Frederika & Hugo’s Wedding at West Horsley Place

Frederika’s mother, a guiding presence in spirit, and her remarkable grandmother, who gifted a cherished jewellery set for the occasion, added a poignant layer to the day. They were also joined by their fur baby (and ring-bearer) Crumble, who did a brilliant job during the ceremony at St Mary’s Church, just a stone’s throw away from the historic Grade I-listed manor house, before embarking (sorry!) on some gorgeous wedding photos during the reception back at the venue.

Amidst the celebration, two ‘cakes’—a tiered cheese cake from a local cheese maker and a personalised creation by Hugo’s mother—delighted guests, and the couple who simply couldn’t choose so ended up having both! Complete with English sparkling wine, golden hour portraits, and a joyous, al fresco cake cut, their April wedding is a true joy from top to bottom. Enjoy!

Frederika says…

Before visiting West Horsley Place, Hugo and I had only managed to see wedding venues without one another due to our work commitments. Hugo is a Police Officer, and I am a Veterinarian, so it was challenging to get the time to visit venues together. West Horsley Place was the first wedding venue we could see as a couple. It is one of the closest venues to our home and only does a few weddings per year, making it feel extra special. However, it is also a charitable enterprise under the West Horsley Place Trust, meaning that our money would not only be used for the restoration project of the beautiful Grade I listed house and estate but also the encouragement of the performing arts. West Horsley Place is perfect for a romantic country house wedding due to the amazing backdrop and architecture for photographs and the fantastic team willing to assist you at every stage of the wedding planning and event itself. A special thank you goes to Carolyn Farrell for ensuring everything was perfect for us. Another perk of this gorgeous venue was that our church, St Mary’s West Horsley, was a stone’s throw away, meaning guests could walk between the church and the venue.

I wanted to follow in the fashionable footsteps of my mother, who sadly is no longer with us. I selected my wedding dress from our local Boa Boutique in Great Bookham, where the ladies were not only brilliant to work with but also had a wealth of professional experience to ensure my dress, veil, shoes, and accessories were exactly how I wanted them. My gown, by Rosa Clara, was a dream to wear. It had a classic but simple elegance, with its square neckline and A-line shape, but it also had romantic drama with its exquisite train. I can safely say I had those bridal tears, as did my entire entourage. When the Joyce Jackson veil was added, I felt that the look embodied the beautiful romantic look every bride dreams of on their wedding day. I opted for gold jewellery and accessories to go with my engagement and wedding rings. My earrings and necklace were part of a gold, diamond and emerald set from my Grandmother, who, at one hundred years old, I was incredibly grateful and proud to have at my wedding. I also wore one of my mother’s rings and a personalised garter my sister had created from part of our mother’s wedding dress.

I kept the satin and square-neckline theme for my bridesmaids’ dresses, selecting a spring-themed sage green tie-shoulder midi dress from Oasis. They did look beautiful. Bridal Glam by Lucia and her assistant did hair and makeup, enhancing our natural beauty and creating elegant and romantic looks that complemented our outfits.

Hugo went for a slim-fit navy blue morning suit with a grey waistcoat, with his groomsmen also complementing him in their navy suits. He selected a beautiful silver, pink and blue floral silk tie and pocket square from The Tie Store, which matched our colour scheme perfectly. However, his shoes were our favourite part! I bought him a stunning pair of black leather brogues from his favourite store, Jeffery West, as a wedding gift, which brought the outfit together. He looked very dapper indeed (cue the swoon).

The theme was in keeping with a traditional English spring wedding, with in-season flowers, romantic lighting and a wild, simple elegance. Our colour schemes were sage green, baby pink, burnt orange, lavender and cornflower blue. We selected classic rectangular tables with three rows and a perpendicular top table so that we could see our guests. As a nod to my Scottish heritage, we had Ivan Brooks, the Kent Piper, welcoming our guests to both the church and the reception venue, as well as leading us to our wedding breakfast, and my word did he deliver. His addition to our wedding made it even more spectacular.

