Real Wedding | Becky & Ste | 27 May 2016

Photographer: Light and Lace Photography Florist: Fairleys Bespoke Floristry Cake: By a friend Band/DJ: De Amour Band Other Suppliers: Videography - David Boynton Wedding Videography; Photobooth - Fotoauto

First things first, can you tell us about the proposal?

Oh my gosh.  It was perfect.  It's a bit of a long story, but basically , out in the countryside under my favourite tree... where Ste had managed to hide Champagne, a big heart and a sign saying 'Marry me?' and he had a photographer in the bushes to capture it! (and of course a beautiful ring!)

What made you choose Redhouse Barn for your wedding day?

By chance the Open Day was the same day we had booked to go see some other venues, and we popped in on the way home.  As soon as me and my mum walked into the Timber Barn, our eyes filled up - that moment made it hard to beat! We also loved the outdoor space but with the unpredictable British weather, that there was a lot of indoor space at our disposal was fantastic.  We also loved the personal touch and flexibility of the venue and food!

Was it love at first sight when dress shopping or did you have try a few on before finding the perfect one? And not forgetting the suits for the boys, how did they get on?

I only went dress shopping on one day and I think the dress I went with was one of the last of the day.  I only tried it on to look at the style and there was just something different/ special about it compared to the others (this didn't stop me worrying for the entire run up to the wedding that I might not have picked the right one!)

In terms of suits - that was easy, Ste knew he wanted a slim fit, modern bright blue suit, rather than tails and I think we had the first one he tried.  We bought the Dress and hired the suits from Georgina Scott Bridal in Lye.  They also sourced material and made me ties and pocket squares to match my bridesmaid dresses. 

So, Venue booked, how was the rest of the planning process?

We planned it relatively quickly, getting engaged in October and married in May, in this time I also moved and changed job, so it was a little bit stressful!  There feels so much pressure to make sure you have the perfect day, and I'm a perfectionist, so I obsessed over little details, but don't regret any of it!

Fast forwarding through all the planning to the actual ceremony, how were the emotions for both of you during the ceremony?

Becky: I just felt completely overwhelmed.  Looking around and seeing a church of smiling faces and knowing everyone was there for you both was an amazing feeling.  It was a relatively long aisle, so by the time I reached the front I was very much in tears!
Ste:  A bit overwhelmed … and then happy!  It felt so right! 

Did you have a theme or colour scheme running through the day? Tell us a little bit about your flowers and any other personal touches.

The colour scheme was mint, gold and blush.  I chose two different colours of bridesmaid dresses to bring these colours in (mint & blush) and ribbon on the flowers and down the aisle of the church.  In the reception, we decided to go more sophisticated, classy, white and sparkly - with the odd touch of gold.  I thought I would probably bring in the colours more than I did, but on the day, this was one thing that really didn't matter! 
We didn't want to do favours as they are so often wasted, so we wrote a little message to all of our guests and put that on their place setting, basically thanking them for being there and for the roles they had played in our lives. 
We asked our friend to draw us a finger print tree (which was based on the tree where we got engaged) and used this instead of a guest book.
The table decorations went with the tree theme... big white tress with crystals and candles, as well as the cake stand which was wood.  I think in reality I just wanted things to look pretty and sparkly and I was really pleased.  We brought the colours of my flowers into the cake stand and table plan area to bring it all together. 

How would you describe the food and service throughout the day?

The food was AMAZING.  Seriously, I wish there was a Redhouse Restaurant, I'd LOVE to eat it all again.  We absolutely loved the fact that we could plan and design the menu to suit our tastes... and the sharing platter to start, Moroccan chicken and a trio of desserts did just that.  We wanted there to be a 'family' feel to the meal and we really achieved this with one guest off each table serving the others.  And of course, the service was brilliant!

What kind of cake did you go for? Was it traditional/ modern/ flavoured/ cupcakes/ naked?

Our cake was a delicious two tiered sponge made by a friend and it was  set on slices of logs with fairy lights as the cake stand, so it was really twinkly.   The bottom layer was gold and sparkly to fit in with the rest of the decorations. 

How did your first dance go?

I wanted to do our first dance a little differently, and as I do some singing, I decided to sing the start of it, which worked really well - and then the band took over!  It was all good... until Ste stepped on my dress mid turn!!

What do your guests mention most about your wedding day?

How pretty it was, how happy we were and the food!
They also commented on the amount of music... we have loads of talented friends so included loads of musicians throughout the day! 

Is there anything you would change if you were to do it all again?

If there was any way to make it longer... I'd do that!!

Do you have any hints or tips for couples looking to get married?

Do your best not to get sucked into the idea of the 'Perfect Wedding', remember that it's a day that should reflect who you are as a couple. Also - don't over estimate the amount of time there will be - we planned loads of things for the afternoon that we didn't have time for!  Also, definitely over-budget!!

Finally, where did you go on your honeymoon?

We went to Bali and Gili Meno - amazing!