Tea cups, tree-trunks and a sung groom’s speech meant this woodland-themed, barn wedding had plenty of memorable moments…
The proposal
Fireworks lit up the sky when Tam and Tim got engaged on bonfire night. “We were staying in a cosy little cottage in Wales for a romantic getaway, and had been to a firework display before coming back to warm up in the hot tub,” Tam recalls. “Later on, when we were cuddled up in front of the fire, Tim popped the question. I was so busy chattering on that I didn’t twig until I felt him slipping the ring onto my finger!”
The bride’s outfit
After falling in love with a dress that broke the budget, Tam looked everywhere for a cheaper alternative that would measure up. “I tried on every possible style but I couldn’t get the original out of my mind. “Then I tried on a Mori Lee style from the Poetic Lace range, and straight away, I felt that rush of emotions. It was such a relief to find my perfect dress after thinking I’d have to settle for a compromise.” The champagne satin gown featured an ivory lace overlay with a pearl and diamanté sash and a chapel-length train. “I love everything about it and felt so happy and confident. I couldn’t wait to show it off,” Tam adds. The bride topped off her ensemble with a chic birdcage veil, simple pearl jewellery and a cosy cover-up.
The groom’s outfit
Tim wore a mid-grey three-piece suit with a tweed check from Moss Bros, which he had tailored for a fitted look. He teamed it with a floral patterned lilac tie and pocket square, and finished the look with two-tone black and grey brogues from Front.
The bridesmaids
Tam’s five gorgeous bridesmaids wore fresh and pretty sage green dresses from Coast, with pashmina from H&M and sparkly heels from Next. “Tim and I fell in love with the dresses shortly after we got engaged, and they helped us choose our sage and lavender colour scheme,” Tam explains.
The ceremony
Tam and Tim were married in a civil ceremony. “It was important to us that we wrote our own vows, as we wanted to make sure that the promise we made were from the heart,” Tam says.
The flowers
Claire from Lily and May brought Tam and Tim’s floral vision to life with arrangements incorporating dried lavender and vintage feel. “When I saw our bouquets on the morning of the wedding, they took my breath away,” Tam smiles. “They were everything I had imagined, and more.”
The reception
The couple chose Crabbs Barn in Essex as the venue for their perfect day. “We wanted the venue to reflect us and also encompass our whimsical tea party theme,” Tam explains. “We fell in love with how beautiful the barn was, and wanted to enhance it’s features rather than cover them up.” Memorable moments included the groom’s speech – sung to the tune of the Plain White Ts’ Hey There Delilah – and a sparkler guard of honour formed by the wedding guests.
The details
The tea party theme came to life with stacked tea cup vases from Next sitting on moss mats, bunting strewn around the beams and a photo table featuring pictures from the couple’s parents’ and grandparents’ wedding anniversaries. “We also included lots of little details that we’d found along the way, including a duck ornament, a wedding sign given to us by my bridesmaid, and little polka dot birds,” adds Tam.
The cake
The amazing Vanilla Patisserie cake was decorated with bunting and flowers and a lovebird cake topper, and was placed on a tree trunk for a woodland feel.
The honeymoon
The couple returned to Primrose Cottage, where they got engaged, before moving to the Tree House at Harptree Court, the scene of the Great British Bake-Off.
Real wedding gallery
