Welcome to a new week courtesy of WWW readers Emma and Matt and their The Ferry House wedding held on the 31st August 2019 in Kent. It really is the perfect way to spend a Monday, gazing at their beautiful images by Paul Fuller Kent Photography (thank you for sharing them with us Paul!) and reading their wonderful wedding report. Hooray.
They described their day to me as “relaxed, rustic, touch of glam, hint of 20s” and what a gorgeous theme it was. The rustic barn gave a perfect backdrop to their thoughtful decorations, which added a touch of glamour. Think grey tablecloths, charger plates and opulent flowers as centrepieces. They also had a magnificent cake creation and botanical stationery. Be sure to spot the succulents throughout too!
I really adore Emma’s beaded Jenny Packham gown, Matt and the groomsmen were dapper in traditional tails while the bridesmaids wore pastel beaded dresses. Oh the style. Enjoy it all folks especially the magical rainbow!
The Proposal
Mattmonths
The Vision
Matt and I met in Australia and we loved living by the coast, surrounded by nature, so ideally we wanted an outdoor wedding. We also wanted something relaxed and rustic, but with a touch of glam!
The Cake
We designed a three tier, rustic, gold leaf, semi naked cake for our big day, and Maddie nailed it! She has such a skill with decorating!
We had three flavours: lemon, coffee and banana caramel and it was all so delicious. Most if it got eaten on the day!
The Planning Process
I didn’t want a long engagement so we were married within a year of getting engaged, and it was perfect. It gave me something to do most weekends without being rushed. Once we had found our venue, photographer, videographer, florist and hair and makeup artist the fun began! I loved planning all the little details and making our wedding personal to us.
Budget
£30,000
The Readings & Music
We saw Chiqas at the Wedding Show at the ExCel and instantly knew we wanted them for our wedding! They are a string quartet, although you can add percussion and a singer if you like! We had them play us down the aisle and it had to be a classic string song, so we chose Canon in D. They then accompanied my sister who sang I Only Want To Be With You, the Tina Arena version. We had them for 3 hours so they played a mixture of pop songs while the canapes came out and drinks flowed.
We had a couple of readings, but our friend, Deb, wrote us a poem which she read out for us during our ceremony. We hadn’t heard it beforehand and it was just perfect! @chiqas_music
The Venue
When we saw our venue online we knew it was going to be the one. We even reserved our date before visiting! The Ferry House Inn is set on an estuary, amongst rolling fields, and has a beautiful, rustic barn. Also, it is a functioning pub when they don’t have weddings on, and we love that we can go back for a Sunday roast whenever we like! @theferryhouseweddings
Your Outfits & Accessories
My dress – I thought I had found my dress until I walked into The Bride in St Albans and tried on a Jenny Packham that made me cry! Unfortunately, my Mum was at a show in London and although my sister and I tried facetiming and calling everyone she was with I ended up saying yes to the dress without her knowing! Thankfully we went back a few weeks later to try it on again and she loved it! @thebrideboutique @jennypackhambridal
I added a custom made back necklace to my dress from WildestDreamsBridal on Etsy. Samantha was fantastic at getting back to me and had it made and shipped within 24 hours! @wildestdreamsbridal
My headpiece was Olivier Laudus and all my jewellery was Swarovski. @olivierlaudus @swarovski
Beauty
Emma Smissonhair
I went for an up do, so I could dance the night away, and a neutral eye with a darker lip to add that bit of glam!
Groomsmen
The groomsmen – Matt had been recommended Chimney Formal Menswear by a colleague and we were blown away by the service in there. Matt and his groomsmen hired their suits, as we went for tails. @chimneyformalmenswear
Bridesmaids
All the bridesmaids wore dresses from Monsoon. They were all different but along the same theme. @monsoon
Your Photographer
We were recommended Paul through another photographer who couldn’t do our date. We had a look through his portfolio and loved his style. Paul is so relaxed, just what you need on your big day! His style is very natural and his photos are incredible. We are so happy with the detail he has managed to capture from our big day, as well as the emotion, and of course the rainbow!
We went for an engagement shoot a couple of months before, and this was so helpful! It meant we knew what to expect on the day and could relax into having our photos done. We really couldn’t be happier with all of them. Now we need to decide which ones to print! @paulfullerphoto
Your Filmmaker
It took us hours and hours of watching highlight reels to find the videographer we loved. Every videographer has their own style, so it is so worth watching as many videos as you can to make sure you are completely happy! We chose Karl in the end because he really focuses on capturing the whole day. He gets the whole venue and all the little details; from the dress, accessories, to the flowers and table settings. It is so nice to have the video now to look back on for years to come. @momentweddingsvideography
The Details & Décor
We decided we would like dark tablecloths and charger plates to help create a bit of glam in the rustic barn. We loved how this looked along with the centerpieces and succulent favours.
We didn’t need to add too much to the barn, as there are already hops and fairy lights – one of the reasons we chose the venue!
We added a world map in the lounge and pinned places we have travelled, then on the dancefloor a friend created a big sign for us which read “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody”.
It’s the little personalised touches which make it special!
The Flowers
I somehow found Clare while I was perusing the internet trying to find a florist in Kent with my vibe, and I am so glad I did! What a woman! She is so fantastic at what she does and I had full faith that our flowers would be incredible. She came up with cost saving ideas too, such as using our centerpieces on the aisle, and moving the deconstructed arch inside after the ceremony to make extra use of everything. It also helped that we both had an undying love for succulents! @seerosefloraldesign
The Honeymoon
We had a three destination honeymoon, South Africa, Seychelles and Abu Dhabi.
We went on Safari at Kapama Private Game Reserve and it is one of the best experiences we have ever had! We saw the Big 5 in two drives and just had the most magical three days!
We then went to the Seychelles for some R&R for just under a week, before finishing up with a couple of nights in Abu Dhabi, having Friday Brunch and going to Yas Waterworld for the day! @flightcentreuk
Memorable Moments
My favourite part of the day was after the speeches when we went down to the estuary to take a few more photos. We had the sun setting behind us and an incredible full rainbow in front of us, and it was so beautiful. We had a few photos taken and then Paul and Karl left us to it and we got to watch the sun disappear while reflecting on our day, just the two of us.
Advice For Other Couples
When you go to your venue, make a note of all the hooks and places you are able to hang things, or place things. You can then start making the venue your own by adding personal touches.
Also, please don’t stress about skincare routines, minor cosmetic surgery, laser hair removal and trying to make yourself look perfect! Your hair and makeup artist, and your photographer do an amazing job of making you look fabulous! Just find a dress you feel amazing in, drink plenty of water and leave the rest to them!
Credit Where Credit Is Due
Photographer Paul Fuller Kent Photography
Venue
The Ferry House
Dress Shop
The Bride
Groomsmen Suit Hire
Chimney Menswear
Bridesmaid Dresses
Monsoon
Cake
blossomandwilduk
Hair & Makeup Artist
Emma Smisson
Florist
See Rose Floral Design
Videographer
Moment Weddings
String Quartet
Chiqas
Dress Designer
Jenny Packham
How very beautiful!?
Emma and Matt thank you so very much for sharing your divine wedding celebrations with us xo Lou
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