Caroline and Justin’s May wedding at Mapperton enjoyed a summery pastel theme Images courtesy of Rosie Kelly Photography Caroline and Justin met at the University of Exeter during their final year in 2016 when they were 20 years old. “I had moved to the UK from Austria and didn’t have plans to stay, but as fate would have it, we went on our first date and it changed everything,” Caroline tells us. “Justin wanted to surprise me with a proposal, whereas I felt like I might sense when it was likely to happen,” Caroline tells us. “He succeeded by asking me to marry him one Sunday evening while we were sitting on the sofa in our pyjamas. He got down on one knee and had written me a poem which took me by surprise. I loved how private it felt - it was perfect.” The couple wanted a venue that gave them full creative freedom for their decor, with no pre-existing packages or set menus, and a flexible wine list. “We found Mapperton through a friend, and the second we viewed it, we knew it was the venue for us,” Caroline tells us. “The grounds are spectacular, and the estate has so many spaces, including the croquet lawn, where we held our ceremony outdoors, and the marquee lawn where we hosted our wedding breakfast.” “My oldest friend, Leo, officiated the ceremony and, speaking both English and German, was able to throw in some bilingual jokes, which got the crowd going,” Caroline tells us. “Another friend and bridesmaid Jenna had written a poem for our ceremony called Tying Knots, which had our guests in tears.” The main inspiration for Caroline and Justin’s colour theme was from the flowers and plants grown in the grounds at Mapperton during May, including the lilac wisteria. “We wanted something that felt fresh and whimsical, and perfect for a summery English garden party vibe,” Caroline says. “Our welcome sign, seating plan and menus featured hand-drawn references important to us as a couple, from the Clifton Suspension Bridge to the dog we regularly look after.” The couple’s chosen florist created the bouquets and table vases. “It meant we didn’t know what our flowers were going to look like until they were delivered on the day, but they were spectacular and took our breath away. “ The couple placed candles in the four colours from their theme along the tables in the marquee, and displayed hanging ladders with bulbs and foliage to bring the outdoors in. “It was a DIY wedding, and I spent many hours with my glue gun putting the hanging flowers together,” Caroline explains. “As vegetarians and pescetarians, we wanted to create a menu that was a celebration of land and sea, without any meat,” Caroline tells us. “Our caterer, Joanna, was fantastic! Guests chose from asparagus and duck egg or Caprese salad with burrata and Isle of Wight tomatoes to start, pasta or wild sea bass with salsa verde, new potatoes, and roasted tomatoes, and chocolate mousse and raspberry sorbet. We had Austrian Grüner Veltliner white wine, Austrian Stiegl beer, and some Austrian hazelnut schnapps and champagne for toasting.” Caroline wore a dress by the Australian designer Kyha Bride. “I had it made without a split,” she tells us. “I always saw myself wearing a square-neck gown with short puffy sleeves, but I tried this dress on, and couldn’t stop smiling!” Caroline borrowed her friend’s floral veil and wore a pair of comfortable block heels. “I had jewellery made using my late grandmother’s pearls, including bracelets and necklaces for my mother, bridesmaids, sisters- in-law and mother-in-law.” After the wedding breakfast, Caroline changed into a fun, feathered party dress from Rixo. “It allowed me to dance easily” she tells us. “I also wore a pair of pearl kitten heels from Zara.” Justin chose a dark green suit by Torre, which he had altered at Haig Harrison’s in Bristol. “Our groomsmen wore stonecoloured suits with matching floral ties and pocket squares.” The couple’s bridesmaids each chose one of the four colours in the wedding theme and were given the choice to find something they loved and felt comfortable in, as long as it was full-length. “My sister and maid-of-honour, Sophie, was my something blue on the day,” Caroline says. Music was important to Caroline and Justin. “Our talented friends James and Tom performed outside during the ceremony, which included a surprise rendition of Edelweiss from The Sound of Music, which I walked down the aisle to,” Caroline tells us. “They also played an acoustic version of Sweet Caroline when we exited together at the end. During our drinks reception held outside in the sunken gardens, our band played an acoustic set outdoors, and later on, they played our first dance called Sugar Darlin’ by Alexis Kings, followed by a medley of songs from Shrek – it was an eclectic mix! A highlight was when my father (another talented musician) joined the band on stage to sing Bohemian Like You by Dandy Warhols and Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling In Love - none of our guests knew this was going to happen, so it was a surprise for everyone!” COUNTRY GARDEN English REAL WEDDINGS 29
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