Andrew & Andreia’s Humanist Wedding at Thorpe Garden

Their special day was a testament to embracing the non-traditional, highlighted by a beautiful humanist outdoor ceremony that perfectly captured the essence of their love and union.

“When planning our wedding, it was important to us to create a personal day. We tried to avoid being influenced by ideas of how things should be done or what others wanted. We wanted the day to have our mark, with elements we genuinely cared about.”

Their contemporary, intentional approach to all things wedding meant that every element of this unique celebration was how Andrew and Andreia wanted it to be. They chose not to refer to one another as groom and bride or wife and husband, preferring to be “partners” and highlight their ongoing partnership, which would remain strong and unchanged.

Thorpe Garden perfectly matched the couple’s love of camping and adventure. Andrew and Andreia met as Scouts in Switzerland, have travelled the world together and have made their home in London.

This was a truly international wedding. Andreia is from Brazil, with family in Germany, and Andrew is English. Their wedding was a fusion of the best bits of these different cultures, with a couple of nods to Scouting.

Their humanist wedding ceremony was just outside the garden walls. The venue was at its most beautiful point in the summer when the garden was in full bloom. Afterwards, guests wandered through the abundant flowers to a reception in the yurt.

As they weren’t concerned by the traditional idea of not seeing each other on the morning of the wedding, Andrew and Andreia got ready together. They were impressed that their chosen hair and make-up artist, Makeup by Emar, offers hair styling and skincare for grooms. Andrew’s beard has never looked so good!

Andreia’s dress was from Angelica Bridal, with exquisite lace details and a dramatic cut-out back. Her shoes featured delicate beading along a T-bar and were from Rainbow Club. Andrew’s racer green suit and shoes were both from StudioSuits. He chose a burnt orange bowtie and pocket square.

Sustainability is important to Andreia and Andrew, and this carried through from the invitations to the whole styling of the day.

Rather than paper invitations, they chose to send personalised tea towel invitations to all their guests, with the details of the day, to keep forever. The rest of the stationery was a DIY affair, with the help of Canva to design the table plan and menus. All the décor on the tables was upcycled or selected to keep.

They honoured their parents and grandparents with a meaningful display at the entrance to the yurt. Framed images from each couple’s wedding day were displayed, including a picture of Andrew and Andreia on the day of their legal marriage registration.

Local florist Penny Johnson Flowers designed colourful arrangements with a natural, wild feel. Miniature posies were dotted along the long feasting tables in Thorpe Garden’s dramatic yurt. Flowers also provided splashes of colour along the aisle in the ceremony area.

“We didn’t have a traditional cake. Instead, we had the traditional Brazilian “Bem Casados”. They’re little cakes for people to take home. Flavia Muckova did an exceptional job personalising them for us, including adding our names to the ribbons.”

Darren Gair is a documentary wedding photographer based in Worcestershire. He says: “Capturing love stories is my passion, and there’s a place that holds a special spot in my heart – the enchanting Thorpe Garden wedding venue. As a recommended supplier and a frequent visitor to this picturesque haven, I can confidently say that there’s magic woven into every corner of this venue.

The gardens at Thorpe Garden are a photographer’s dream, offering a stunning backdrop that transforms every moment into a work of art. The interplay of natural light and lush surroundings creates a canvas for me to craft images as timeless as the love they capture.

But it’s not just the scenery that makes Thorpe Garden so remarkable. The staff’s dedication and warmth truly set the stage for unforgettable weddings. Their attention to detail and genuine care ensures that every couple’s day is as seamless as beautiful.

Speaking of couples, I’ve enjoyed working with some wonderful ones at Thorpe Garden, like the delightful Andreia and Andrew. Their love story came to life against the backdrop of this venue, and it was an honour to be the one to tell their story through my lens.”

The couple says: “Our humanist ceremony was fabulous and exactly what we wanted. Through our numerous conversations with our celebrant, Meg Senior, she crafted a script and ceremony which just GOT us – how we viewed the world, our relationship, and what we as a couple wanted to project onto the world. We couldn’t have been happier with it.”

Andrew and Andreia’s humanist wedding ceremony was creative and playful without feeling irreverent. The couple bucked tradition in a few ways, starting with their entrance to the ceremony. They each chose a special piece of music and made an entrance accompanied by their parents. Andrew’s song choice was Sweet Caroline!

During the ceremony, the couple led all the guests in the campfire singing. Readings in Portuguese and English appealed to the whole range of guests. They exchanged rings they had crafted as part of a workshop with Rachel Jones Jewellery. Finally, Andreia and Andrew had a handfasting, which all their nieces and nephews helped with.

The couple also says: “We enjoyed the dance, as it was many weeks and months of hard work practising to get it all remembered!”