A Glorious Informal Wedding
Another glorious August day, blue skies but brown, rock-hard lawns. DP Marquees did manage, however, to get the pegs in for their traditional two pole marquee and it look magnificent on the lawn in front of the house. Most of the sides were windowed so that guests could still see the big border and the view to the hills.
They provided three tables and parasols for the ha-ha side of the tent which were much in use on the day and all the benches for the ceremony.
01258 452539 / info@dpmarquees.com / dpmarquees.co.uk
Friday brought many friends and relations to finish off the decorations and catering arrangements started the day before.
A catering gazebo was put up by the summer house and filled with drink, plates and cutlery and Josh set up the most amazing bar that he had made from pallets – what would be do without them?!
DP had lined the inside of the marquee and hung a vintage ladder between the two poles. This was lit with huge light bulbs and greenery was added by the couple. To finish, they wound ivy round the poles and placed a small eucalyptus tree at the bottom. Very simple but very effective.
The trestle tables were laid with white cloths and long runners of hessian edged with lace. Similar strips were tied to the back of every other of the French Bistro Chairs that they had chosen.
This was very much a home-made wedding and the flowers were arranged by friends in green glass bottles and jam jars which the bride had decorated by winding hessian string round the tops.
Brown raffia mats were placed on each place with the cutlery and napkin tied up with hessian string and a piece of lavender. Children were well catered for with pencils and colouring books set out to amuse them and each guest had a brown wrapped bag of pic-a-mix sweets!
Lastly candles in wrought iron holders were placed on the tables (for decoration only!) The final effect was really beautiful.
They were having a free bar so this was stocked ready for their guests and jam jar mugs, each with a name on it, were place ready for Pimms the next day.
Games and an enormous ball were put ready for fun on the lawns the following day as well as a crate for cards, an easel with photographs of the couple and another pallet showing the order of the day. The joy of the heatwave meant that props could be safely arranged outside without a chance of them getting wet!
Camper vans were manoeuvred into place by the stables and the guests who were camping put up their tents ready for the following night.
The wedding day dawned and the groom, his best man and his groomsman arrived looking very smart in matching chinos and blue jackets and mercifully no ties as it was already extremely hot.
They checked that everything was perfect and hung little jam jars of flowers on hooks down the aisle. More were placed in front of the gazebo and on the table inside. The Star Jasmine was in full flower at the back and the scent was glorious.
The groom went into the house to see the ministers from the Storehouse Church in Dorchester who were marrying them, and then posed for some wonderfully informal pictures before going down to the gazebo to receive his bride.
She arrived in a bright red car decorated with ribbons accompanied by five adult bridesmaids, two little flowers girls and one page. One of these, plus one smaller were the couple’s own children.
The bride looked really beautiful in an organza dress with an off the shoulder fitted bodice and lace detail and sleeves. Her bridesmaids wore cross-over tulle dresses in a pale pink. They all carried bunches of white flowers by Jessie from West Dorset Wedding flowers in Dorchester.
https://westdorsetweddingflowers.co.uk /07740 981765 / jessie@westdorsetweddingflowers.co.uk /
The party assembled by the catalpa tree waiting for the signal to progress. The bride was given away by her father and proceeded down the aisle by her attendants.
Ceremony over, they made their way back up the aisle only to be ambushed by the bridesmaids and the groom’s father with boxes of confetti at the end!
Before the guests left the gazebo lawn, they were all coaxed with difficulty into o a heart shape to a group photograph taken from an upstairs window.
While guests tucked in to the welcome drinks and canapés, Chris Whitefield, who took all the amazing photographs, not marked “in house”, gathered groups together more formal pictures.
01305 812219 / http://www.chriswhitefield.co.uk
The bride and groom then went into the field for some lovely informal shots before entering the marquee as a married couple.
Time for the most delicious meal to be served served – all produced by the bride’s best friend who used to run Dorset Porkers. Speeches followed.
And then the cutting of the most amazing cake! Shaped like a chocolate crown topped with a selection of chocolate treats, it was made by Sarahs Cake Company - https://sarahscakecompany.co.uk / hello@sarahscakecompany.co.uk
Afterwards guests spilled out onto the lawns to relax in the sun or in the shade of the parasols or to explore the gardens
More wonderful photographs followed with the bridesmaids - again really informal and fun.
Then a few more on their own…..
As evening drew in, music began to rise from the marquee where wedding DJ Ian David had set up his equipment. Time for the first dance
https://www.alivenetwork.com/bandpage.asp?bandname=DJ%20Ian%20David / 01782 740839
The party continued until midnight when guests departed to their B&Bs or to the tents in the grounds. The bride and groom retired to their bell tent in the Walled Garden, accompanied by their two children, both dead to the world!
The end of a wonderful, beautiful relaxed day.
