So glad you’ve come back for part 2 ~ if part 1 of this über cool, vintage tea party wedding with a touch of festival and a dash of theatricality blew you away, steady yourself… this is phenomenal!!
‘Part vintage garden tea party, part summer music festival. We’re both a little bit Victorian and our house is full of vintage clutter from teapots, to an antique taxidermied duck, to old books and mirrors. We wanted to bring our style to the wedding’
‘We actually took the taxidermied duck and an antique writing table to Dorset with us as props for the wedding’
‘We did all the planning ourselves. Linda from Vintage Dorset who provided vintage crockery, the afternoon tea, flowers for the tables and bunting, went beyond the call of duty and also helped with some of the minutia such as reminding me to get napkins, organising bar staff etc’
‘Each table was named after a duck….after all we fell in love to an audience of ducks on the Regents Canal! I hand wrote the seating plan in multi-coloured felt tips and stuck pictures of ducks on it from a ladybird book of ducks’
‘There was a framed picture of a duck on each table accordingly, we were at Wigeon table!’
‘The table centres were floral arrangements in vintage teapots the name cards doubled up as favours as they were packets of wildflower seeds’
‘Also Matthew’s band Gilbert’s music is really magical, pretty and ethereal and they all look really quirky and theatrical in their outfits, so this also inspired the mood of the wedding’
‘And as they were playing a set on the lawn after the ceremony it gave the afternoon a laidback music festival feel’
‘I loved that our wedding really reflected our style…’
‘it said something about who we are…extracts from our favourite books as readings’
‘Matthew’s band playing, an afternoon tea which referenced all the tea and cake we had out of vintage crockery in our early days of courting…’
‘the whole thing being very laidback with children, our puppy, our friends and family all pottering around the lawns of a magical manor house in the fading sunlight one glorious June day!’
‘As such my tip would be to avoid generic package weddings and build it yourself to allow it to be as personal and meaningful as possible’
I couldn’t agree more Kumari! Your wedding is one hell of a beautiful wedding!
And no, not just for the astounding photography… you can feel as well as see the love story and who this couple are. I love couples weaving their personalities into their weddings to create days full of meaningfulness for themselves, their friends and their families. I’m sure this wedding will inspire lots of future brides-to-be, it has me!
A massive thanks again to Kumari and Anushe for sharing and a huge, massive congratulations, I wish you and your lovely Matthew a long and happy life together!
{Credits and all the details}
We had a very simple registry office affair the day before at Bridport registry office with just our families present but then had an outdoor blessing ceremony where we exchanged rings, wrote our own vows and had all our friends and family present at Symondsbury Manor in Dorset. (www.symondsbury.com)
We had afternoon tea in a marquee (www.godneymarquees.co.uk) in the gardens of Symondsbury Manor followed by an evening BBQ. We were staying in the house so the reception was in the marquee, the grounds, and the panelled ballroom of the manor.
Symondsbury Manor in Dorset reflected our style in being ramshackle and quirky. Thomas Hardy came to tea here in 1883! The current owner is an artist so there are some lovely creative touches. Because you hire the whole house for the weekend we and 23 of our closest family and friends (and our sproodle pup Teacake!) stayed at the manor from Fri to Sun which was very convenient as we all travelled down from London. Its set in the tiny village of Symondsbury amidst rolling fields and thatched cottages. The village has a pub, a school and a potter! It’s just outside Bridport which had lots of lovely accommodation for our other guests. We found Symondsbury Manor in the weeks following our engagement on the internet and visited in November last year….we knew it was right immediately!
No we did all the planning ourselves. Linda from Vintage Dorset who provided vintage crockery, the afternoon tea, flowers for the tables and bunting, went beyond the call of duty and also helped with some of the minutia such as reminding me to get napkins, organising bar staff etc. (www.vintagedorset.co.uk)
I found my dress at a vintage wedding fair (www.vintageweddingfair.co.uk) which was held in Shepherd’s Bush town hall at the end of last year. I saw somebody else trying it on and was devastated because it was so beautiful….luckily she was just there to support her friend and was trying dresses on for fun. When I worked this out I asked if I could try on the dress and the moment I donned it I knew it was right. I’m quite small, 5’3 and a size 8, so the length of the dress, just above the knee was perfect, as it didn’t engulf me. I wanted a short, lace, vintage dress and the dress I found at the fair was actually the dress I had in my head….that never usually works out…but this time it did. I went to the vintage wedding fair with my friends Anushe (who was also our wedding photographer extraordinaire www.anushe.com/) and Jess and they agreed that the dress was the one the moment I put it on.
