Fiona in Bon Bride for her Chic Garden Party Wedding With Upcycled Decor & a Rustic Vibe

Fiona, an equipment purchaser for a excessive avenue retailer,  married her love Joe, a building venture supervisor, on twentieth May this yr, at The Beacon in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

The couple took inspiration from the idea of an elegant backyard celebration, with a country, female, shabby-chic aesthetic – the bride describing the general vibe of the day as ‘modern-day Little House on the Prairie’ – all frills, bows, embroidery and classic lace.

And we completely adore her gown by former trend purchaser now bridal designer, Pippa of Bon Bride.

Photography by Lottie Topping – take pleasure in!

The Groom

Joe wore a bespoke, custom-made go well with from Hardman & Hemming Tailors, a neighborhood tailor. Joe’s Dad additionally had his go well with made there and it was one thing they did collectively. Joe cherished attending to know them, they made all of the appointments fun and have been so proficient and accommodating. We additionally looked for practically a yr to discover a double breasted gray waistcoat for an inexpensive worth, we couldn’t discover this anyplace. For the fits, we didn’t go down the normal route.

Joe wished lounge fits however with the kind of waistcoat historically worn with a morning go well with. We managed to discover a gray double-breasted waistcoat from Dobell in a measurement too small. The tailors then took the again panel off and changed with the liner from the go well with and made it match. The lining they used was a printed silk with illustrations of Venice, which was Joe and my first vacation collectively again in 2018.

We met ten years in the past in 2012. Joe was doing his a ranges and I had simply graduated from college so we have been at very totally different levels of life – Joe about to go to uni, I had simply completed and was about to maneuver to London. We met working in a neighborhood division retailer.

There was all the time a spark between us. We used to stumble upon one another through the years out in our hometown normally at Christmas or Easter. Then in 2017 we each have been single and each dwelling again in our hometown, we met up over Christmas and the remaining is historical past.

We have been collectively for about three and a half years earlier than we grew to become engaged and have been engaged for a yr.

The Dress

I purchased my gown direct from Pippa at Bon Bride. The gown I ended up going with was the very first marriage ceremony gown I ever tried on in order that felt actually particular. I simply knew the second I put it on, regardless that I went on to strive on about 50 extra!

I then had about three fittings with Pippa and one together with her dressmaker. The expertise was so private, so relaxed and enjoyable! Not in any respect pressurising. Pippa was superb, I actually loved the entire expertise of attending to know her and I regarded ahead to all my appointments in her studio at her home. We made design tweaks to the gown collectively to make it really feel extra like my very own. I had the very best expertise.

I normally put on fairly floaty, outsized, smocky garments however on the day, my gown was tremendous minimalist and determine hugging. Not one thing I normally can be so assured to put on. Nobody anticipated me to put on one thing so fitted and fairly understated. I cherished stunning everybody.

I additionally made it extra me with my equipment and a few of the bespoke particulars I added akin to little pearls on the sleeves. I felt so assured carrying the gown, it was so unhappy taking it off.  I all the time thought I’d go for multiple gown but it surely’s so true if you discover the right gown, you need to put on it for as a lot time as attainable.

In the morning, I additionally employed a silk bardot lace robe from Sleeper by way of Hurr. I’ve cherished it for years and eventually had an excuse to put on it. I felt so comfy and I wished to really feel comfy and glam while getting my hair and make-up performed. Sleeper the model just about optimise my very own private fashion and I really like hiring for clothes you’ll undoubtedly on put on as soon as for a specific purpose.

Veil, Accessories & Jewellery

Being an equipment purchaser, the sneakers and equipment for me have been so vital to me! I had two pairs of sneakers, did the overall reverse of what most Brides would go for – fairly understated mid heel mules for the day and secondhand 5 inch metallic Gucci mules for the night.

My day sneakers have been beautiful off white strappy leather-based mules from By Far which I purchased within the sale from Net a Porter. The secondhand Gucci’s I discovered on depop, I had these specific heels pinned on a Pinterest board for years and years.

