on past Weddings we’ve worked on, and this one from July 2017 is no exception. I’m excited to share it with you today and hope you enjoy reading and looking through the beautiful images by Dottie Photography.
Having met in the UK, Lucy & Cameron now live in New York and moved there in 2017 just a few months before their Wedding. Cameron is originally from the US and Lucy was raised in the English countryside before moving to London so finding a location where all their family and friends from across the continents could travel to was an important factor.
Lucy & Cameron’s Wedding weekend was inspired by a number of special memories and experiences with accents of each popping up throughout the weekend. Each added another unique layer to the Wedding and showcased their personalities and relationship to a tee!
Initial inspiration came from a family vacation to Babylonstoren in South Africa, where Cam first asked Lucy’s father for her hand in marriage. Dating back to 1692 and considered to be one of the best-preserved farmyards in the area, you can see why this couple fell in love with the simplistic yet elegant well-being living quarters and mythical botanical gardens of this farm.
Penguins also played a crucial role in the Wedding, as they did in their engagement! Penguin-inspired stationery by Jenna Claire Stationery – including invitations, order of service & table names – added an adorable touch and complimented the colour theme of Gold, pewter, cream & green. Warm, herbal & fragrant greens along with cool and creative vegetables were key in the floral design by Figa & Co. for the day. Gold-sprayed artichokes & vegetables definitely led the way!
Quality time with family and friends from across the continents and a shared love of exquisite food & travel were essential to this stylish couple’s Wedding plans; which is why they decided to host their weekend long celebrations at the Wilderness Reserve, Sibton Park in a pretty little village in Suffolk, home to a 5,000-acre private estate – perfectly equipped to accommodate their loved ones.
With an emphasis on relaxation intertwined with an air of sophistication, Lucy & Cam treated their guests to an array of little surprises and treats throughout the weekend to keep them entertained and enthralled!
PRE-WEDDING
This warm British summer weekend started with a visit to the quaint seaside town of Southwold in a vintage bus. As Lucy’s mother grew up on the Norfolk Coast it was great fun to show their loved ones the beauty of spending time by the English seaside, especially for those from the USA. This was followed by a chilled-out afternoon at the Wilderness Reserve with its sunken pool, tennis courts, paddleboards and more!
Onto the evening, with Lucy’s ex-drama-student flare a principle theme…! With a love of fancy dress parties, Lucy & Cam encouraged all guests to get involved in their US / UK themed party. Steel drums playing as the soundtrack to the night, a bucking bronco and traditional British garden games; the Walled Garden was alive with laughter, celebration and love. Continental drinks were served by Cellar 27 to add an extra element of fun to the fancy dress theme!
The Horse Box (a quirky local horsebox kitchen) served a mixture of handcrafted, organic flatbread tacos and the queue did not stop all evening. Guests were then treated to a Nonna’s Gelato ice cream before toasting marshmallows over an open bonfire in the estate’s grounds.
CEREMONY –
With everyone well rested it was onto the most important day of the weekend, and one full of personality and surprise. Lucy & Cam’s first personal touch saw their dear friend Tom as the Ceremony Officiate, which added to the incredibly heart-felt and sincere messages of love the couple expressed to one another. Tissues were passed around in abundance!
Guests were seated upon elegant ghost chairs facing out onto the lake with a floral archway dressed in soft greenery and aisle flowers decorating the country house patio.
Lucy’s stunning gown was by Caroline Castigliano. Natural make-up and hair styling was done by a family friend, Penny, to compliment this elegantly gorgeous gown. Lucy’s bouquet by Figa & Co. was a perfect mix of natural seasonal flowers, foliage and gilded vegetables.
DRINKS RECEPTION
With ‘I do’s’ exchanged and confetti thrown, the champagne began to flow. Served at the front of the house in pretty champagne saucers with edible cream flowers, the refreshments by stylish local drink company Cellar 27 were a hit! Perfectly complimented by the flavoursome canapés passed round by chosen caterer, Berber & Q.
As the sun reflected peacefully of the lake and the grounds farm animals grazed unsuspectingly on the green pastures, the groomsmen played around on the estate’s quintessential pushbikes whilst the bridal party celebrated! The fabulous team at Tear Drop Films discreetly filmed the guests and captured the complete romance of the day.
DINNER
The recently opened Orangery was the perfect setting for the Wedding breakfast, with long tables and ghost chairs laid out to provide an intimate and friendly dinner setting for the guests. Gold cutlery, regal china plates and mixed crystal glasses from Helene Millotcontinued the simple yet elegant theme with raised floral & green centre-pieces all joined along the tables, styled beautifully by Figa & Co.
The Wedding breakfast and canapés were served by the couple’s favourite London restaurant, Berber & Q, who provide amazingly fresh grilled & smoked food. With flavours taken from the Middle East, North Africa & across the Ottoman you can see why Lucy & Cam love the food at Berber & Q so much.
Served Meze style, the food was a perfect opportunity for guests to relax, share and enjoy!
EVENING
After some emotional speeches and photos in the grounds as the sun dipped down, the couple cut their cake in the candle lit drawing room whilst teas & coffees were served in the adjacent room. Lovingly baked by a family friend, the couple opted for a tasteful carrot cake selection, set upon 3 gold-sprayed log slices & complete with a penguin cake topper of course!
After the cake was cut, guests were treated to a wonderfully choreographed first dance and soundtrack mixed of their favourite songs. A fun sparkler session took place outside in the darkness & the party continued into the night with the P.Y.Ts performing a number of brilliant sets!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about this wonderful Wedding as much as I enjoyed working on it!
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~ Nadia
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