What Katie Did

 Wow, what a wedding! Lots of photos from fab couple Katie and Oli's creative, fun and picture perfect wedding this weekend that not even the rain could put a dampner on. Be prepared for big balloons, luscious flowers and a very special whisky all the way from Islay...

Willow obelisks with gypsophila

Pew end with hydrangea, rose and peony

Rose pomanders on chairs in church

Pew end with peony, rose and gypsophila

Church porch with gypsophila garlands

Gypsophila garland

Rose and succulent buttonholes

The balloons catching a ride with Eric

Balloons dotted round the gardens

Katie's bouquet of peonies, David Austin roses, equador roses and sage

Bridesmaid bouquet of peonies, roses and sage

Vintage suitcases of pashminas

Oli's grandad's very special single cask whisky from Bruichladdich distillery on Islay was bottled on his 90th birthday and was served to guests from a dedicated whisky bar

Table setting with grey linen napkins made by Katie's mum

Whisky favours

Barn door with curtain

Rustic cones on the barn doors

Willow obelisks 'recycled' after the church in the gardens

Outside the barn

Wedding barn

Candles lit in the barn

Succulent plant table centres

Candle shelf

Chef Steve saves the day capturing a rouge balloon with his special balloon capturing device (kitchen tongs)

Beautiful bride Katie looking happy after being re-united with the escapee balloon

A Whiter Shade of Pale

Pew ends in position. Photo by Tom Darrieau

Fab couple Joanne & Ashley kept their colours simple to great effect, the flowers were all white  highlighted with a gorgeous steely blue ribbon. The colours were repeated throughout all the elements of their stationary from invites to orders or service and resulted in a very classy coherant overall look to their wedding back in August. 
For the ceremony here on the lawn at Rigaud we marked the special spot by hanging chrysanthemums and dahlias from the tree. Instead of the awfully fiddly fishing line this time I opted for 6mm white ribbon which was not only much easier to work with but I think looks prettier (will be ordering more of that for next year and banishing the fish line to the bottom of my kit box me thinks!) Another simple but incredibly effective element were the aisle runners using freeze dried white rose petals. Joanne's bouquet was made up from old favourite, David Austin Roses (where would I be without these when peonies are out of season!) sweet peas, bouvardia, dahlia and a selection of herbs from the veg garden here at Rigaud.

Lovely pic courtesy of Rigaud's most popular photographer Tom Darrieau

Dahlias and chrysanthemums threaded onto ribbon

Close up of pew end

Joanne's bouquet

Understated Vintage Glamour

Antonia's bouquet

If there was ever a perfect example of how to do understated vintage glamour then Antonia & Ian's wedding was it. The bride wore the most amazing hand-made lace veil worn by not only her mum at her wedding but also her grandmother at hers, the wedding car was a classic french citreon 2CV and the flowers were inspired by the fantastic 'Real Flower Company'.
 Antonia introduced me to this award winning English business who do the most amazing things; creating their own rose varities, running rose farms in both England and Kenya, creating some beautiful bouquets oh and if that wasn't impressive enough launching a pop-up store in Anthropologie! Check out their website at The Real Flower Company

Antonia chose a palette of ivory, lilac and green, after careful consideration we selected David Austin Roses, Freesia, Hydrangea, Sweet Pea and Peonies as well as using a mixture of Rosemary, Sage and Mint from the veg garden here at Rigaud.
 

Bouquets

Garlands at the church