We feature a lot of amazing weddings on The Wedding Community, and they all make me smile with joy for various reasons. Today’s real wedding is the most special of them all… because this is the wedding of my little sister, Laura, and my now brother-in-law Deane. It was such an amazing day!
Laura and Deane married at Rivervale Barn in Hampshire. I hadn’t had the pleasure of visiting the venue before, but WOW — it’s incredible! This stunning venue was the perfect backdrop for their rustic, country style wedding.
Laura and Deane made fabulous wooden decor as part of their styling, which was one of the main talking points of the day with the guests. Cute little wooden laser engraved birds as place names/favours for each guest, wooden table numbers, cake topper, and giant wooden initial letters were just some of the amazing styling details. They also made a heart-tree guest book for guests to sign.
The little touches around the barn really made this wedding so personal, such as the pictures of their relationship so far strung around the pillars of the barn.
During the day guests were treated to yummy canapés and the most delicious food (the BEST fillet beef EVER!) by Galloping Gourmet, the caterers at Rivervale Barn.
In the evening guests enjoyed the fun wedding party and packed out the photo booth all night! The pictures from the booth were stuck straight into a book for each guest to write a message next to their picture.
These gorgeous pictures from Michelle Lindsell show just how beautifully styled Laura and Deane’s wedding was. It was an absolute pleasure to be part of their special day…
Natural, Country Look
“We knew we wanted our wedding to be simple and rustic, and as Rivervale Barn is already such a beautiful venue we didn’t have to try very hard. For a natural, country look, we used vintage birdcages as the base of our theme, with cream, blush pink, wood and hessian details.
“We kept the ceremony room very simple, styling with white wicker hearts hung from the beams, large lanterns with candles down the aisle, and small bunches of flowers on the end of every other row of chairs. We decorated the table at the front with glass tealights, handmade wooden LOVE letters, a blush pink rose garland and a sprinkle of blush confetti.”
Bridal Style
“I wore an Anna Sorrano lace A-line dress with button back detail. I wasn’t going to wear a veil but borrowed one at the last minute from a friend; it was the perfect addition to my dress. During the day I wore Rainbow Club ivory satin court shoes, then changed into white converse for the evening.
“My bridesmaids wore blush pink cold shoulder midi dresses and silver strappy sandals, while the flower girls wore ivory dresses with blush pink flower headbands and sparkly pink shoes.
“Deane and his two best men wore matching blue suits, white double cuff shirts and brown shoes. Deane also wore a grey waistcoat that matched the colour of the pageboys’ three-piece suit, and a handmade brown leather belt, customised with his initials and our wedding date. Matching blush pink ties and pocket squares, and handmade, custom engraved wooden cufflinks completed the groomsmen’s look.”
Handmade Wooden Details
“Handmade hessian bunting and table runners complemented the already stunning venue. Birdcage centrepieces filled with ivory and blush pink roses and finished off with subtle twinkly fairy lights were the main focus of each table, with glass tealights, wooden table numbers and a scattering of blush confetti around them. We engraved each guest’s name onto handmade wooden birds, which doubled up as place names and favours. In front of the top table we placed giant handmade L&D letters made from reclaimed pallet wood.
“Other details includes handmade wooden sweet table and guest book signs on miniature easels, a laser cut heart tree guest book, Polaroid photographs on miniature pegs hung from beams, a laser cut wooden cake topper featuring the same bird design, and a rustic seating plan set against and wood framed mirror.”
Evening Fun
“Our first dance was to’ Grow Old With Me’ by Tom Odell. We saw him together the year before our wedding and it was then we decided this was the song for us.
“In the evening we had a photo booth that was a massive hit with all of our guests. At the end of the night we had the most amazing photo album containing a copy of every photograph, along with messages from our guests. It’s a truly unique and alternative keepsake. Our DJ catered for a variety of music tastes, and a sweet table was also available to keep the kids (and big kids at heart) happy.”
Memories
“It was wonderful having everyone we love and care about in one place to celebrate with us. A favourite memory for me has to be the moment I saw Deane standing at the end of the aisle. He looked so happy to see me. His eyes were all teary and I could tell he was emotional (not something I can normally say about Deane). He also looked so handsome in his suit and I couldn’t wait to become his wife.
“I also loved seeing my dad for the first time on my wedding morning. His little face when he saw me in my dress made my heart melt. Deane has also said that seeing me for the first time as I walked down the aisle was a vision he will never forget.
What Really Matters
“If I was to give advice to other couples it would be that your wedding is your day, so do what you want as you’ll only do it once. Everyone and their dog will have an opinion, but as long as you are happy that’s what really matters. Do not worry if there are any minor mishaps or if anything is slightly out of place; no-one will notice. Just enjoy yourselves and have the most memorable day.”
Photographer: Michelle Lindsell
Wedding Venue: Rivervale Barn in Hampshire
Wedding Dress and Bridal Hair Accessories: Wed2B
Bride’s Shoes: Rainbow Club
Bridal Jewellery: Warren James
Groomsmen’s Suits and Shirts: Marks and Spencer
Groom’s Waistcoat and Pageboy Suit: Next
Groom’s Shoes: Rockport Oxford from Johnsons Shoes Company
Ties and Pocket Squares: Ties Planet
Groom’s Custom Leather Belt: Jade Rhone
Bridesmaid Dresses: ASOS
Bridesmaid Shoes: Debenhams
Flower Girl Dresses: BHS
Flower Girl Shoes: Next
Bridesmaid and Flower Girl Accessories: Accessorize
Cufflinks, Invitations, Table Plan, Heart Tree Guest Book and Sign, Sweet Table Sign, Wooden Place Names, Cake Topper, Confetti Cones and Napkin Rings: Beautiful and Bespoke
Flowers: Blue Bells Floral Boutique
Wedding Cake: Marks and Spencer
Catering: Galloping Gourmet
DJ: Innovents DJ
Photo Booth: Rentabooth
Confetti: Shropshire Petals
