Ant proposed to Amy in front of the tree that first Christmas morning in their new home. Once the season and their incredible news had been celebrated and decorations were packed away, thoughts turned to wedding venues.
They discovered Wilderness Weddings at Preston Court and were instantly attracted by the peacefulness and natural beauty of its outdoor setting. Ant says, "We love how relaxed it made us feel. The ceremony area really sold it for us, with the water in the background. We also loved how there was a clear flow through the venue and could easily picture how our day there would be. During our first visit Amy cried as she loved it so much, so it had to be done!"
Keen to know more, we got the lowdown on W-day from groom, Ant...
The location lent itself perfectly to a bohemian woodland wedding vibe and the couple settled on a palette of burnt orange, olive and cream. All of the floral displays distributed throughout the ceremony and reception space were designed to reflect the theme with pampas grass, bunny tails and other dried flowers. The gorgeous terracotta hue was continued through the table plan, which was displayed in photo frames and surrounded by more dried flowers.
Each centrepiece featured a glass vase filled with various varieties of dried flowers and the couple made and dyed the table runners and napkins themselves. The tables were also decorated with the wedding favours, which doubled up as place names. Guests were gifted a succulent, growing inside a small terracotta pot, labelled with their name. "My mum grew them all for us, all 100 plus," Ant tells us.
The couple hired additional furniture to make the most of the beautiful outdoor setting. "Everything was boho themed from the wicker seats to the fur rugs. We'd highly recommend The Little Wedding Warehouse, Roxanne was brilliant and so accommodating," Ant shares.
“We love food!” the groom confides. So, naturally the menu was one of the most important considerations for them. “We chose Will Burnett Chef to be our caterer as his food really suited our outdoor summer wedding vibe. Will and his wife, Becca, are young, enthusiastic and genuinely really nice people to work with,” he continues. All assembled were treated to a delicious selection of canapés, one of which was created especially for them due to the couple’s love of Thai food. They later sat down to a three-course wedding breakfast and enjoyed tacos and churros in the evening. The simple and elegant big-day bake continued the decorative theme with pressed-flower embellishments.
The bridal party arrived at the venue in yellow and blue vintage VW Campers. The pair also kindly arranged transport for all of their guests who were staying off site, both to and from their accommodation.
Amy looked gorgeous in a white Rosa Clara gown with lace back. She accesorised with Freya Rose pearl heels – Martina and diamond earrings, a 10-year anniversary gift from Ant.
The groom wore a two piece suit in light stone, with an olive bow tie, brown shoes and brown braces. His buttonhole featured a white flower, while the groomsmen's were burnt orange to match the bridesmaids' silk dresses. The other gents wore the same as Ant, apart from the father-of-the-bride and father-of-the-groom who wore three-piece suits with ties rather than bow ties.
Acoustic performer Mille Watson entertained guests during the post-ceremony drinks reception. She also played as Amy walked down the aisle. "So many guests commented on how good she was and how she added to the atmosphere," Ant says. DJ Markus provided the evening entertainment and played all the right music to fill the dancefloor. Ant explains, "Our brief to him was to not play anything cheesy and he was totally on board with this."
"I still can't get over how good the day was. I expected it to be incredible but it was even better. I just remember thinking all day how amazing it was and how happy I felt. Seeing Amy for the first time and spending time alone with her throughout the day were my highlights," Ant shares. "It was great to finally hang out with our closest friends in the evening around the bell tents on the glamping site," he continues.
Amy remembers, "I'm normally nervous about being the centre of attention, but on the day my nerves disappeared and it was just such a happy, fun and relaxed day. I'll never forget walking down the meadow aisle and just feeling so excited. Plus, seeing friends and family from both sides getting along as if they'd known each other forever was wonderful."
Ant tells us, "Our suppliers were all incredible, but Tiggi from Salty Carnival Kiss went above and beyond. She helped us with the set up and did so much more than we'd expected. She went out of her way to make sure that everything was as we'd envisioned it with the décor and flower arrangements. Also, Jen our photographer captured the day exactly how we remember it, which meant that at one point she was standing in a river just to get the right angle! We still can't get over how amazing our photos are."
