14

Jul

2014

Bridget & Sam’s Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

Happy Monday folks! How was your weekend? I celebrated the wedding of my dear friends Rachel and Chris yesterday which was just lovely. It made a change to be at an actual real life wedding rather than writing about them – a real treat. Today’s wedding is a corker. Now it goes without saying that all weddings (you would hope) are filled with love and friends and family and all the things that mean so much to a couple, and this one, submitted by the lovely Laura Ellen Photography is no different. However this one, really made me want to be there amongst it all, to experience every bit. I imagined myself as a guest, watching Bridget and Sam say their vows under a big oak tree. I could sense a nip in the air and the warmth from sitting under blankets in the spring sunshine and I definitely wanted to throw some shapes on the dancefloor with all the other shape-throwers. A really ‘happy’ wedding to start the week. Enjoy!

‘Our wedding was a true expression of our relationship and our hopes for the future. It was relaxed and fun, and we were surrounded and supported by the people we love and care about.’

1 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography 2 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

Bridget and Sam were married on the 6th April at Swallowtail Hill Farm in East Sussex- the ceremony was held under an oak tree on the property. “We were looking for somewhere relaxed and informal – a friend of mine recommended the ‘Canopy and Stars’ website for a holiday, and I noticed they had a wedding section. Swallowtail Hill Farm was the first place we looked at, and the decision was easy- mainly because of their amazing glamping accommodation. It was a small wedding with just 60 guests, as this was only the second of our three weddings! We were also married in a registry office in Richmond, and a winery on the Mornington Peninsula in Australia.”

3 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

4 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

How they met
We met online, after my housemate dared me to join up (after a few wines one night at home). I love telling people how I met my husband after my very first online date.

The proposal
Sam proposed at the Isabella plantation, at Richmond Park. It was where we went for our second date, and one of our favourite places in London. He was so nervous; he forgot to take his sunglasses off.

5 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

6 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

7 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

8 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

9 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

10 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

11 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

How did you allocate your budget?
Because of the whole three weddings thing, our money needed to be allocated very carefully. Venue hire was a big expense, as well as food and booze as both of these things are important to us. But we really tried to cut down on smaller details, like flowers and cake to save money.

Why did you choose your photographer?
Laura was recommended through another photographer- we loved her relaxed and informal style. She really managed to capture the fun and whimsical atmosphere we were looking for.

13 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

14 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

16 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

17 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

18 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

19 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

The dress and accessories
My dress was by Joanne Fleming design, a Brighton based designer. I had white ‘wedding’ wellies for the ceremony and tramping around the farm, and Vivienne Westwood for Melissa shoes for the marquee. My necklace was borrowed from my mother.

The suit and bridesmaids
My husband’s outfit was from Gieves & Hawkes, in Sloane Square. I didn’t want to force my sister, as my only bridesmaid, into any particular dress, especially as we live in opposite sides of the world. So I told her to choose whatever she wanted- luckily I loved it! It was from Alannah Hill, one of our mutual favourite Melbourne-based designers.

20 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

21 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

22 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

23 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

24 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

25 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

26 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

27 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

28 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

The theme
Nothing we did intentionally- we ended up with quite a ‘country fete’ feeling, but I think that was mostly because of the wellies everyone was wearing. A necessity on a muddy farm!

The flowers
My mother in law did all the floral arrangements herself. My mother, sister, mother in law and myself all headed off horribly early one morning to Covent Garden Flower Market. I wanted more of a ‘wildflower’, casual feeling, which she arranged perfectly. She also made my bouquet.

The decoration
Just the flowers, candles and the cake stands and teapots for the afternoon tea- and lots and lots of blankets. It was a bitterly cold day!

29 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

30 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

31 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

34 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

The food and wedding cake
We started off with afternoon tea and mulled wine before the ceremony. For dinner, we had a hog roast, which everyone assures me was absolutely delicious. I cannot remember a thing about the food! We didn’t have a wedding cake – that was one of the things we did without to save money. Instead, we put together an amazing cheese board, thanks to La Fromagerie in Marylebone. We both love cheese!

The entertainment
While Sam and I were off having our photos taken, we had a magician to entertain the guests. After dinner, we had a DJ, and a firepit outside.

38 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

39 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

40 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

41 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

Buy or DIY your stationery?
DIY- Sam’s brother was kind enough to design a lovely invitation, with a drawing of an oak tree, drawn by Sam’s mother. My mother then made all the placenames, with her beautiful calligraphy and a stamp of an oak leaf.

Personal or handmade touches
Just the invitations and the place-names.

44 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

45 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

46 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

47 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

48 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

Special moments
Walking up the aisle together- we decided to skip the whole ‘giving away the bride’ thing and walk up together. Taking off around Swallowtail Hill Farm to take the photos. Sitting around the fire at the end of the evening, after most of the guests had left and it was just us and our friends.

Advice to other couples
Don’t stress about the small stuff. Spending more money doesn’t mean more fun, so concentrate on what is important to you as a couple, and focus on that.

Biggest surprise
The weather! The day before, we were setting up the marquee in the snow. The morning of the wedding was cloudy and drizzly. An hour before the guests arrived, the clouds cleared and we had one of those beautiful crisp, clear spring afternoons. The next day, it was back to cloudy and drizzly. It felt like it had been designed for us.

49 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

50 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

51 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

52 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

54 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

55 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

56 Bridget & Sam's Intimate Outdoor Farm Wedding. By Laura Ellen Photography

Supplier Shout Outs:

 

For more information on Laura’s work please go to:

Website – lauraellenphotography.co.uk
Blog – lauraellenphotography.co.uk/blog
FACEBOOK
@Shmoo_Legs

A couple of lines… I’m a Sussex-based photographer who likes to keep my style fun, intuitive and real. Getting to know my wedding clients is one of my favourite things. I love the people, the excitement, the tension, the intimate moments, the beautiful details, the laughter, the love, the crazy dancing and everything in between! I want to capture every delightful, whimsical, romantic, blissful, glamorous, honest and real moment of the day with images that will make you grin with that warmth and fuzziness that a wedding day brings.

 

 

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