10

Jan

2013

Katie and Jonny’s Relaxed Festival Style Farm Wedding with Loads of DIY Details by Anthony Ball

There is a long list of things I love about today’s wedding which has been sent into me by Anthony Ball . First of all there is the farm location and festival feel to the whole day, (you know how much I love a good farm wedding) there is the outdoor ceremony, the hay bales, (again, got to love a hay bale!) the flowers. Most of all though I love just how chilled out and relaxed the day is. It really goes to show that weddings don’t have to be full of tradition if you don’t want them to be!

‘Relaxed festival feel. Best day ever.’

Farm Wedding Farm Wedding

Katie and Jonny who were married on 1st Sept 2012. ‘Our aim from the very beginning was to have a very relaxed festival vibe, so we went to Bristol registry office at 9.30 in the morning for a small civil ceremony with parents and siblings only. We then had a blessing service and the reception at Plusterwine Farm, in Aylburton. We had 160 guests and it took 7 months to plan.’

Farm Wedding

Farm Wedding

How did they met
We met on a night out in Bristol in a bar called Mr Wolfs, (we are not advocating drunken nights out, but it worked for us!). We have been together for 4 years.

The proposal
We were on holiday in Thailand for 2 weeks over the new year, and Jonny popped the question while drinking a beer watching the sunset over a beautiful beach. However the best bit about this story is that this is not how he had planned it……..he took the ring when we went on a snorkelling trip and had planned to knock coral together so fish would surround the rocks and the ring, and once the fish then swam away the ring would appear before my eyes………he did not realise that wearing a snorkel mask and having a beard do not go well together……..his mask filled up with sea water straight away so he was unable to snorkel or propose underwater!

wedding sign outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm flower arch flower arch hay bale people wedding sign

The venue
We chose Plusterwine Farm as it had a suitable field that was big enough for a large marquee and outdoor blessing space, the views were beautiful over the River Severn and Cotswolds to the other side and the farm had a campsite so all our friends who travelled long distances had somewhere nearby to stay. The fact that my family come from a farming background and we are both from rural areas made this location and the farm in particular a perfect choice for us.

How did you choose your photographer?
My mum had seen an advert in the local pub! We then looked at the website and met Tony and he was great.

bride and bridesmaid bride and bridesmaid bride and bridesmaid

The dress 
Dress: Ivory, empress line floaty dress, with cross strap with flowers. From “Just for you Bridal” in Bristol
Shoes: flat sandals from local shop
Accessories: pearl drop earrings from Inca in Bristol, bracelet that my granddad had given to my Gran when they got engaged. Fresh flowers in hair.

The suit and bridesmaids
Groom’s suit: Dark grey trousers and waistcoat from Next, light blue shirt from M&S
Bridesmaid: Royal blue knee length chiffon dress from ebay!

outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm

Theme/Colour scheme
We were aiming for natural more than anything but with hints of blue, white, yellow and greens.

Flowers
We used a friends mum who is an ex-florist for help and advice. We bought the flowers from Bristol Flower market. We chose yellow, white, blue and green flowers. Crysanthemums, hydrangeas, sunflowers, stocks, gypsophilia, craspedia, lots of natural greenery was picked from hedgerows

Decoration
The majority was homemade: bunting, hessian tables cloths, tin can vases with twine tied round. Other things included: hop bines around the marquee poles, the flowers were a huge part of the decoration and we had milk churns filled with them.

outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm outdoor wedding ceremony on Plusterwine Farm

Food
Pimms and canapés for after the reception. BBQ style buffet made up of local sausages, marinated chicken strips, salmon fillets and veg kebabs, lots of yummy salads and the best cheesecakes and gateaux’s ever

Entertainment
We provided a bouncy castle and space hoppers as a bit of a laugh. Music came from a friend who dj’d for us before and after the band played. The band were ‘Baila la cumbia’ and were a Cuban funk band. They definitely got everyone dancing!

bride and groom at their outdoor festival wedding bride and groom at their outdoor festival wedding bride and groom at their outdoor festival wedding bride and groom at their outdoor festival wedding bride and groom at their outdoor festival wedding bride and groom at their outdoor festival wedding bride and groom at their outdoor festival wedding

Personal touches/DIY Details
• We erected the haybale aisle ourselves with the help of the farmer and his tractor, flower arch at the end of aisle was made by all our helpers.
• Homemade bunting, tin can vases inside the marquee
• The favours were chilli sauce and bath bombs- both home made.
• Table names and pictures were places that meant something to us both i.e. places we have lived or been on holiday.
• We created quizzes for each tables to allow people to get to know each other better.
• Jonnys Mum had made two of our 3 wedding cakes (fruit and coffee), and she had a 3-tiered chocolate cake made for us as well.
• We had 2 friends who played an acoustic funky version of ‘here comes the bride’ as we walked down the aisle as we couldn’t think of a good enough tune!
• Another friend had written us an acoustic song and so played that too.
• Our guest booked was bits of papers with our guests pictures on that they wrote message on- these are now in a scrap book.
• A family friend conducted the blessing service for us so this was all very personal,
We wrote our own promises to each other
• Our wedding night was spent in a bell tent provided by ‘faraway hideaway’ based in Hereford who decked it out with bunting, candles, rugs, pillows, chocolates, champagne.

honeymoon yurt honeymoon yurt honeymoon yurt groomesmen groomsmen on space hoppers

Special moments
I have so many a few highlights were- our promises to each other which we had written, and I had trouble saying them as I was holding back my tears! Our friends did 2 readings in the blessing service, one about winnie the pooh and one about dinosaurs- they both captured the relaxed and informal atmosphere of the day. The best mans speech was one of the best any one had ever heard (and seen- with cartoon props!)

Advice
Relax, don’t stress and enjoy it. Also gather as many friends as possible to do jobs, allocate tasks to and help out- pre and during. Our family and friends were amazing and I doubt it would have been as good without them.

Biggest surprise
The weather! It was sunny and warm on the Saturday even though the week had been rainy and grey.
How amazing the location looked going from an empty field into a wedding venue!

wedding reception hay bales hay bales flowers in a milk churn wedding reception at night time

 

Supplier shout Outs

 

For more information on Anthony’s work go to:

www.anthonyballphotography.co.uk
www.anthonyballphotography.co.uk/blog
FACEBOOK

 

Why not visit our Supplier Directory

Comments

    Only Bridesmaids

    A romantic, rustic like wedding…the landscape helped them too, with all that sky in colors that let me wordless but the full merit is for the couple. Congrats!

    Reply
    Michael

    What an amazing & fun wedding – such a great idea for closest friends and family to enjoy themselves. Love the last picture of the lit tent at dusk. Just fab.

    Reply
    Julie Jenkins. Reflections Hair Salon. Lydney,Glos.Gl15 5DD

    As hairdresser to bride Kate and mum Carrie can I say what a delight.
    Mum Carrie has been a client of ‘Reflections for many years. Bride Kate doesn’t live local and so we had not met until the trial session. My brief was to produce a very casual hairstyle to suit a country wedding. Kate was so laid back about the whole wedding but extremely organised and I am not surprised that it turned out to be such a unique and Fabulous occasion.
    Thank you Kate for choosing us to help make your day so special.
    Wishing you both many years of happiness together,
    from the team
    at Reflections.

    Reply
    Joanne

    What a fantastic and different wedding you both had..I’m so glad I’ve seen and read up on your amazing day..We are thinking of having a festival wedding too..Thankyou for sharing it with everyone..
    Jo & Mark.

    Reply

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