I wore a veil from my finest pal and Maid of Honour’s model – Eden b Studio. I instructed Hannah what I wished and he or she designed it for me, I knew I wished a frill trim. Initially, I had wished a shorter, fashionable veil but it surely didn’t work with my gown so Hannah tailored the design and made it right into a Chapel size veil. Wearing a veil was an absolute no brainer for me as I knew there isn’t a different time you can ever put on one!

My hair equipment have been all in fact from Eden b Studio Hannah made me three bespoke hair items (in addition to equipment for all of the bridesmaids and the MOB). I’ve seen Eden b go from energy to energy, I used to be Hannah’s first hair mannequin when she made her first items and we shot the photographs towards my kitchen wall with an iPhone. Now she runs one of many main bridal accent companies. Hannah made me a tulle flower headband with mini pearls to match the main points in my gown, a beautiful chiffon bow to put on with my veil and a gold spray rose flower crown with Swarovski crystals for a night look.

We had fairly a couple of out of hours conferences, I additionally despatched Hannah many a moodboard after which Hannah designed and made the items accordingly to all my concepts.

I wore my Mum’s fragrance really – Jo Malone Red Roses. She sprayed our actual rose petal confetti with it too.

It was my birthday the day earlier than the marriage. Joe gifted me some diamond stud earrings that had been a part of his Mums engagement ring. He had all the time wished to make use of the ring in a roundabout way. I wore these within the night, which felt actually particular.

I additionally employed a shrimps Antonia bag from Hurr, once more, retaining in theme with the pearls and regarded very cute with my bouquet. Everyone instructed me a bridal bag wasn’t a factor however I ignored them. My photographer Lottie cherished the bag so it acquired lots of air time. I additionally made essentially the most of it and used it the night time earlier than for my bridesmaid/birthday dinner and drinks.

I wore stunning Pearl threader chain drop earrings from Lily & Roo for the day. Pearls have been a working element all through all of the equipment (however worn in a really up to date manner). My one thing blue was a 3 stone crystal ring from Shyla Jewellery.

The Ceremony

We didn’t tailor our vows however we wished the ceremony to really feel distinctive and never generic. We had my cousin, who’s an expert opera singer carry out Once upon a dream and Hallelujah. Leon String Quartet performed the music.

We additionally all sang ‘Stand by me’ while my cousin Flora and Leon String Quartet carried out. We had included the lyrics in our order of service. It was an incredible second, everyone went for it!

We additionally had torrential rain on the morning of the marriage, Lottie and all of the suppliers really have been so calm and optimistic with a minimum of three backup plans to get the right pictures. It did take over the morning a bit however Lottie was extraordinarily upbeat and made the very best of it. The solar really ended up popping out mid ceremony which was an incredible present stopping second.

I feel everybody says this however certainly one of my favorite moments was having quarter-hour alone along with our photographer and videographer. It was after the dinner/speeches – we practiced our first dance and simply had a couple of minutes alone collectively to absorb the day.

We additionally selected Tessa from Timeless Videography. Again, Tessa is a Kent based mostly videographer. We cherished that Tessa was fairly new to the business, she didn’t have too many examples of her work after we first acquired in contact however what we had seen, we cherished. Again, her appear and feel was much like Lottie our photographer and Tessa couldn’t have been extra pretty and heat.

Neither pressured us into extras or selecting their most costly package deal, they each have been very real and felt joyful to be part of the day and wanting the very best for us.

Florist

We selected Hayley from Cacti & Wildflower. I had admired her bouquets and work for a couple of years. I’d purchased a few bouquets for birthdays up to now from her. She is a studio-based florist. I all the time cherished her bouquets and that she had such a particular look. They are all the time so fashionable and funky however nonetheless fairly and female.

Hayley was so fast to come back again to me, didn’t thoughts me Whatsapping her inspo footage 24-7, was actually sincere about what was inexpensive/what would work and never work and many others and helped create my imaginative and prescient for me with out blowing my finances. I had chatted to some earlier marriage ceremony florists who simply weren’t as up for brainstorming and serving to me create one thing a bit totally different.