Our local florist, Lovelace & Green, East Horsley, was fantastic. Kate helped us select and design our bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages. Flowers in the bouquet included roses, ranunculus, cornflowers, and greenery, including eucalyptus. I had asked for thistles to nod to my mother’s Scottish heritage, which was incorporated beautifully. I could not have been more pleased with their service, and they even added gorgeous white flowers for me to use in my hair on the day as a nod to my Mother. On a further personal note, my Mother-in-law and Aunt banded together to do our church and reception flowers. Think white and pink gypsophila, roses, eucalyptus, irises, and other gorgeous greenery. I was thrilled everyone jumped in to help us set everything up the day before.

The cake! It is safe to say that Hugo and I both have a sweet tooth and a love for cheese, so naturally, we had to have both! In keeping with our use of local suppliers, we asked our local cheese maker, John from Cheese-on-the-Wey, to make us a tiered cheesecake, and he did not disappoint. We also asked our local Nest Cafe in Ripley if they wouldn’t mind providing a number of our favourite lemon and pistachio cakes, as well as Cafe Beirut in Ripley providing a dome of Baklava – we could not have been happier with the results! Furthermore, Hugo’s mother, Rachel, designed a stunning traditional and personalised wedding cake for us to cut on the day, and it could not have been more perfect. Our guests were thrilled with the selection of sweet treats and cheeses available, and we were so pleased that so many local businesses were keen to get involved.

Kearney’s was recommended to us by Carolyn from West Horsley Place, and gosh, what a recommendation that was. Gary was incredible to work with and ensured everyone and all were catered for. We had the most delicious canapé selection during our drinks reception, with Kate from the front-of-house staff ensuring that Hugo and I were fed and not just swept away with greeting all of our lovely guests. Jack from Majestic Wines, Guildford, helped us source our English Sparkling Wine, which was a massive hit among our guests at the reception.

Gary and the Kearney’s team also ran our cocktail bar and assisted in many more ways than I ever thought a catering company would. They were fantastic to work with in the lead-up to our wedding and on the day by adapting to last-minute changes and requests. Naturally, the food was exquisite! And their catering for all dietary needs was next level attentive. All our guests continue to complement the food and drinks service.

Miracle Moments, Bart! A true hero who we were introduced to at my Maid-of-Honour’s wedding the previous year. Bart is simply the best photographer we could have found to capture our wedding day. Not only was his prep work super helpful and flexible with our daily commitments, but he was also fantastic fun, and he always made us feel at ease. Bart and his fabulous Witcher shirt (a personal nod to our proposal) were a hit with all the guests and provisioners alike (obviously). The photos he captured are truly beautiful and depict the utterly spectacular day and all the emotions that we shall always treasure. We cannot thank Bart enough, and will always be grateful for his expertise and enthusiasm. If you can have this man as your wedding photographer – snap him up!

Best part of the day

Choosing a single part of our wedding day as the best part is nearly impossible. However, I would be a sham of a bride not to say the moment Hugo and I said ‘I will’ to our lifelong commitments to each other. Especially as our entire ceremony at St Mary’s church, West Horsley, was officiated by his father, Julian Hubbard, making it all the more personal.

Our first dance will be a core memory I will retain for the rest of my life. The Blue Lion Band were awesome, especially in their rendition of ‘Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic’ by The Police. Being spun around in my wedding dress, in the most beautiful barn setting, with all our nearest and dearest watching – that is something I will have on repeat for a long time.

From one couple to another…

• Plan thoroughly and diligently, as putting the effort into the lead-up means knowing you have done your best and can relax and truly enjoy the day
• Remember to eat in the morning to line your stomach
• Things will inevitably go off schedule or not the way you had thought, and as a perfectionist, I was concerned about this in the lead-up to our big day. However, on the day, I felt as though nothing could touch me and that everything happened for a reason, making it all the more special and memorable
• Remember why you’re getting married. In this era of social media, it is all too common and easy to compare ourselves to the mirage we observe on sites like Facebook and Instagram. My main advice is to focus on yourself and what works for you and your spouse-to-be. Go with your gut instinct, and do not worry about what others think
• As Eden Ahbez wrote, ‘The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is to love and be loved in return’. That is all that matters.