Chris & Sarah’s Intimate Two-Day Wedding at Pennyhill Park

Chris surprised Sarah for her 40th birthday with a spa weekend at Pennyhill Park, and they have been regularly frequenting it ever since. So it was the obvious choice for their two-day August wedding celebration! Over to Sarah for all the details…

Sarah says…

Choosing Pennyhill Park for the wedding seemed the most obvious choice; however, the initial idea was very low-key until we met the wonderful Maddy Ross, our Wedding Coordinator, who guided us to our ultimate wedding celebration. The location is stunning, but the entire team made it for us. Pennyhill is our happy place.

Initially, we planned a registry office wedding followed by an intimate BBQ on the lily pond terrace for close family. But in the end, we had a two-day celebration with an intimate dinner and a small evening ceremony on the Pavilion. We chose as many guests to join us for dinner as could comfortably fit around one table. Saturday was then dedicated to celebrating! We wanted to host our friends and family outdoors with daytime and evening entertainment and a relaxed BBQ meal, followed by a drinks reception with canapés. The theme was summery, and the colour palette was peach, rose gold, ivory accents, and sage and olive greenery. We wanted a relaxed, welcoming, and romantic effect. We defied tradition wherever possible.

For us, all the little individual touches that came together brought our wedding to life. The handmade bunting matched our florals, we had a pop-up crèche, allowing our friends to enjoy the day knowing their little ones were being cared for, a sweet bar satisfied those with a sweet tooth, and various photo booths provided endless entertainment.

Lastly, a party needs music, so we arranged for a singer during the drinks reception to get everyone in the mood. This was followed by a six-piece band and DJ who kept us all on our feet, dancing the night away until it was time to say goodbye!

Best part of the day

While the entire weekend was over too quickly, we had many memorable moments.

• The look on my mum and dad’s faces when they saw me all dressed up and ready to walk down the aisle.
• I nearly forgot my bouquet when walking down the aisle!
• Our smiles as we recited our vows to each other.
• On Saturday, we shared private moments while escaping for photos and walking back up to the terrace to hear Matthew Allman singing his version of ‘As It Was’ by Harry Styles. Magic.
• I remember how everything I’d planned so meticulously with Maddy, our Wedding Coordinator, in the weeks preceding the wedding was all happening so smoothly right in front of me so I could enjoy the moment. The entire team was on point, and I remember feeling delighted by how the day went so perfectly with the timings. I recall when Maddy sadly had to say goodbye, but not before she kindly got me my wedding flats! I’ll be forever grateful to her.
• Walking down the steps to the lily pond terrace as husband and wife and seeing everyone cheering us on was a great feeling we will never forget.

From one couple to another

It’s simple. Do what you both want, and don’t be led by what is “supposed” to happen. It’s your special day, and it can be exactly how you both envisage that being. Your friends and family will love and appreciate whatever makes your day special.

Choose your venue based not just on the location but also on who your wedding coordinator is and whether you trust that they can carry out your vision with you. This is an intense relationship and an essential factor in relaxing and enjoying the day.

As everyone says… after months of planning, the day (or days in our case) is over in a flash, and all you are left with are the memories. Not true. If you have a great photographer and videographer, you will relive your special moments forever. I am so happy we decided to have both photos and video for both days. It’s such a good investment. They captured so many memories so naturally that watching them brings you back to the moment like it was yesterday, Lauren Squire; we have to give you a special thanks. I read many do’s and don’ts of weddings, many advising against a videographer, saying it will never be watched. Whoever wrote that has not seen the work by Visions of Grace!