Isabel and Jack met at university in 2009 through mutual friends but didn’t get together until 2012. “We clicked immediately,” recalls Isabel, “We have a very similar sense of humour, love of travel and have now been together more than a decade and have a young son together.” Jack proposed when the couple were on holiday with Isabel’s family in France in 2019. “It was a lovely surprise!” shares Isabel. “He’d gone to great lengths planning it. He designed the ring, an emerald from South Africa – my favourite stone and colour, and our favourite country to travel to – sought permission from my father and smuggled the ring through airport security in my dad’s handluggage! It was lovely to celebrate with my family all around us!” The big date was set, 11th June 2022, with a ceremony at St John the Baptist Church, Butley, followed by a reception at Butley Priory. SETTING THE SCENE The pair had always wanted a summer wedding in a big marquee, when choosing the venue it was as much about finding a venue with the right gardens and grounds as the main building itself. “Butley Priory was perfect – an amazing venue steeped in character and history, but not too grand in a way that wouldn’t feel ‘us’,” shares Isabel. “Knowing how quickly the day itself would pass, we also wanted to find a venue that would allow us to really maximise the weekend with activities on the Friday and Sunday too. The other great thing about Butley is the accommodation, both in the priory itself and in its beautiful farmhouse behind the priory. This allowed us to sleep 30 of our closest friends and family and have a wedding weekend; a big pre-wedding barbecue on the Friday night and a hungover fry up on the Sunday to recount stories of the night before and postpone the post-wedding blues just a little longer.” For the finer details of the day, the couple opted for finishing touches that reflected their country garden aesthetic. The favours were little glass bottles of elderflower gin liqueur that acted as place names and favours, with elderflower cordial for children and non-drinkers. “They went down brilliantly with guests and looked great on the long trestle tables,” adds Isabel. REAL WEDDING 31
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