Leila & Brendan; An Engagement Shoot & A Venue Search

Rebecca Goddard Photography captured these beautiful shots as part of their engagement shoot and I wanted to not only share these stunning images, but also to share Leila & Brendan’s love story; for each other and for their wedding venue.

Over to the Bride-to-be…

Leila:

The proposal… We got engaged last November on a surprise trip to Bruges after being together for just over 18 months. I was convinced that Brendan was going to propose on a holiday to Croatia the month before so when he didn’t I was gutted and decided not to think about it again! So when he asked me it was a total surprise and I was over the moon.

The Wedding Venue search… With Brendan being Australian, he really liked the idea of a grand old English manor to wow the guests coming all the way over from Australia whereas I wanted somewhere laid back and relaxed, somewhere which wouldn’t feel too ‘stuffy’. This made it hard to agree on a venue initially as we couldn’t seem to find the perfect compromise! We also wanted somewhere that guests could stay for the whole weekend as we want to make the wedding last as long as possible as it will be a rare occasion to get our two families in the one place! Plus, with both of us working in interior design it was important that the style of the venue reflected our taste and this proved a lot harder than we first expected.

The ‘One’… When I saw a photo of Brympton House, I instantly fell in love with it! I didn’t realise Brendan was peering over my shoulder but the minute he saw it he said that was the one before I’d even told him I felt the same! We went to view it (although we had instantly made up our minds) and the minute we stepped into the entrance hall it confirmed our initial feelings. Everything just felt right and it ticked all of the boxes which we had (which were many!)

First impressions count… Even though the house felt grand, it just had a homely feel which made us feel instantly at ease. The fire was roaring away in the beautiful entrance hall and the smell of the open fire was wonderful. Every room felt unique and had it’s own charm and I could see all of our friends and family enjoying the house. Ellie, who gave us the tour, was really helpful and I knew that she would do a great job of styling the wedding and would understand exactly what we were wanting to achieve. The interior of the house is a beautiful mix of shabby chic alongside old antique pieces and feels like somewhere you can relax but feel special at the same time.

Our day… We are using shades of grey alongside natural foliage, deep berry hues and earthy tones to reflect the time of year as it is a November wedding and want the vibe to feel rustic but elegant at the same time. I am not a fan of having everything too styled so nothing will be too matching or pristine, just laid back and simple. I am really looking forward to having two fire-pits set up outside the Orangery for when the sun has set and the party begins and we will have sparklers on hand for the celebrations!

Our photographer… Beccy, met us in Coventry where we had hired a canal boat for the weekend and thought it would be a good backdrop for some quirky / interesting photos. It was a great opportunity to get to meet her before the big day and discuss our plans and tell her what we wanted to achieve; we instantly felt relaxed around her and knew that we had made the right choice which made the whole day feel very natural and enjoyable. The photoshoot was hilarious as it turns out shooting on a boat is not the most practical of places- Beccy nearly got knocked off the boat by a fast approaching bridge and then we got chased out of a field by a horse! Despite the perils, the days was great fun and we are thrilled with the photos. Beccy has done a great job and it is reassuring to know that even if the weather lets us down that Beccy will still capture the moment in a beautiful way.

How gorgeous are Leila & Brendan…? They also have fabulous taste for not only choosing Brympton House, but for also choosing one of my fave Photographers ever! We love Beccy!

Thank you so much to this Bride & Groom-to-be and of course thanks to Rebecca Goddard Photography.

What’s your wedding venue love story…?

Lots of love…