Wedding Ideas

Chris & Maria

Chris and Maria met at work and enjoyed a first date at a gig. Little did they know that their date would lead to a long and lovely romance – with Chris eventually popping the question a few years later.

The Proposal

Chris and Maria were on holiday in Mexico when Chris finally got down on one knee. With plans to watch the sunrise, the couple headed out to the beach early in the morning – a perfect setting for Chris to pop the question.

Chris walked over from the shore and got down on one knee and said, “Darling I love you, will you marry me?” It was unexpected but perfect.

Wedding ceremony at Gaynes Park wedding venue based in Essex — © Kari Bellamy

“The location, layout, and attention to detail were everything we were looking for.”

The Wedding and Reception Venue

The couple browsed the Internet to find their country style wedding venue. It wasn’t long before they came across Gaynes Park and quickly booked a visit.

As soon as we arrived we could picture ourselves getting married there. Even though it was a cold November day the venue looked stunning! The location, layout, and attention to detail were everything we were looking for. We ended up booking it 18 months ahead of our big-day.

Bride and groom enjoying the gardens of Gaynes Park during their Spring wedding — © Kari Bellamy

Bridesmaids

Maria chose two bridesmaids to accompany her on her special day.

Both are really good friends of mine so it seemed like an easy choice.

In keeping with the couple’s rustic wedding theme, the bridesmaids dressed in a natural tone of thyme.

The dresses were flowy and simple, and teamed with nude heels.

Bridal party posing for photos in the gardens of Gaynes Park wedding venue in Essex — © Kari Bellamy

The Men

Chris and his groomsmen opted for a less formal look and chose to wear three-piece suits as opposed to tops and tails. To find inspiration for the boys’ outfits, the couple pinned their favourite looks on Pinterest, before decided on light blue suits.

Chris looked incredibly handsome.

Close-up of bride’s dress for her wedding day at Gaynes Park — © Kari Bellamy

Colourful Spring wedding bouquet for an Essex wedding — © Kari Bellamy

Your Dress, Accessories and Flowers

Unlike most brides, who fall in love with their wedding dress at a bridal boutique, Maria actually found her dream dress at a wedding fair. After searching online for various style of gown, and booking a number of wedding dress appointments, Maria kept coming back to the gown she’d seen at the fair.

I always knew I wanted a mermaid style dress. I loved the fact it was a little different from the norm. What’s more, it made me feel stunning.

Maria teamed her gown with her grandmother’s brooch, her something old; her mother’s earrings, her something borrowed; and a blue garter, her something blue.

I opted for flat shoes on the day as I didn’t want to be taller than my groom. They were quite difficult to find, so I ended up having them especially made by a shoe designer.

Taking advantage of the spring season, Maria finished off her look with a rustic bouquet, featuring romantic roses.

The Decorative Touches

Keen to add a personal touch to their day, the couple decided to do some of their own wedding DIY. They created a table plan from scratch and made their own wooden Mr & Mrs Moore sign, which they cut from plywood. They also made their own stationery, with menus and ceremony cards printed on petal paper.

Additional details included a large illuminated ‘love’ sign, which was positioned on the dance floor, a wishing tree, and various Russian dolls – to reflect Maria’s heritage.

Their wedding flowers added the finishing touch to their rustic country wedding barn day and they combined roses, gypsophila, and candles to create a romantic look.

Mediterranean Occasions, our venue stylists, were a huge help. They provided gorgeous lace lampshades, which they hung from the beams of the Mill Barn, and decorated the tables with lace runners and the chairs with lace bows. The venue looked magical.

Pretty colourful Spring wedding decorations for a wedding ceremony inside Gaynes Park’s Orangery — © Kari Bellamy

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Close up of wedding stationery for an Essex barn wedding — © Kari Bellamy

Russian dolls as wedding decorations for a barn wedding venue — © Kari Bellamy

Colourful flower centrepieces for a barn wedding in Essex — © Kari Bellamy

The Cake

Chris and Maria ordered their cake from a local supplier, Lauren, from French Made. To complement their rustic wedding theme they opted for a naked cake with a difference. Red velvet sponge and French sponge came together for a truly delicious cake, which was filled with fresh cream and fresh strawberries.

Their favours were inspired by their French favourites too – individual boxes filled with macarons.

Pretty naked cake ready for a Gaynes Park wedding reception — © Kari Bellamy

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Brightly coloured flowers and wedding rings for a wedding in Essex — © Kari Bellamy

Best Part of the Day

The best part of the day was marrying the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with!

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Gaynes Park’s beautiful Orangery lit up at night after a wedding — © Kari Bellamy

Bride and groom’s first dance inside of Gaynes Park’s barn — © Kari Bellamy

Gardens of Gaynes Park wedding venue in the evening — © Kari Bellamy

Wedding Planning Tip

Make sure that everyone knows what their role is at the wedding. That way there’s no need to stress about the little jobs on the day.

Think about what elements of the wedding are most important to you and decide how to spend your budget with that in mind.

Get inspiration from all media sources to get an insight of all possibilities.

Bride and groom posing for photos in the gardens of Gaynes Park in Essex — © Kari Bellamy

“Think about what elements of the wedding are most important to you.”

Suppliers

Photography :	Kari Bellamy
Photobooth :	Just Pose
Flowers :	Lily & May
Wedding Dress :	With Love Bridal Boutique
Bridesmaids Dresses :	Coast
Groom’s Suit :	BHS
Disco/DJ :	DJ2k
Cake :	French Made Cakes
Rings :	Ernest Jones
Bride’s Accessories :	Glitzy Secrets

Chris and Maria met at work and enjoyed a first date at a gig. Little did they know that their date would lead to a long and lovely romance – with Chris eventually popping the question a few years later.

The Proposal

The Wedding and Reception Venue

Bridesmaids

The Men

Your Dress, Accessories and Flowers

The Decorative Touches

The Cake

Best Part of the Day

Wedding Planning Tip

Suppliers

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