Vintage lace with crystal beading on the bodice. I had the sleeves and hem length shortened at the alterations boutique in Marylebone. (www.alterationsboutique.co.uk)
Fuchsia stappy sandals from Kurt Geiger (www.kurtgeiger.com) with pearl brooches from Accessorize (www.accessorize.com).
A diamond necklace that my parents had made for me in Sri Lanka, a Swarovski crystal bracelet (www.swarovski.com) and of course my Tiffany’s engagement ring.
My beautiful vintage inspired feather headpiece was made by Karin Andreasson at www.karinandreasson.com. I first bought a headpiece from Karin a few years ago from her stall at Broadway market. She incorporates vintage French lace and jewels into her pieces so she came straight to mind when I was considering what would go with my vintage wedding dress. I attached a birdcage veil from www.lilybella.co.uk to Karin’s the headpiece by Karin.
A vintage military jacket from the 1920s which he wears when he is performing with his band Gilbert. It’s from Portebello Road Market. Shirt and tweed trousers from Aubin and Wills (www.aubinandwills.com) and vintage braces, shoes and bow tie from Brick Lane.
My sister Samantha was my bridesmaid and her pale blue, floral cocktail dress was from www.wheelsanddollbaby.com. Maisie, Leonie, Darcy and Lucy were our little flower girls and their dresses and the page boy’s Milen and Will’s shirts were from www.tulipandnettle.com
The table centres were floral arrangements in vintage teapots by www.vintagedorset.co.uk and the name cards which doubled up as favours as they were packets of wildflower seeds were from www.wildfower-favours.co.uk as were the order of service booklets and the invitations. We also had white tealight holders with cut out heart shapes from www.nordichouse.co.uk
Flowers in teapots and teacups and vintage table cloths and bunting by www.vintagedorset.co.uk
Flowers in jam jars up and down the aisle and a floral arch under which we got married all by Denise at www.visionsfloraldesign.co.uk
Tea lights hanging from trees, in coloured jam jars, on tables and in hurricane lamps. All tea light holders from www.nordichouse.co.uk
Ducks from a ladybird book in frames from urban outfitters on each table.
Large tapestry made for our wedding day with our names and wedding date which we put at the front of the marquee made by our friend Claire Tanner.
Personalised packets of wild flower seeds from www.wildflower-favours.co.uk
Flowers, Denise at www.visionsfloraldesign.co.uk
www.vintagedorset.co.uk for a delicious afternoon tea and vintage crockery hire and www.toptablecaterers.co.uk for a tasty evening BBQ
Denise at www.visionsfloraldesign.co.uk also made our cake. It was the most beautiful three tier cake, one layer was strapped, the other polka dotted and the other with tiny icing flowers. The whole thing was in pastel pinks, blues, greens and white with fresh peonies atop it. It was a fruitcake and entirely delicious as well as gorgeous….I’ve never seen such a beautiful cake!!
‘Gilbert’, Matthew’s band who are made up of Matthew, Maud, Jacqui, Brian and Roger, performed a magical set of their eclectic music…some of it quirky and poppy and great for dancing to, some of it sublimely beautiful and twinkly, perfect whilst guests were mingling and daydreaming in the sunshine, and much of it beautifully romantic without ever being cheesy, ideal for stolen moments to be treasured forever. And as they wear beautiful vintage costumes and have an array of instruments from violins to melodicas they were perfect for adding a touch of uber cool vintage theatricality to our wedding. Bookings at www.myspace.com/gilbertlinley . Very good-value PA hire from www.onetwosounds.co.uk
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Ahhhh, this wedding is right up my street and so, so beautiful!! So lovely to see a couple who reflected their personalities and style so well! Congratulations on a stunning wedding day – and it looked like a fantastic do!
Beautiful and congratulations! That cake is to die for, uber pretty! x
I know, stunning! XxX
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