Danielle + Mark
Danielle and Mark’s barn wedding was bursting with blooms…
PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHANIE SWANN
stephanieswannweddings.co.uk
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This lucky bride received two engagement rings! “Mark proposed on Christmas morning 2013. There was a small red box in my stocking that contained Mark’s grandmother’s engagement ring. Before I knew it, he was on one knee asking me to be his wife – I was so excited I forgot to actually say yes! In January we then went ring shopping for a single stone solitaire platinum ring. I was so lucky to keep both! Mark’s sister gifted me a 12-month subscription to Wedding Ideas that Christmas so every month I indulged in real weddings, making lists of suppliers and scrapbooking pages. It’s the only magazine I’ve recommended to engaged friends.”
Phoenix Gowns designed Danielle’s dream dress, which she found at The Bridal Mill. “It was a fitted, mermaid style covered entirely in French Alencon lace. The strapless gown had a circular, scalloped train and the designer altered it for me to include a low-cut, button-up back. I also had a thin crystal belt sewn into the waist of the gown.
“I know it’s incredibly clichéd to say so, but when you find the dress you really do just know it.”
Danielle added an understated floor-length veil, also made from Alencon lace, and a hair piece from Hannah Elizabeth Bridal Boutique. Pandora earrings, the ‘Promise’ bracelet by Ivory & Co at crystalbridalaccessories.co.uk, and ‘Mimosa’ pale mint shoes by Rachel Simpson completed her accessories.
Traditional tails were out of the question for this modern couple, so Mark and his groomsmen hired Ted Baker three-piece tailored suits instead in dashing blue from Moss Bros. Danielle gifted him special sixpence cufflinks and a Jean Pierre pocket watch, and Mark’s buttonhole featured a medal ribbon in honour of his grandfather.
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The two bridesmaids, sisters to the bride and groom, had a lengthy search to find their dream dresses. “We all fell in love with a grey floor-length chiffon dress with an open back and lace detail on Pinterest and it took forever to find a stockist. I was over the moon with them when we finally found them. The girls each wore their own accessories and I loved how their personalities shone through.” Makeup artist Victoria Draper (vickydraper. com), and Danielle’s sister, a professional hairdresser, stepped in to get them aisle-ready on the wedding morning. “My sister’s talents flourished and my makeup artist used mainly Guerlain and MAC products,” says Danielle.
“Having been told by many a bride that the ceremony whizzes by and most parts are easily forgotten, I made a conscious effort to soak up and enjoy every minute of becoming husband and wife.”
We stood hand in hand throughout, aware of everyone else but unable to take our eyes off each other. There was so much love in the room as we walked back down the aisle to our guests cheering and clapping.
I felt like the happiest and luckiest woman on the planet.” The ceremony was decorated with a flower arch and foliage garlands, as well as battery-powered tea light candles along the length of the aisle.
The bride’s father kicked off the speeches, inviting lots of laughs and even having the string quartet play a song he had written about the bride as a surprise! Danielle’s mother followed with a short speech, poem and projection that brought everyone to tears. Mark was nervous but gave a wonderfully heartfelt speech, before the best men took over with a well-executed duo speech.
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Their venue, The Tithe Barn, looked incredibly romantic with the couple’s vintage and floral additions. “White peonies dotted the tables outdoors and the driveway was lined with decorated jam jars collected by friends,” explains Danielle.
“We polished up my 1970’s Hercules bike, filled the basket with confetti and attached tin cans to the back wheel.”
Our table plan was made from an old room divider with Polaroid pictures of each guest attached – they had to find their face to find their place! Behind the Scenes Events helped to set up the décor on the day – Nicola was an absolute star. I was also lucky to have my talented sister-in-law Kate design our stationery as a gift to us using vintage florals in a modern design.”
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Flowers became a focal point for this couple so it was essential that they be just right. “Finding a florist was a difficult process and I was about to give up hope when I walked into the Catkin and Pussywillow shop in Winchester and had my breath taken away.”
“Tables were bedecked with tea light holders from The Wedding of my Dreams and wild flower arrangements, and the bride’s bouquet included over ten flower varieties.”
The florist even supplied roses to echo the bride’s bouquet for on top of the couple’s wedding cake. “Combined with the cake topper, the result was more than perfect” smiles Danielle.
V E N U E The Tithe Barn, Hampshire
D R E S S Phoenix Gowns at The Bridal Mill, Southampton
G R O O M Moss Bros
A C C E S S O R I E S Hannah Elizabeth Bridal, Ivory & Co and Rachel Simpson
F L O W E R S Catkin and Pussywillow
C A K E Three Bears Bakery
D É C O R The Wedding of My Dreams
S T Y L I N G Behind the Scenes Events
E N T E R T A I N M E N T Tailored Entertainment
