Wedding Ideas

Jessica & David

Jessica and David’s theme was based on a vintage enchanted garden design that Jessica had seen beforehand.

How and When did it all Happen

David proposed to me the night before my birthday. We’d recently bought our first house so he decided to pop the question in the lounge as we’d worked so hard to get there and it meant such a lot to us both.

The Wedding and Reception Venue

Jessica and David wanted a traditional wedding and felt that everyone could let their hair down on a Saturday. They also wanted a summer wedding so hoped to get sunshine in July, which luckily they did!

As soon as we walked into Gaynes Park we knew we could stop looking elsewhere. It was perfect and we both agreed on that. Guy took us round, the sun was shining and the whole place looked stunning. We wanted a contemporary yet pretty, country wedding barn venue. I think the Orangery and gardens sold it for me as I could just imagine everyone having their champagne and canapés on the lawn. I loved the fact that the bar and dance floor weren’t in separate rooms – that had always been one of our requirements as we’d been to so many traditional weddings where the men stayed at the bar and the women stayed on the dance floor. We had everyone dancing! Funnily enough, the sun always shone when we visited Gaynes Park which we saw that as a good omen.

Bride and groom by the Orangery – wedding venues in Essex — © Carole Niven Photographer

“As soon as we walked into Gaynes Park we knew we could stop looking elsewhere. It was perfect and we both agreed on that.”

Bridesmaids

Jessica had seven bridesmaids and they all wore mint green strapless prom dresses from Oasis. The two flower girls wore adorable white dresses with butterflies on from Bhs to which they added a mint green sash.

Bridesmaids in summer dresses with the bride — © Carole Niven Photographer

The Men

David, Best Man and the Ushers all wore traditional black morning suits, ivory waistcoats with mint green cravats.

Array
(
    [ID] => 836
    [id] => 836
    [title] => Bride and groom in the garden posing for photos
    [filename] => bride-groom-lawn.jpg
    [filesize] => 233379
    [url] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bride-groom-lawn.jpg
    [link] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wedding-ideas/contemporary-yet-traditional-wedding/bride-groom-lawn/
    [alt] => Bride and groom in the garden posing for photos
    [author] => 9
    [description] => 
    [caption] => 
    [name] => bride-groom-lawn
    [status] => inherit
    [uploaded_to] => 323
    [date] => 2017-12-05 16:13:44
    [modified] => 2017-12-05 16:22:41
    [menu_order] => 0
    [mime_type] => image/jpeg
    [type] => image
    [subtype] => jpeg
    [icon] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-includes/images/media/default.png
    [width] => 1200
    [height] => 580
    [sizes] => Array
        (
            [thumbnail] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bride-groom-lawn-150x150.jpg
            [thumbnail-width] => 150
            [thumbnail-height] => 150
            [medium] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bride-groom-lawn-300x145.jpg
            [medium-width] => 300
            [medium-height] => 145
            [medium_large] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bride-groom-lawn-768x371.jpg
            [medium_large-width] => 768
            [medium_large-height] => 371
            [large] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bride-groom-lawn-1024x495.jpg
            [large-width] => 1024
            [large-height] => 495
            [1536x1536] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bride-groom-lawn.jpg
            [1536x1536-width] => 1200
            [1536x1536-height] => 580
            [2048x2048] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bride-groom-lawn.jpg
            [2048x2048-width] => 1200
            [2048x2048-height] => 580
        )

)

Bride and groom in the garden posing for photos — © Carole Niven Photographer

Your Dress, Accessories and Flowers

Jessica’s dress was by San Patrick. It was lace and tulle and had a mermaid silhouette.

I loved its girlie details with jewelled beading under the bust, a bow at the back and a long train.

The bouquet was primarily ivory and pink roses with light foliage and some sweetpeas. The buttonholes and mothers’ corsages blended in beautifully with matching ivory roses.

Array
(
    [ID] => 842
    [id] => 842
    [title] => Jimmy Choo wedding shoes for the bride
    [filename] => jimmy-choo-wedding-shoes.jpg
    [filesize] => 60826
    [url] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/jimmy-choo-wedding-shoes.jpg
    [link] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wedding-ideas/contemporary-yet-traditional-wedding/jimmy-choo-wedding-shoes/
    [alt] => Jimmy Choo wedding shoes for the bride
    [author] => 9
    [description] => 
    [caption] => 
    [name] => jimmy-choo-wedding-shoes
    [status] => inherit
    [uploaded_to] => 323
    [date] => 2017-12-05 16:13:48
    [modified] => 2017-12-05 16:26:36
    [menu_order] => 0
    [mime_type] => image/jpeg
    [type] => image
    [subtype] => jpeg
    [icon] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-includes/images/media/default.png
    [width] => 580
    [height] => 580
    [sizes] => Array
        (
            [thumbnail] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/jimmy-choo-wedding-shoes-150x150.jpg
            [thumbnail-width] => 150
            [thumbnail-height] => 150
            [medium] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/jimmy-choo-wedding-shoes-300x300.jpg
            [medium-width] => 300
            [medium-height] => 300
            [medium_large] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/jimmy-choo-wedding-shoes.jpg
            [medium_large-width] => 580
            [medium_large-height] => 580
            [large] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/jimmy-choo-wedding-shoes.jpg
            [large-width] => 580
            [large-height] => 580
            [1536x1536] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/jimmy-choo-wedding-shoes.jpg
            [1536x1536-width] => 580
            [1536x1536-height] => 580
            [2048x2048] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/jimmy-choo-wedding-shoes.jpg
            [2048x2048-width] => 580
            [2048x2048-height] => 580
        )

)

Jimmy Choo wedding shoes for the bride — © Carole Niven Photographer

White and pink wedding bouquet for the bride — © Carole Niven Photographer

Transport

Jessica and David chose a Vintage Bramwith Landaulette in Ivory and black. With the roof folded down they had some lovely photos.

