Sigrid & Daniel
Daniel had asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I had picked out a few rings. Even though I knew what they were, Daniel had wrapped them up anyway. On Christmas Eve he let me open one – and it was an engagement ring instead! I was so surprised, I didn’t have the slightest suspicion!
The dress
I found my ‘Honour’ Stephanie Allin dress in the first boutique I visited, Hayley Elizabeth Bridal Boutique. I had something different in mind but I completely fell in love with the beautiful lace and lovely vintage feel. The higher neckline and full tulle fishtail skirt with lace panels was stunning. I didn’t want to take it off!
The accessories
I paired a floral belt by Enzoani with lace court shoes by Rachel Simpson to finish my dress beautifully. I wore a Twigs & Honey hair vine, pearl drop earrings and a gold bracelet I already owned and bought a fur jacket, but, thanks to the lovely weather we had on the day, I hardly needed it.
The groom
Daniel sourced his whole outfit from Moss Bros, choosing a blue suit and waistcoat, an ivory paisley tie, matching handkerchief and brown shoes. He looked so handsome – I felt very lucky to be marrying him!
The bridesmaids
I was lucky enough to have three bridesmaids, my sister, cousin and best friend. I wanted them to wear individual dresses that they liked, with the only condition being to use the colours of the flowers in my belt. They all looked gorgeous!
What was the best part of the ceremony?
Walking down the aisle with my dad and seeing Daniel waiting for me! It was also nice to have two readings, one in German and one in English as I am Austrian and some of my family do not speak brilliant English. It meant we could all enjoy the ceremony together.
What music did you have during the ceremony?
My cousin, aunt and uncle all sang for us during the ceremony, which was wonderful.
What did you have for your wedding breakfast?
The Secret Garden, where we held our reception, is well known for excellent quality, seasonal British food. They didn’t disappoint, serving a three-course menu with various options for each guest to choose from.
Inspiration
We wanted our wedding to be relaxed, rustic and romantic, so we used a lot of pastel pinks and greens. The Secret Garden fitted the theme perfectly and we fell in love with the idea of a romantic walled garden wedding – we couldn’t have imagined anywhere better!
Reception decoration
Log slices were placed on each table to hold floral centrepieces provided by our florist, alongside milk bottle vases made from recycled glass. I also bought little vintage tea light holders and we scattered the tables with wooden hearts. Lanterns were hung around the room and I turned doilies into confetti cones. In the neighbouring glass house we had a sweet table, fancy dress photo booth and guest book.
Love their sweet style? You can easily make your own candy buffet with these top picks!
The flowers
Fiona at Anemone Blue did all of our flowers, from the bouquets to the centrepieces, and she was amazing!
The cake
Not being fans of traditional wedding cake, we chose four layers of sponge cake instead. One of my bridesmaids bakes the most amazing cakes so we were overjoyed when she offered to make it! Daniel’s sister also made us some beautiful cupcakes.
The stationery
Pear Paper Co provided our personalised stationery – we found them through Not On The High Street. I hand wrote our place cards and sourced our table numbers in Paperchase.
The favours
We ordered small succulent plants from Cornwall and gave one each out to our guests for their favours.
The entertainment
Harry Kilb was our DJ during the evening reception and The Secret Garden also provided some garden games for us to enjoy.
The honeymoon
We spent a week in Cornwall where we relaxed by the sea and enjoyed cliff top and beach walks.
Best ideas
Having our wedding in October, just outside of peak wedding season, saved us a lot of money and made our budget go further. There’s a lot of inspiration out there and it can get overwhelming, so when you’re choosing styles and pieces for your wedding stay true to what you love and you’ll be happy with the end result.
Suppliers
VENUE The Secret Garden, Kent
DRESS Stephanie Allin at Hayley Elizabeth Bridal Boutique, Orpington
GROOM Moss Bros
ACCESSORIES Enzoani, Twigs & Honey, Rachel Simpson Shoes
STATIONERY Pear Paper Co at Not On The High Street
FLOWERS Anemone Blue
ENTERTAINMENT Harry Kilb DJ
PHOTOGRAPHER Andy Stonier, Howling Basset Photography
