Christa and Viren’s Pink and Orange Extravaganza at Preston Court by Cotton Candy Photography

Happy Monday everyone, we have a wonderful week of weddings for you this week, starting off with this brilliantly bright and colourful wedding held at Preston Court in Canterbury. Christa and Viren chose Preston Court as it really had the wow factor for them, it also meant they could hold the outdoor ceremony that they wanted, and also allowed their dogs to be present at the wedding. With a wonderful colour scheme of pink and orange, this wedding has to be one of my favourites this year. I LOVE Preston Court as a wedding venue, and this bright and cheerful colour scheme really works well against the backdrop of the barn and the outdoor carousel. Both Christa and Viren look stunning, and the whole day really does have the wow factor they were looking for. Great work from Cotton Candy Photography who have captured the day perfectly.

Hopefully our guests would say it was a happy, colourful, fun occasion that represented us well! We tried to have elements that were special to us both – so the dogs, the books, the vintage elements were true to both of us, but the Malaysian food was a nod to Viren, and the bright colours was for me.

Christa and Viren Swami were married (with dogs Reggie and Brick as witnesses!) on the 9th July 2016 at Preston Court, Canterbury, in a ceremony on Juliana’s Island and a reception in the barn. ‘We were looking for a special place with an outdoor feel, a wow factor – and somewhere that would let our dogs be part of the day! When we visited the venue – and saw the carousel, in particular- it felt the right venue for us. We had 100 guests during the day plus 30 extra at night. We booked Preston Court in April 2015 – so around 15 months of planning.’

How they met
We met online and have been together for almost four years now.

The Proposal
Viren used to be terribly romantic and was always arranging surprises like trips to the theatre etc.. one day he announced we were going away for a mystery weekend and it turned out to be Paris! He’d booked a room at the Shangri-La in that overlooked the Eiffel Tower and there were rose petals and champagne etc… He actually kinda stumbled over the words but the romance and sentiment was beautiful nonetheless.

How did you allocate your budget?
We knew venue and food were our top priorities so sorted them out together and worked down from there. Viren did music and wedding favours, Christa did most other things.

Where did you splurge and where did you save?
Our venue was a splurge, as was our caterer – we decided to go with Ping Coombes, who is a Malaysian chef who won UK Masterchef in 2014. We love our food and Viren is Malaysian also, so having Ping was a bit of a dream come true!

Why did you choose your photographer?
I think Gem was on a list of approved suppliers by the venue – either way, we saw she had done loads of weddings there before and we just loved her quirky shots and use of weird filters and retro cameras. We met up with her before we signed the contract and both knew she was just who we wanted to capture the big day.

The Dress
My dress was Raimon Bundo, from Angelica Bridal in Islington. My shoes we just sandals from Office! My accessories were presents from Viren (from Not On The High Street I think)

The Suit
Viren’s suit was from Ted Baker. His (and Reggie and Brick’s) Bow tie were from Le Colonel Moutarde. Bridesmaids outfits were from Anthropologie and Oliver Bonas

Theme or Colour Scheme
Colourful! I wanted a broad palette of pink and orange from magenta and coral through to soft pink and peach shades. We wanted the day to be fun and a bit vintage carnivalesque, but without feeling like a circus.

Flowers
Quite a mix – with large peonies and roses being central to the arrangements.

Decoration
As with the above, lots of colour, in what was hopefully an organised but relaxed look. Loads of coloured paper lanterns hanging from the ceilings, flowers in mini milk churn buckets on the table, and wedding favours/ place cards that were old penguin novels wrapped in lace string. I wanted it to be messy but colourful and abundant.

Food
Ping provided canapes, before there was a 3-course sitting down meal including a Lou Sang salad, a lamb curry and a white chocolate and pandan pannacotta. In the evening we served bao, which are asian steamed buns.

Wedding Cake
It was a four-tiered ombre cake by a lovely local supplier called The Whitstable Cake company. The rose and raspberry tier was amazing!

Entertainment
We had a band called The Vintage Journeymen, who  were great. We also had games set up outside the barn as well as a photo booth.

Who supplied the stationery?
We did it ourselves.

Personal Touches
We did little things ourselves, such as preparing the wedding favours (which took hours!)

Special Moments
Just seeing how happy all our guests looked when we actually got married. I don’t think we’ll ever forget that feeling of being so surrounded by people who loved us. Also Viren’s speech was pretty awesome!

Advice for Other Couples
Viren and I did mood boards before we started any planning – it really helped to identify where we were on the same page (and where we weren’t!). Meet with as many suppliers as you can because even though it was a faff at times, once you know them you’ll feel a lot more confident about the process. Have a handful of trusted friends who can step in to problem-solve on the day without having to ask you first

Biggest Surprise of the Day
That a single day would still make us feel this happy so many months afterwards!

Supplier Shout Outs

• Venue – Preston Court
• Food – Ping Coombes
• Cake – Sonja @ The Whitstable Cake company
• Photography – Gem at Cotton Candy
• Music – The Vintage Journeymen
• Make up – Rebecca Brown
• Dress – Angelica Bridal
• Bow Ties – Le Colonel Moutarde
• Flowers from a local supplier

For more information about Gem’s work go to:

www.cottoncandyweddings.co.uk / www.cottoncandyweddings.co.uk/portfolio / [email protected] / 07595 166 159 / FACEBOOK / T: @CCandyWeddings / I: @cottoncandy_gem / PINTEREST

We shoot pretty and feminine wedding photography with a bit of a quirky, alternative edge. We focus on producing images that our clients love and that best reflect them, their style and their day. Our approach combines natural and unobtrusive documentary and fine art digital photography mixed with timeless and unique film photographs. We are huge fans of film photography because it can bring a unique depth and feel to the day, kind of more real and authentic in a way. Shooting film means softer lines, richer colours, unpredictable vignetting, additional blur and pretty light leaks. Shooting film is a bit of a guilty pleasure, the results are often hit and miss but with just one chance to get it right it makes the outcome even more magical. We are based in Southsea, Hampshire. But happy to travel wherever people want to take us.