I cherished that Hayley was completely open to any thought I had and he or she was so enthusiastic about weddings, you possibly can inform she simply loves what she does and he or she loves weddings. When I discussed, I wished my bridesmaid to have all totally different, unmatching bouquets, she couldn’t have been extra excited and stated she’d been determined for someone to ask her that. She simply made the planning course of so enjoyable.

Ribbons on the bouquets have been from Pracownia Mayflower sourced by Hayley. They are hand dyed uncooked edge ribbons, I had blush for the bridesmaids and off white for me. We tied them into oversize bows.

Our cake was by Hollie, from The Cake Labs, a neighborhood cake maker who occurs to be certainly one of Joe’s pals from faculty. Holly is the particular person to go to in Tunbridge Wells for a present stopping cake. Holly really sketched out a design for us based mostly on my concepts.
We went for one thing a bit quirky, based mostly on a household joke.

Instead of conventional bride and groom cake topper, she made us essentially the most cute Shrek and Fiona bride and groom cake toppers actually in our outfits.

How she made it look stylish and never gimmicky was excellent as that’s what I wished. We went for a 3 tier cake – backside tier was a wild flower iced salted caramel base, center a blush pink iced rhubarb and rose flavour and the highest was a semi bare iced final lemon and elderflower. She additionally made further gluten free and vegan muffins to accommodate our visitors. She is a real expertise and cake queen.

The Beacon supplies the catering. We attended a tasting and selected our menu from the alternatives given to make it our personal. It was a sit down three course dinner. There wasn’t an empty plate.

Evening & Dancing

For leisure, we selected one thing a bit totally different. I fell in love with stay occasion illustrator Aaron’s work after seeing a marriage characteristic on a web-based trend and life-style journal. Aaron, occasion illustrator is a stay marriage ceremony illustrator who paints your ceremony scene after which stay illustrates visitors in 15 minute bursts as a fantastic souvenirs of the day.

He is extraordinarily proficient and it felt so particular and distinctive.

We additionally had a classic fashion cream campervan photobooth referred to as Pushka! The firm known as Buttercup Bus, they’re a neighborhood enterprise once more. They had fab props, supplied a beautiful guestbook, appears so consistent with our venue and theme and so they even adorned the van with bunting in accordance with my color scheme.

They have been positioned within the entrance automobile park and have been tremendous accommodating. Some visitors didn’t realise we had this till in a while and so they had began to pack up however have been joyful to re arrange and keep on even longer than we had booked. It was so enjoyable and we had superb photograph proof of all our visitors antics! We cherished it.

We additionally had a DJ – they’re the Beacon advisable provider and so they have been good. A combination of our decisions and their advisable. We didn’t have a quiet dance flooring for any stretch of the night. The vibe was precisely as we hoped. We had an actual mixture of bangers and genres – Spice Girls and Abba have been the necessities for me.

When we have been first collectively, Joe’s household embarrassed me by taking part in ‘I’m a believer’ from Shrek across the dinner desk the place all of them began signing and dancing. It’s a little bit of a household fave now and we wouldn’t of had the rest. We made up a bit foolish dance routine and it was certainly one of our favorite moments of the entire day. We’ve been requested to reenact at a couple of household bbqs since. Our DJ was employed by way of Mint DJs.

It didn’t even really feel like our suppliers have been even working at our marriage ceremony, they felt like visitors. I hung out acknowledging and appreciating their work and attending to know them. And not so deep, maintain your bouquet decrease than what feels pure! I had mine held so excessive the day.

I really like that Love My Dress is about bridal-fashion – your web page is so fashionable and that was my aim for my marriage ceremony. I feel Love My Dress is genuine and inclusive with out feeling pressured or contrived. I really like that you simply’re a pioneer for feminine based companies too. Its simply stuffed with positivity which I really like.