Bethany and Harry’s wedding has that timeless English beauty I love more than anything: exquisite flowers, a Jenny Packham designer dress – described by Bethany as her epiphany moment – and is set in the most incredible venue. From the very moment I saw their images I was hooked.
And I just can’t stop looking at them! Wow…. the flowers are such a statement feature of this glorious wedding. Bethany’s job is for a major flower business, and she enlisted the very best florist to style the arrangements for her day. Your Pinterest fingers are going to hurt when you’ve finished this blog feature, I promise…. toooo beautiful.
Images are by lovely Aaron Collett Photography
- www.aaroncollettphotography.co.uk
- facebook.com/aaroncollettphotography
- @aaronbcollett
- english-wedding.com/tag/aaron-collett-photography
Our wedding story: Bethany Day and Harry Towell
Wedding photographer’s website:
http://www.aaroncollettphotography.co.uk/
Were you pleased with your wedding photographer?
Yes! The moment we clicked onto Aaron’s website we were totally enchanted by his beautiful photography. His style was exactly what we were looking for, modern yet timeless. On first meeting that feeling was confirmed. As well as having a stunning portfolio Aaron had lots of ideas, was passionate, and his enthusiasm infectious. On the morning of our wedding he arrived early, smart and just as excited as everyone else. Everyone commented on how personable and professional Aaron was on the day and his much admired photographs speak for themselves.
Wedding venue:
Stoke Rochford Hall, Lincolnshire
Wedding date:
22nd August 2014
Can you describe your wedding in a single sentence?
Quintessentially English with a vintage twist
What was your reaction to seeing your wedding photos for the first time?
Our photographer sent us a note with our wedding photos, telling us to put on some mood music and look at them with a glass of wine. We did just that and all the emotions of the day came flooding back to us. Aaron’s photography allowed us to relive our wedding and see all the details we missed on the day. He captured every emotion, colour, expression and detail just beautifully. We couldn’t have asked for more.
Your wedding style or theme:
English, Romantic, Classical
How long did you spend planning your wedding?
We got engaged in May and married the following August so we had just over 12 months to plan our special day.
Best bit of budget advice?
Sit down with your fiancé and prioritise your wedding list so that you both agree on the areas that mean the most to you and the areas where you are most prepared to compromise. Are the flowers more important than a photobooth? Do you care more about the dress than the wedding car? Small sacrifices can go a long way in preserving your budget without your guests even noticing.
Wedding invitations and on the day stationery:
Vintage inspired handmade invitations with an Art Deco print and beautiful Swarovski crystals. We wanted our invitations to give a nod to our theme but not reveal too much.
Did you fall in love with your wedding dress?
It took me a while to find ‘the one’. I tried on so many beautiful dresses but didn’t fall in love with any of them. I began to fear I’d never have that Kleenex moment. For me finding the right designer was a complete epiphany. I saw a Jenny Packham dress at a wedding show and fell head over heels for her style. From the exquisite details to beautiful silhouettes, she has a way of designing a dress that is unequivocally evocative of eras past and yet equally perfect for the modern bride too. As soon as I stepped out of the dressing room in her Foxglove design, I knew it was the one. I just felt so amazing and yes, my Mum (finally!) had tears in her eyes.
Wedding dress designer and bridal boutique:
I bought my Jenny Packham dress from a stockist in Nottingham’s Lace Market. James Bride is a family business that’s been helping brides find their perfect dress since 1860.
Glitz and sparkle – the bride’s accessories:
A long, sheer veil, peep toe shoes with vintage lace and a 1920’s style tiara were the accessories of choice.
Suited and booted – the groom wore:
The groom wore a traditional morning suit, which suited our theme to a tea!
Beautiful bridesmaids: what did your best girls wear?
Right from the beginning I loved the idea of having mismatched dresses for my maids. I wanted them to feel comfortable and to be able to shine as individuals. It was a practical decision too as one of my bridesmaids lives in Australia so asking the girls to choose their own dresses just made sense. In the end all the dresses were bought from high street stores. Our colour palette incorporated muted shades ranging from dove grey to dusky pink, so having four adult bridesmaids really helped carry the theme. We did have a ‘minor mishap’ though when my Australian friend left her bridesmaid dress in another country and we had to FedEx it over to the UK with just days to spare!
I picked up my junior bridesmaid dresses in the Christmas sale. They were by Alice Temperley at John Lewis and cost just £30 each. A bargain! The sequin lines and cap sleeves complimented my own gown perfectly.
Hair and make-up – did you DIY or hire a professional?
We called in the beauty squad for hair and make up and really enjoyed being pampered on the day.
Wedding flowers:
The bride works for Interflora so has a penchant for beautiful flowers. I had a very clear vision of our wedding day theme and saw flowers as a really important means of bringing that vision to life. One of the benefits of working in the industry was having the privilege of knowing some really talented floral designers. I enlisted the help of RHS Chelsea Gold medalist David Ragg to help realise my dream of having a wedding day overflowing with beautiful flowers. He captured our vision perfectly and took the stress away from organising the decor.
I absolutely fell in love with my cascading bridal bouquet with flowers picked for their timeless grace as well as their beautiful scent. I chose scented Norma Jean ivory roses, beautifully textured Astilbe and pretty Jasmine trails for a wonderful vintage feel. Fresh flowers really are the most beautiful accessory and I just adored carrying mine on the day.
General styling – did your venue need much decoration?
Our venue was a beautiful 1840’s Grade 1 Victorian Mansion set in stunning landscaped gardens. We married in the elegant orangery and had our wedding breakfast in the library- the perfect setting for traditional English Afternoon Tea! We really wanted the venue to do the talking but added some personal touches such as framing old family photographs and
DIY – tell us about any handcrafted elements of your wedding…
We bought one hundred glass tea light holders and planted miniature succulents in them in coloured sand. We then tied hand-painted wooden hearts around them with people’s names on to serve as place settings too. My mum and I sat out in the sunshine doing them one afternoon. It was quite therapeutic and created a wonderful memory.
The wedding cake: traditional or quirky?
Our wedding cake was fairly traditional, a four tiered fruit cake with an understated, vintage veil design, overflowing with fresh flowers. For the evening we had a stacked ‘cheese’ cake- a surprise for the groom who loves cheese (especially the smelly variety!) It went down a treat.
Entertainment:
One of the most difficult things to find was the ideal band, especially as our music tastes are poles apart (think One Direction V’s Deep House music!) We wanted a band that would get everyone on the dancefloor and keep the party going until late. We saw The Mighty Persuaders perform at a friend’s wedding and they came highly recommended.
On the day tips and advice:
Make sure you take it all in. The day goes so fast. Just relax and enjoy!
What’s the best thing about being married?
Making plans for the future and knowing you have someone special to share it with
Quick supplier list for other brides and grooms:
Venue – Stoke Rochford Hall – http://www.stokerochfordhall.co.uk/
Photography – Aaron Collett – www.aaroncollettphotography.co.uk/
Wedding dress – Jenny Packham at James Bride, Nottingham – http://www.james-bride.com/
Shoes- Rainbow Club – http://www.rainbowclub.co.uk/
Bridesmaid Dresses- www.dessy.com
Junior Bridesmaid Dresses- Alice Temperley at John Lewis http://www.johnlewis.com/
Bridal jewellery – Swarovski – http://www.swarovski.com/
Flowers – Interflora – www.interflora.co.uk
Band – The Mighty Persuaders – http://www.themightypersuaders.co.uk/
Vintage Ice Cream Bicycle – Ice Cream Dreams- http://www.icecreambike.net/
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