This rustic wedding celebration overflowed with personal touches, including hand-painted garden birds and homemade decorations – we love this real wedding!
The proposal
Jo and Huw got to know each other through their love of photography. Having discussed getting married, Jo assumed Huw wouldn’t surprise her with a proposal. “However, he completely amazed me by travelling up to London from Cardiff while I was away, and getting down on one knee in the lobby of a posh hotel,” Jo remembers. “I was so shocked – not that he proposed, but that he’d made all the effort to come and surprise me.”
The bride’s outfit
Jo looked sensational in her ivory lace gown with detailed train from Allure Bridal. “I knew it was ‘the one’ from the reaction of my mum and bridesmaids,” she explains. “The warm colouring suited my skin tone and the style complemented my figure perfectly.” Jo added a birdcage veil with ivory flower detail and lace detail shoes from High Society – a wedding present from her sister.
The groom’s outfit
Huw and his groomsmen wore grey suits from Debenhams with mint green skinny ties from Mrs Bow Tie. “I also made Huw some personalised cufflinks with little photos of our beloved boxer dogs,” adds Jo.
The bridesmaids
Choosing the bridesmaids’ dresses proved a tricky task for Jo. “I couldn’t decide on a colour or style, and with five bridesmaids to dress, price was an issue too,” she explains. Jo eventually found the nude pink designs with flared net skirt and satin top from an online boutique. “They also wore T-bar shoes from Next, which I love so much that I bought myself a pair for the evening!” laughs Jo.
The ceremony
Jo and Huw chose a civil wedding ceremony followed by a religious blessing by Jo’s uncle Gareth, who is a minister. “I thought I would be really nervous but I loved how personal it felt,” Jo recalls. “Looking around at everyone’s smiling faces made me feel so overwhelmingly happy.”
The reception
The homemade decorations for Jo and Huw’s rustic-inspired wedding were a labour of love for the bride and her friends and family. “I hand-painted pictures of garden birds for our table and place names, and instead of one wedding cake, we had coloured cake as the centrepiece on each table, sitting on wooden cake stands,” says Jo. The menu included local shoulder of lamb with fondant potato, with a hog roast served in the evening.
The honeymoon
Jo and Huw travelling to Majorca for a week of all-inclusive bliss. “I think we regained all the weight we lost for the wedding!” laughs Jo.
Real wedding gallery
