You can tell how busy this year has been when I’m blogging weddings from last year! This one was worth the wait. Daisy and Ben planned an English country garden wedding at Goldstone Hall in Shropshire and it was a real showstopper, I haven’t ever really stopped dreaming about their flowers and how their bridesmaids looked like Ophelia with their gorgeous dresses and flower crowns! Not to mention of course just how much fun and how wonderful Daisy and Ben are, I’ve been itching to share their day… Well, here it is!!!

An English Country Garden wedding in rural Shropshire

How did you meet?

We met in October 2008 when we started working in one of our locals together. The Bell in Eccleshall has been a familiar place for me since I was a little girl, as one of my parents’ locals. It was the pub they met in, and the first pub my Grandpa visited when he moved to Eccleshall in the 70’s. It has a lot of sentimental value. I’d worked at the pub for a month before Ben walked behind the bar and changed my life forever. I knew I’d marry him from the first time I laid eyes on him. Cringe and completely unreal for some but it’s true. One year later we started dating, four years after that we moved in together, one year later we bought a house, one year later a dog, another year has passed and I got a proposal, and finally a year later a marriage. Our little fairy tale and life story!!!   Tell me your proposal story It was my 26th Birthday. Ben had woken me up with breakfast and a huge bunch of wildflowers from a flower farm up the road. (I’d told him once that I’d want her to do our wedding flowers one day – as you do). He said he was going in to work late so we could have breakfast together.  I went to work and was on the phone to a client when he walked in, making me clam up immediately. He told me to pack up as we were going for lunch together somewhere in Leek. I had some sneaky suspicions but who wouldn’t after 8 years, but I had also had these suspicions before! Haha! He took me home to get changed and to find some walking boots(!?), and off we went. I (hating surprises) was not taking this well. He pulled up at the Roaches, (a walking area in the Peak District) I asked where our lunch was, expecting to be going to a pub, he replied; ‘in the boot’, …he’d only made a picnic! He’d bought a dreamy wicker hamper and a picnic blanket! Too cute! We lay down and ate our picnic on a lovely sunny day (jumper but no coat), and to say Ben was relieved with the weather must have been an understatement! Picnicking in the rain isn’t quite so idyllic.  We drank champagne and life was sweet! We then packed our picnic up and took it back to the car, put on our shoes and went for a walk up one of the rocky ridges, we got to a perfect viewing spot, I was snapping photos when Ben said my name, I turned around and he was on one knee with a ring! At that moment it was completely unexpected and I burst into tears, jump hugging him and smile crying ‘YES’. Haha. It was perfect. The surprises continued as we got home and Ben had arranged some of our family and friends to be there with fizz, balloons and cake! Too cute and perfect. Why did you choose Goldstone Hall for your wedding day? We actually avoided looking at our final venue to start with – it was my parents’ wedding venue, (who are now divorced) so though it would be super uncomfortable! We’d been to 2 or 3 other venues before finally visiting Goldstone as we had heard about their magnificent gardens and English country garden setting – and from the moment we went there we knew it was the venue for us. Both my parents – as you would expect – were so great about it! – it was justthe perfect setting for us! House party style – relaxed and perfect. We had our wedding breakfast in the fixed marquee attached to the back of the house – which wasn’t there in my parent’s day – so that made things easier. We also hated the idea of a marquee initially but swiftly changed our minds when we saw the airiness and fairy lights and realised all the different spaces to utilise at Goldstone, – it was perfect for us. Places ‘the olds’ could sit down in peace, a dance floor to party, a marquee to eat in, and a garden to marvel at (albeit the downpour on our day!) – I just braved the mud and marvelled away anyway!

What was it you loved about your outfits and accessories that made you choose them?

Our flowers were definitely up there with what I loved most about our outfits, they just made it and made everything fit in so well together. From mine and the girls matching flower crowns to wild and floaty bouquets – to Ben and his groomsmen’s mini bouquet buttonholes. They were DREAMY and everything i had hoped for. I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted for my dress from the get go. A big A-line skirt with a Bardot neckline, and I was open to the fabric but always swayed towards a buttery silk/satin. I mainly just wanted a timeless/classy dress. I went to about 3 or 4 bridal shops and just wasn’t completely sold on any so ended up taking the plunge and getting mine made by a local designer – Sarah Willard Couture. I went to see her, she sketched out my ideas, we decided on the fabric and then the dress evolved around me over the months before our wedding. Yes, it was kinda stressful not having a dress just ready and waiting/still having to work out details weeks before, but I’m SO pleased I decided to go with Sarah and from day 1 I knew I was in good hands! And I knew my dress would hold its own against the huge bouquet and flower crown i was desperate for. 

