When it rains, it pours!

Alex + Lily tied the knot in a beautiful church ceremony before heading to The Secret Barn for their reception. Yes, it was a little damp outside, this is the UK after all, sunshine really isn’t a given!

But speaking of ‘tying the knot’, did you know this ritual comes from the tradition of handfasting and is used to strengthen the bond of the soon-to-be-wedded couple before the official ceremony? And, because a wet knot is much harder to untie than a dry one, rain on your wedding day is seen as a sign of GOOD THINGS AHEAD.

We’ll take that! Oh, and not ignoring the fact that The Secret Barn is the most beautiful wedding reception venue and the perfect place for sheltering from the elements and dancing the night away which is exactly what this pair did. No dampened spirits here!

Lily says..

We immediately fell in love with the relaxed and flexible nature of The Secret Barn. The fairy lights and the beautiful charm of it all was the ideal backdrop for us to add our own stamp and finishing touches.

I found my wedding dress in the third shop I visited, Wild Flora, and it was such a special occasion to share with my mum and best friend. I still felt like me but in the most beautiful full, wafty and princess-like skirt. My veil was simple and long and brought the whole look together.

I had the cutest glitter heels from ASOS for walking down the aisle, but for the rest of the day I had Adidas Stan Smith trainers with ribbons for laces – totally inspired by one of my favourite films, Father of the Bride!

We wanted to make it as personal as we could and where possible, try and make things ourselves. From the handmade clay name plaques on each table setting, to the cake stand made by my (Lily’s) dad, and even the flowers on the tables which were arranged by our close friends and family the day before. It all shaped the memories we had and meant we could tell our own story.

Our florist was Petal & Feast and every arrangement looked like it had been scooped up out of a meadow. We had a floral ladder over our top table and also a floral hoop hanging down from the ceiling.

Petal and Feast also did the food and we opted for beautiful, hearty canapes that included mini Yorkshire puddings! Our main meal was a hog roast and a delicious buffet of stunning salads. My mum even made her famous potato salad for the occasion!

Liz from Ruby Roux Photography was a joy. From ringing me the day before to reassure us that despite the weather forecast, everything would be ok! To actually making Alex smile and feel natural when he is normally anything but in front of the camera!

Although the weather may have been, in her words, the worst she’d seen in her career, we all kept smiling and the photos were truly beautiful.

Best part of the day

The ceremony was magical. Seeing Alex and feeling the love and warmth of everyone as we made our vows was a true highlight. I also loved our first dance and the speeches were very moving.

From one couple to another…

Everyone will tell you to breathe and be present, that is easier said than done but do try!