Today I have the pleasure of taking you up to the north east of England for a wedding which celebrates the very essence of summer.
Think rich, vibrant tones, a riot of wild summer flowers and a long, hot day in the English countryside. I hope that this wedding really inspires you to take strong colours and place them at the heart of your wedding, so let’s take a look. On 3 August 2018 primary school teacher Kate and financial advisor Joe wed in a Roman Catholic ceremony at Holy Name of Mary Roman Catholic Church, Middlesbrough.
Film by Inspired Wedding Imagery
Their marquee reception was at nearby Ormesby Hall, set in the heart of the countryside, and Kate’s life-long love of flowers inspired the entire day. The pair’s vision was for a vibrant, summery and relaxed celebration, which they well and truly accomplished.
Photography Sally T Photography
For bridal scent, Kate wore Hermès Eau Des Merveilles and she chose white heels from ASOS.
“A total bargain from ASOS; white peep-toe with embellishments, four inch heels and VERY comfy!”
“I bought about five pairs of earrings – some cheap, some expensive – and settled on a gorgeous pair of gold drop earrings from Topshop. I wore a diamond and sapphire ring as my ‘something blue’ – this was loaned to me by a work colleague and friend. I also wore a gorgeous gold bracelet from Kate Spade.”
I’m sure you’ll agree that Kate looks so elegant and classically beautiful in her Martina Liana gown which she chose at Mia Sposa Bridal Boutique in Newcastle. It is so, so glorious for its sleek, pared-back silhouette with a divine illusion bodice of exquisitely-fine, botanical lace which is repeated at the hem.
“I loved the simplicity of the crepe fabric and the straight silhouette but most of all I loved the long train and heavy lace around the skirt.”
“I love flowers and knew they would play a big part in my wedding. When I met Katy from Ginger Rose I just loved the wildness of her arrangements and how artistic she was in her work.”
“We stalked Pinterest together and Katy helped me to create my own board. We opted for large blooms and lots of foliage in a mix of berry, blush, cornflower blue and peach.”
Meg Murray Makeup styled the bride’s hair into a sophisticated, swept-up chignon, and applied her make-up too, going for a glamorous look with dark smoky eyes and rich wine lips. Her lip colour really ties her look in with the bridesmaids, who wore deep fuchsia gowns with pleated skirts from ASOS. I really love the modern, structural feel of their design.
“My bridesmaids wore whatever shoes they liked and beautiful gold hair vines from John Lewis, similar to mine.”
As well as the grown-up bridesmaids, Kate had an adorable page boy, wearing a bright blue Roco Clothing suit. Her little flower girl who dressed in a pure white, lacy dress from Monsoon and a wonderful floral crown of thistle and foliage.
The entire bridal party carried opulent and wild bouquets of vivid summer flowers, so romantic and colourful. The florist for the day was Ginger Rose.
A simple, fine veil from LoveYouBride on Etsy added a touch of ethereal beauty, along with her delicate gold hairvine, gifted to her by Joe’s mum.
“I have always loved over-the-face veils and opted for a blusher veil. I took a risk and ordered the veil from Etsy and I was so glad I did.”
The bridal party travelled to Holy Name of Mary Church in white cars from TPJ Car Hire where Joe was waiting, looking super swish in a bright blue suit with a burgundy check from Psyche in Middlesbrough.
In keeping with the wine hues of the day, his Psyche tie was in a deep red and he added a crisp white shirt from Next, Paul Smith socks and Ted Baker shoes, as well as cufflinks gifted from his mum. Joe was accompanied by eight groomsmen, all in matching suits.
“We got all eight suits from TK Maxx online. We paid to get them fitted and they looked superb. We bought burgundy ties from ASOS.”
The bride and her father walked in to an acoustic version of Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’, sung beautifully by Kate’s best friend. The service was performed by the church’s priest, Father Tom, and the couple exchanged rings from Ernest Jones.
“Joe surprised me with a beautiful diamond engagement ring by Neil Lane Couture and we picked a diamond wedding ring to match. He chose a simple, white gold band.”
The couple look so happy as they emerge in to the August sunshine, with confetti cascading around them. The entire party then made their way to Ormesby Hall, where they were welcomed to the marquee reception by North Tyneside Steelband.
“I honestly can’t pinpoint a favourite part of the day. However, I remember arriving at the venue with the steel band playing and seeing everyone arriving and enjoying the welcome drinks and thinking, ‘Wow, we’ve done it!’.”
“We wanted a summer wedding so we set the date for 2018 which gave us 19 months to plan the wedding. Claire from Ormesby Hall was brilliant at co-ordinating the day.”
Sally T Photography is the super-talented photographer behind these joy-filled, colourful, vivid photographs and my, aren’t those sunset images breathtaking? The couple have one word to sum up Sally T; “Amazing!”.
Kate and Joe also chose to have a wedding videographer, a supplier that is so important to many brides, and Mark Trotter of Inspired Wedding Imagery worked his magic to create this romantic film.
“We fell in love with Ormesby Hall’s stunning grounds and knew that the huge marquee would give us the relaxed and sociable day we wanted. We opted for deep wine tones and gold and we had flowers everywhere. My parents have a beautiful garden and I’ve always loved flowers.”
Kate and Joe first met in a nightclub in 2009, and Joe proposed in 2016 just three days before Christmas.
The marquee was beautifully dressed in tones of blush and white, with romantic hoops of silk roses and foliage hanging from the ceiling.
“We hired hurricane vases, chair drapes, candles and candle holders from Sheer Elegance. We made floral hoops to hang from the sides of the marquee from hula hoops, gold spray paint and silk flowers. The stationery was all home made (with a little help from a very talented friend).”
The wedding breakfast was catered for by M. Brown Catering and, instead of a wedding cake, a colourful macaron tower from Le Mini Macaron stole the show.
“We didn’t want to spend a fortune on a cake and couldn’t believe how beautiful (and cost effective!) the macarons were.”
For the evening party, Kate and Joe entertained their guests with a band and a DJ.
“We also hired an amazing DJ – The Beat Boutique – and Last Anthem as a band.”
“Our first dance was ‘High’ by the Lighthouse Family. It is a song that is loved by myself and Joe and one of my favourite memories of the day is everyone crowding round us singing along while we danced together.”
Words of Wedded Wisdom
“My words of wisdom would be to steal a quiet moment during your reception to stand back and watch all of your friends and family having an amazing time.”
Isn’t this wedding just so joyful with its vibrant summer blooms? Kate and Joe, thank you and congratulations to your both on your wedding. I hope you had a wonderful first anniversary. Sending so many thanks to Sally T Photography too. If you’ve enjoyed her natural, creative wedding photography I invite you to enjoy these other Love My Dress weddings which she has captured.
Ele xx
Eleanor Crossland
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Ele lives in the Lincolnshire countryside, close to the beautiful coast. A qualified Pilates teacher, she loves fitness, yoga, Pilates and has a healthy addiction to baking, writing and travel.