We absolutely love the amount of colour in this fun-filled day for Jess and Pete. The creative bride used her artistic talents to really bring her colourful festival wedding vision to life!
How they met
Jess and Pete first got to know each other in Turkey, where they were working at the time. “Pete looked like a hot surfer dude with his long curly hair, so I stepped up my game straight away!” Jess recalls. “On our first date, we ate pida, which is Turkish pizza, and went disco dancing.”
The proposal
Pete proposed to Jess while the couple were travelling in India. “We went for a walk along the shore on the most beautiful beach I have ever been on,” Jess smiles. “It was like paradise, and I thought it would be an amazing place to get engaged, but I never expected it to actually happen!” The happy couple celebrated their engagement with a delicious seafood supper.
The bride’s outfit
Jess looked stunning in an elegant lace gown by Chanticleer, with an off-the-shoulder style, deep V back trimmed with buttons and a ribbon sash. “I loved the vintage look, and when I got dressed on the day of the wedding, I felt immediately relaxed, followed by a huge burst of excitement,” Jess explains. With a bright festival theme planned for the big day, she added multi-coloured paint-splash effect shoes from LK Bennett. “My friend Fenella of Nellie B Headpieces made my hair accessory out of my granny’s brooch – my ‘something old’,” Jess adds.
The groom’s outfit
Pete chose to wear grey tails from Moss Bros, with a petrol blue tie and pocket handkerchief. “He looked so handsome, and pretty emotional, too,” says Jess.
The bridesmaids
Jess dressed her six bridesmaids in bold and beautiful colours to suit the Spring celebration. The two maids of honour – Jess’ sisters – wore vibrant coral maxi dresses from Coast, while the other adult bridesmaids looked stunning in mint green tea-length dresses by Ted Baker. “I also had my two little nieces as bridesmaids, wearing teal dresses with coral bows made by Pete’s mum,” Jess adds. “They looked so sweet, and one genuinely believes that we were all princesses for the day.”
The ceremony
Jess and Pete were married in a religious ceremony at the village church in Holybourne, Hampshire. “The best moment was walking out of the church as husband and wife, with everyone throwing colourful rose petals as confetti,” Jess says.
The flowers
The blooms for Jess and Pete’s wedding were a riot of colour, put together by Vicky Crawford at Purple Door Flowers. “Our bouquets were wrapped in different coloured ribbons, while the men had thistle as their buttonholes in honour of my Scottish roots,” Jess explains.
The reception
Jess and Pete’s reception took place at the oak-framed Bonhams Barn in Hampshire, which they transformed into their vision of festival vintage. The guests dined on a Thai menu of tom yum soup served in vintage tea cups, followed by green curry with coconut rice and a trio of puddings displayed on cake stands. “We had a fantastic band called the Hatty Jacques Playlist, who appealed to all ages,” says Jess. The couple also hired a yurt for their little guests to play and picnic in, a makeshift photobooth out of a dressing-up box and Polaroid camera, and lots of colourful tipis for their guests to sleep in overnight.
The details
Decorating the venue was a labour of love for Jess, who runs her own business, Purple Door Props. “My business partner and I upcycled 130 chairs with brightly coloured paint and upholstery, and made our own chandeliers from antique lampshades,” Jess explains. “We served champagne out of vintage china, and decorated with vintage bikes and whiskey barrels. Our table centres were teapots, milk jugs and cups and saucers, filled to the brim with brightly-coloured flowers.
The honeymoon
Jess and Pete spent their wedding night camping in a luxury yurt from Starry Eyes Yurts, and are planning their main honeymoon to Italy.
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