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‘Marriage in Colour’ Bright and Bold Wedding Inspiration From France
I have been featuring a lot of colour on the blog over the past few...
5
Mar
2013
I have a wonderful wedding today courtesy of the amazing Claire Penn Photography. Claire is a regular to the Blog and I always love featuring her work. This wedding is full of pretty details and if you are a lover of pink, then this one is for you! Claire has captured the day perfectly and has created some gorgeous autumn low light portrait shots which are to die for!
The lovely couple are Nathalie and Dan who were married on 13th October 2012 at the Doubletree by Hilton in Chester. ‘We wanted something that had a neutral colour scheme so that we could do it up how we wanted. We went round loads of venues and lots had dark carpets or something else we didn’t quite like. We were also after something a bit different. The Doubletree has a fantastic converted barn, but the hotel itself is really modern. Once we saw the venue we knew we wanted it straight away. It’s absolutely gorgeous and the wedding coordinators couldn’t do enough for us. We had 60 guests and it took 8 months to plan, it went so quickly!’
How they met
We met as students at Lancaster University. Dan was in the year below and we met during his Fresher’s week, but didn’t start dating till the following year. We got married on our 6 year anniversary.
The proposal
Dan drove us to the Lake District where we stayed at the gorgeous Windermere Suites in the Patterdale room. He made me wait in the car while he took some stuff up to the room (I wasn’t allowed to look). When I got to the room, there were rose petals on the bed, champagne on ice, fairy lights, lots of wrapped presents and an M&S buffet laid out! I’d just got into the room and hadn’t even taken my coat off when I turned round and Dan was on one knee. He was so nervous asking me, but absolutely adorable! We both agree that his words were beautiful… but neither of us can remember what was said. We were just so excited.
Why did you choose your photographer?
We knew we didn’t want a formal photographer, so we ruled that kind of thing out straight away. We started researching reportage style wedding photographers with a vintage feel. We came across Claire online and spent hours looking through all her gorgeous photos on the website. We loved how she captured the little moments beautifully, and all the attention to detail. Claire is easy going and really personable and we knew straight away that we’d get on with her. I think that’s something you really need to look for – a photographer that you feel comfortable around and who puts you at ease. We’re so happy that we chose Claire. She did a fab job and we have fantastic photos to prove it!
The Dress
Dress – Art Couture. Shoes – Gillian by Kurt Geiger which were a pressie from Dan. Side tiara – Arianna. Earrings – Glitzy Secrets. Bracelet – Next
The suit and bridesmaids
Suits by Next. Bridesmaids by Fever London
Theme or colour scheme
Muted pinks and nudes
Flowers
Bouquets of Sweet avalanche roses, memory lane roses, ivory avalanche roses, and ivory spray roses and sprigs of white hydrangea. Collections of pearl beads treaded on wires coming through the bouquet. Buttonholes if Single memory lane rose with smaller ivory spray roses on the side and delicate foliage at the back. Reception flowers, Sweet avalanche roses, memory lane roses, ivory avalanche roses, and ivory spray roses, white bouvardia, pink lissianthus and sprigs of white hydrangea.
Decoration
Tealights, hurricane vases, flower boxes, birdcages, rococo frames, signs. We particularly loved our wedding stationery. I found a greetings card made by Whimsical Wishes online, made in dusky pink with cameo detail. I asked Katrina if she could design menus and bits for our table plan in the same design and what she came up with was gorgeous.
Personal touches
We were very proud of ourselves for making the table plan ourselves. We’d seen some online that we liked, but really loved the one we put together.
The table numbers were also a simple idea. We just printed off numbers and put them in cheap but pretty frames.
Food
Canapés: Lobster and prawn tart with pink pepper corns and saffron. Carpaccio of beef with horseradish, rocket and cracked pepper. Olive and blush tomato bruschetta with mozzarella and basil
Starter: Goats cheese and blush tomato tart with rocket
Main: Rump of lamb with fondant potato, baby vine tomatoes black olive jus
Dessert: Sticky toffee pudding, cream
Evening reception: Fish and chip cones, Candy buffet, Ice cream cart
Entertainment
Oona Linnett – harpist during the ceremony . Kyle Harris wedding singer and disco. Photobooth
Special moments
It felt amazing to walk into the wedding breakfast announced as Mr and Mrs Burwell. All the planning had paid off and there we were – husband and wife.
Advice
Make sure you enjoy it. At the end of the day, it only matters that you love it. And most of all – stop asking other people for advice! It makes you worry about everything and what other people will think. Screw everyone else!
Biggest surprise
Dan surprised me by hiring a vintage ice cream cart for the evening reception. It was so sweet and pink! He’d asked for one of my favourite flavours – Turkish delight.
By far, the biggest surprise is that everything turned out okay! We were so convinced that something would go wrong or not be quite right, but it really was perfect.
Website: www.clairepennphotography.com
Blog: www.clairepenn.com
Email: [email protected]
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Phone: 07729 282519
ohhhhh another fantastic job Claire… your’re the bees knees! I love all the emotion and details. What a lucky couple to have you there to capture this gorgeous wedding! x
What a fantastic lookign wedding – and a STUNNING bride!
Gorgeous photos as always Mrs. Penn!
Oh my goodness, how stunningly captured the love is here!
Gorgeous soppy pictures – lol.
Love the style and you both look gorgeous.. well done :) xoxo
Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! x
Stunning work Claire! Love your style!
Beautiful, simply beautiful x
Beautiful images as always from Claire! I just adore the style and colour scheme.
Absolutely gorgeous, beautiful details and beaufitul moments x
A real cracking set of images – really lovely.
Thanks Kelly for another cracking feature, and thanks for all the lovely comments. To be fair with a couple like Nathalie & Dan, a beautiful wedding and golden light like that I was spoiled. X
WOW! Stunning photos as always from Claire. Loving that light and everything else :)
Nice wedding.This is gorgeous.
Claire, these are so gorgeous. Makes me want to get married again so you can be my photographer. Beautifully captured details and emotions xx
So lovely. what a beautiful couple
I’m also thinking of doing fish and chip cones for evening reception food. Does anyone know who does this in the Chester area. We’re having a garden reception. Thanks.
Looks like a fab wedding. Photographs are lovely.
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