This summer wedding for Sarah and Matthew can only be described as village fête meets country garden with rustic touches and a dash of tractor fun!
How they met
Sarah and Matthew’s relationship was a slow burner, starting during their college days when they both worked evenings at a local supermarket. “We went on a few dates, but it wasn’t right for either of us,” Sarah recalls. Then, some years later, Sarah and Matthew found themselves working for the local council. “One day, we bumped into each other and got on so well,” says Sarah. “There were no awkward moments or long silences – just a feeling of pure happiness.”
The proposal
“It was our last day at work before finishing for Christmas,” Sarah remembers. “Matt called me down for breakfast, and I headed straight for the table – but then he coughed pointedly and I turned round to see him down on one knee with a beautiful engagement ring in his hand.”
The bride’s outfit
Initially, Sarah found dress shopping disillusioning. “After visiting a couple of shops I felt quite downhearted, as I couldn’t find anything that flattered my figure,” says the curvaceous bride. All that changed, however, when she booked an appointment at Anya Bridal Couture. Sarah found her dream dress in the Jasmine Collection, in a strapless A-line gown with an asymmetric dropped waist, gathered taffeta bodice and Tiffany train. A Pronovias lace bolero and lace appliqué veil by Richards Designs complemented the dress perfectly. “I felt very emotional in my dress, and loved everything about it,” Sarah explains. “It almost felt like it was made for me.”
The groom’s outfit
Matthew wore navy blue mohair tails, with an ivory cravat and handkerchief and brown leather shoes from Ted Baker, plus a pair of tractor cufflinks given to him by his bride.
The bridesmaids
Sarah was attended by four beautiful bridesmaids and three little flowergirls. The adults wore chiffon dresses in Caribbean blue from Jasmine, while the little maids looked pretty in their full-length cap-sleeved ivory gowns from Debenhams.
The ceremony
Sarah and Matthew chose to marry in a meaningful venue – the church where the bride was christened, and where her parents were wed years before. “It was a very special place for us to have our service,” Sarah says. The ceremony featured traditional hymns including Morning has Broken, and two readings – one biblical, and one by Mark Twain. “Both were read beautifully, and it was hard not to cry,” Sarah adds.
The flowers
The stunning floral displays by Jenni Bloom Flowers featured roses, lavender, hydrangeas and country foliage, presented in a mish-mash of containers ranging from welly boots and watering cans to jam jars and salt shakers.
The reception
Sarah and Matthew’s reception was a foodie feast from start to finish, beginning with Pimm’s and lemonade, moving on to a barbeque wedding breakfast followed by ice creams from an ice cream tricycle and a curry in the evening. “We had garden games and a photo lounge, which was brilliant, and our friend’s band played a fantastic mixture of rock-pop music that the guests loved,” Sarah says.
The details
Sarah describes the wedding theme as, “village fête meets country garden with a few rustic touches and a splash of tractor fun! We wanted it to be a relaxed summer occasion, and the weather was on our side.” The couple got the look with homemade bunting, straw bale seating with cushions and blankets, wooden crates, and even a surprise tractor to take the groom to the church. “We even named our tables after vintage tractors!” Sarah adds.
The cake
Joanna at The Fairy Cakery created the beautiful four-tier cake, with ivory lace detail and layers of champagne and strawberry, vanilla, chocolate and lemon cake. “We left the cutting until the evening so all of our guests got a chance to look at it,” says Sarah.
The honeymoon
The couple enjoyed a five-night minimoon in Tenerife and they’re planning a longer honeymoon in 2015 thanks to generous donations from their guests.
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