Made for each other

Posted by Kelly Andrews on 13 May 2022

Becky and Mike met at a friend’s 21st birthday party almost a decade ago. They discovered they were born on the same day of the same year in the same hospital, “So maybe our paths crossed way back then,” Becky says.

Mike had originally planned to propose on a ski trip in March 2020, but as the country was plunged into the first lockdown at the time, the holiday was sadly cancelled. He still managed to keep his intentions quiet though and eventually succeeded in popping the question while on a break in The Cotswolds. During a beautiful autumnal walk from Stow-on-the-Wold to Bourton-on-the-Water, on a little bridge crossing a stream, right in the middle of nowhere, he asked Becky to be his wife. “We cried tears of joy – I’ve never been so surprised in my life, it was such a beautiful and happy time,” Becky says.

The couple adored the rustic beauty of The Oak Barn, Frame Farm, with its bare beams, log burner and surrounding picturesque countryside. So, it was here they chose to tie the knot on 22nd October, 2021. Read on as bride Becky tells us all about the big day...

Flowers Becky and Mike chose an oh-so modern autumnal palette of navy and orange with natural greens, grasses and florals. They both love the season and chose the colours that come with it. For the centrepieces they used log slices arranged with dried orange slices, spray-painted gourds and clusters of vases in varying sizes, shapes and hues filled with eucalyptus, roses, bunny tails, pampas grass, thistles and white wax flowers. These were all created by Mike's cousin, florist Gaby –it helps to have talent in the family! Meanwhile, Flower House and Home in Mayfield created gorgeous autumnal bouquets using a combination of fresh and dried flowers to complement the palette and add a pop of colour to the bridesmaids' attire.

As fans of travel the pair decided to display their framed scratch map on an easel and name the tables after their favourite places they'd visited together. The whimsical place names were handmade macrame feathers.

The big-day bake was a rustic semi-naked sponge with white chocolate icing – the newlyweds' favourite. It was adorned in bunny tails, eucalyptus and figs to complement the rest of the venue styling. Kitchen of Kent catered the main event and Becky says, "The food and service were outstanding, we couldn't recommend them highly enough."

Morgan When it comes to special transport fit for a bride and groom, Becky and Mike opted for a super-cool red Morgan, which you can see gracing the cover of this issue. They left the church and travelled to the reception venue with the roof down and the sun shining. En route they stopped at Mike's grandmother's care home to spend some time with her, as she'd watched the ceremony on Zoom. The car went down a treat with the other residents! Meanwhile, the bride tribe were driven to the venue in a red VW Campervan, which they decorated with chalk pen.

Ceremony The bride accessorised with an ivory single-tier veil by Nieve Couture, showered in pearls, and to add a little sparkle, the look was completed with a tiara. She also wore the Clarette heels from Dune's wedding shoe collection. "They were unbelievably comfortable and the subtle blue gem underneath each shoe was an added touch of detail that I loved," Becky remembers.

“Mike looked incredibly smart and handsome wearing traditional navy herringbone tails,” his bride tells us. He opted for tails since he wears suits to work and wanted something extra special for the big day. He also wore a navy England Rugby ball tie and a grey waistcoat. He finished the look with Mulberry cufflinks and a pair of black Church’s shoes.

Bridesmaids Mike's groomsmen were dressed to match his attire and the bridesmaids wore navy single-shoulder textured-crepe maxi dresses with silver vegan sandals.

Couple look at venue Acoustic guitarist Rob Austen entertained guests during the ceremony as well as at the drinks reception. Then, in the evening, Mint DJs kept the dancefloor full. "We had a live saxophonist too who played alongside the DJ, which was absolutely epic."

Becky says, “Our wedding day was filled with emotion for everyone, even more so because of the pandemic. It truly was the happiest day for us. Finally being declared Mr and Mrs Churchill was the most incredible feeling. We’re so thankful to everyone who helped us to create our perfect wedding day. It really was an outstanding team effort.”

Couple pose in barn Following the big day, the newlyweds set off on mini-moon to Bath, then Foxhill Manor in The Cotswolds for a luxurious few days of celebration. "We can't wait to travel to the Maldives next year," Becky tells us.