My bridesmaids! – Wow. 5 stunning girls to try and find dresses they’d all be happy with. I knew I wanted neutral colours – and we all loved the dresses they ended up in! Ethereal and laid back which eased up some of the formality of mine and bens attire. They all looked amazing! – ASOS did me proud!
 

Tell me about the vision you had for your wedding including your theme/colour scheme/styling/flowers:

Oh my gosh – the only main idea i had from the get-go was FLOWERS, and lots of them. I wanted English country wildflowers, no colour theme, well – every colour. An ‘every colour flower – flower explosion’. With country/rustic ‘no fuss’ natural styling. No structured bouquets either – or should my florist say – very carefully structured to have the ‘non structured wild look’. I always said I didn’t really have a theme or a colour scheme, and that worked for us. I didn’t feel tied down to anything – I just got what I liked.

What was your first dance and why did you choose it?

Our first dance was never really a huge thing for us, and we’d never had ‘a’ song, we had lots and none we’d ever even considered as first dance material. But we’d always shared a love for Coldplay, we’d been to see them years before and ‘Yellow’ just fit, we had always loved and listened to it and once we’d decided that was that, it was ours. We had NO clue how we were going to dance to it, but who cares. We definitely didn’t care at the time either!

 
What were the most wonderful parts of the day for you?

For me, it was 100,000% the church and our ceremony, and that turned in to both of our favourite and most wonderful parts of the day. Seeing each other for the first time. Standing up in front of your family and friends and promising to spend the rest of your lives together. Seeing and feeling the happiness all around you. I was SO nervous, but by the time you’re at the church – you’re just ready to see the love of your life – and marry him! The rest of the day is just one big party – and boy did we party! 
 

Why did you choose Hannah Hall Photography as your photographer, and what was your experience of your photography on the day?

Oh my gosh – Hannah was INCREDIBLE. I think I said everything in my google review of her. We loved her from our first meeting and knew
she was our one! Haha! I’d found Hannah through our best friend’s wedding photographer – and fell in love with her style of photography immediately – I loved her website, her brand – the happy colours. Her personality and general persona. Haha. – sounding like a crazy
stalker now right? 

Honestly – Hannah was our one supplier that I didn’t have a moment’s hesitation with or question at any point whether it was the right decision. Yes – everything about a wedding, costs a significant amount of money – but if you’re debating between a few photographers for the sake of a couple of hundred pounds. Don’t. Choose Hannah. You won’t be disappointed. 

The nervousness around having a camera pointing in your face all day never surfaced, even in the close quarters of our living room – she’s just so fun and friendly and just puts everyone at ease. – it’s like having a friend with you on the day – and she’s always there without you even realising – ahah! – now who’s the crazy stalker!  She dealt with my freak out at the last-minute change of weather – group shots – just trying to get everyone together stressed me out – and she just reminded me that if I didn’t want to do it – then I didn’t need to. We took a few integrals and I ditched the others. We subsequently snapped some others later on. There was no ordering around – or structuring shots – she
was just my guiding light all day. We got a wedding photographer, a general all-round wedding guru, and a friend afterwards. We can’t wait to have her back to take more photos of our other life events! You will too after you see how perfectly she captures your day!

 
What would be your best bit of advice to other couples planning their wedding?

Maybe a little crazy but It’s sort of like when you pack to go on holiday – as long as you’ve got your passport, wallet and phone you’ll be fine. That’s sort of like your wedding – as long as you’ve got your ‘intended’, a marriage license/ceremony arranged, and somewhere to
have some drinks after with your loved ones – you’ll be fine! Just try not to stress about it.

Things don’t go to plan or get forgotten. Would I have been upset if my flowers didn’t show up – absolutely. Would it have ruined my day? – no chance. Would anyone else have noticed if we didn’t have personalised stickers on our homemade limoncello favours? Haha, NO. People don’t care – honestly. You see that on the day. We married each other and that’s all that matters. The rest is literally just a party. Just stay chilled, have fun and go get married! 

Daisy & Ben’s English country garden wedding at Goldstone Hall happened with the help of the following talented beans

Hair: Danielle Roche / MUA: Anastasia De Vries / Dress: Sarah Willard Couture 

Flowers: Carol’s Garden / Transport: Esteemed Classics / Bridesmaids: ASOS / Groomsmen: Peter Posh

Second shooter: FunkyPixel / Videographer: AmazingDayz / Confetti: Shropshire Petals

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