Bride and groom by their wedding transport – barn hire Essex — © Carole Niven Photographer

The Decorative Touches

The barn venue was breathtaking. We had flowers everywhere, along the mezzanine, around the pillars and behind the top table which really brought our enchanted garden theme together. The pink, ivory and green colours looked beautiful. All our stationery matched as we used the mint green enchanted garden design throughout.

They had contemporary-style, tall candelabras decorated with an arrangement of roses, peonies and foliage. They looked stunning set on a mirrored base surrounded by small candles in bridal votives with butterfly confetti sprinkled around randomly. The candelabras were too high beneath the mezzanine so the couple’s florist, Sasha, had some wonderful ideas that worked perfectly to make the overall display look breathtaking.

Each guest had a selection of traditional wedding sweets tied with mint green ribbon in a quality, gold, cellophane bag.

We kept to the green theme but changed the content to suit the men, women and children.

Array
(
    [ID] => 835
    [id] => 835
    [title] => Mill Barn wedding decorations set up for a reception – wedding barns Essex
    [filename] => barn-set-up.jpg
    [filesize] => 226456
    [url] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/barn-set-up.jpg
    [link] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wedding-ideas/contemporary-yet-traditional-wedding/barn-set-up/
    [alt] => Mill Barn wedding decorations set up for a reception – wedding barns Essex
    [author] => 9
    [description] => 
    [caption] => 
    [name] => barn-set-up
    [status] => inherit
    [uploaded_to] => 323
    [date] => 2017-12-05 16:13:44
    [modified] => 2017-12-05 16:27:47
    [menu_order] => 0
    [mime_type] => image/jpeg
    [type] => image
    [subtype] => jpeg
    [icon] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-includes/images/media/default.png
    [width] => 1200
    [height] => 580
    [sizes] => Array
        (
            [thumbnail] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/barn-set-up-150x150.jpg
            [thumbnail-width] => 150
            [thumbnail-height] => 150
            [medium] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/barn-set-up-300x145.jpg
            [medium-width] => 300
            [medium-height] => 145
            [medium_large] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/barn-set-up-768x371.jpg
            [medium_large-width] => 768
            [medium_large-height] => 371
            [large] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/barn-set-up-1024x495.jpg
            [large-width] => 1024
            [large-height] => 495
            [1536x1536] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/barn-set-up.jpg
            [1536x1536-width] => 1200
            [1536x1536-height] => 580
            [2048x2048] => https://gaynespark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/barn-set-up.jpg
            [2048x2048-width] => 1200
            [2048x2048-height] => 580
        )

)

Mill Barn wedding decorations set up for a reception – wedding barns Essex — © Carole Niven Photographer

Flowers as a centrepiece for a barn wedding reception – wedding barns Essex — © Carole Niven Photographer

Butterfly wedding cake with flowers as decorations — © Carole Niven Photographer

The Cake

David is a trained chef and my mum makes a great fruitcake so they decided to do the cake themselves. Mum baked the cake and David decorated it.

The cake had four tiers, decorated with white butterflies and mint green ribbon. It looked simple and elegant and achieved the contemporary look they wanted.

Best Part of The Day

We couldn’t possibly pick the best part as it was all so amazing. Gaynes Park was truly outstanding. There was no stress or hassle therefore we fully enjoyed our day. Small touches made our day special and memorable to us and our friends and family. The service was personal, it was a hot sunny day, the string quartet set the scene, the magician provided entertainment, the food was delicious, the band started a great party and we even had an old fashioned sweet stand for our guests to munch on in the evening. Gaynes Park was perfect in every way. The staff were fantastic, the grounds are spectacular and the food was divine.

Wedding Planning Tip

Don’t worry about anything on the day enjoy every moment as you’ll never have a day like it again! Put all the hard work and effort into the planning in advance then you can be more relaxed as the day draws closer. And let people help you. Our parents were wonderful in helping us plan the day and all our efforts paid off. And, a message to all brides, make sure you feel like a princess!

Bride and groom walking down the Long Walk enjoying the summer flowers — © Carole Niven Photographer

“A message to all brides, make sure you feel like a princess!”

Suppliers

Photography :	Carole Niven Photographer
Wedding Dress :	Fleur Delys Bridal
Bride’s Accessories :	Jimmy Choos
Bride’s Accessories :	Goldsmiths
Bridesmaids Dresses :	Oasis
Bridesmaids Dresses :	BHS
Groom’s Suit :	Fleur Delys Bridal
Cars :	Essex Wedding Cars
Band :	Slightest Hint Band
Band :	Scintillo Quartet
Rings :	Smooch Rings
Favours :	Sweet Central, Hemel Hempstead