This is one of those gorgeous English weddings that makes your realise why Americans love Richard Curtis films {think Four Weddings and a Funeral}. It's perfectly pretty and filled with all sorts of wedding inspiration, from the cute countryside church, to the gorgeous Daimler {correct me if I'm wrong!}, and the lovely vintage bus. Anna's parents hosted the reception at their house, and with its red front door and stunning garden, I can't think of anywhere better. My favourite wedding details to copy include the elegant towering candlesticks on the tables, Ann's cute tiara, her stunning
Rosa Clara dress, and the amazing chocolate wedding cake, DIY'd by Anna's mother. I'm really loving the
Tom Redman Photography of this wedding, in particular the pictures of Anna and Ryan's first dance - simply stunning! Don't miss Anna's answers to the Before the Big Day Bride's Questionnaire {below} - she reveals all her favourite vendors, plus helpful tips on how to plan your own big day.
The Before the Big Day Bridal Q&A - Anna was kind enough to fill in our questionnaire, aimed at helping other brides with their planning process. Feast your eyes on her answers for helpful hints and tips from someone on the other side of her big day!
Where and when did you get married?
We got married on Saturday 12th June 2010. Our wedding ceremony took place in a beautiful church in Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire and our reception was held nearby in the grounds of my parent’s home.
What was your thinking behind choosing the venue and the decoration of the reception?
We looked in to hosting our reception at various venues but many had restricted space and room size. Since our guest list included over 150 people, we were really struggling to find a venue big enough. Choosing to have a marquee in the garden seemed like a great solution. In the end I think it really worked out for the best. It was so special to be married from home and with a marquee you can choose every aspect of the décor, right down to the colour of the carpet and the style of chandeliers, which was great since I had a very set idea of what I wanted everything to look like.
Did you have a theme, colour or motif in mind?
We had no particular theme but wanted to keep everything very classic.
Who made your wedding outfit and how did you come to that decision?
My dress and veil were made by Rosa Clara. I tried on a lot of dresses but none seemed right- I was looking for something with a really full skirt but most I tried on seemed to swamp me. As soon as I tried on my dress I knew it was the right one- it had a full skirt but also a drop waist, which was unusual and really suited my figure. I also absolutely fell in love with the simple and delicate detailing. My shoes were Christian Louboutin and my beautiful hair accessory was Jenny Packham.
What about your husband’s outfit? Where was it from?
My husband wore a hired suit but I wanted him to stand out from the other men in the wedding party so I chose him a Paul Smith waistcoat to wear, since that’s his favourite fashion designer.
And what about your bridesmaids dresses? Where did they come from and how did you choose them?
The bridesmaid dresses were bought from Net-A-Porter. I wanted to find something that all my bridesmaids would enjoy wearing, which was quite a challenge, but the dresses I found were fresh and young and they all looked stunning on the day.
What type of cake did you go for, and how did you come to that decision? Who made it?
My Mum made both my brothers’ wedding cakes and so I knew right away that I would like her to make mine too. It was a delicious three-tiered chocolate cake and the florist decorated it beautifully in the wedding flowers- roses and peonies.
Did you have any favours? What were they? Was there any particular reason why you picked them?
Each guest was given a box of Rococo Chocolates, chosen simply because they are delicious!
What florist and flowers did you choose, and how did you come to that decision?
We used Dorothy Shaw Florists in Amersham. We’ve known them for years - they did my christening flowers when I was a baby, and their displays are exquisite.
Did you have any entertainment at your wedding (DJ / Band / Magician)?
My husband and I had quite some difficulty deciding on music for the church ceremony - he wanted traditional hymns and I wanted more modern worship songs. In the end we had both, with a choir, organist, string quartet, worship band and trumpeter! It was quite a challenge to co-ordinate all the musicians, but well worth it. We also had the string quartet playing while drinks and canapés were served on the lawn as guests arrived at the reception. My husband’s step-dad is in a band and he organised all the evening music for us, it was fantastic.
Who was your photographer and how did you choose them?
We used Tom Redman Photography. Tom did the photography at my brother’s wedding a few years ago and did such a fantastic job, we really wanted him to photograph ours too. Even so, we were quite blown away when we saw how incredible his photos from our wedding turned out to be! Tom managed to capture on film some beautiful moments, as well as taking some stunning posed shots, his photographs are completely natural- he seems to have a great talent for putting everyone at their ease.
Did you enjoy planning your wedding?
Of course! It was great fun.
What advice do you have for brides planning their big day?
Make lists of everything- even tiny jobs- the biggest worry is that you will forget to do something! Once you have a checklist of things to achieve each month in the run up to the wedding, it becomes a lot easier to stay focused.
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