Images by Ideal Imaging.
Katie and Jonty wanted a weekend-long wedding there they could gather their friends and family to stay without the large corporate hotel feels. The Elvetham in Hampshire was the perfect choice – a stunning, family-owned estate, set in 35 acres of beautiful gardens with multiple ceremony and reception rooms for hosting stylish weddings.
Over to Katie!
Notes from the bride
Katie says…
We wanted a venue where most guests could all stay over after the wedding, so we could have breakfast with them on the Sunday morning. However, we didn’t want a hotel feel as this was a special day! Fortunately, Jonty found The Elvetham, and immediately knew it was the perfect venue. It gives a relaxed vibe and even makes you feel at home, and also had a perfect warm and wet weather option, especially as you never know what the weather will be like on the day!
My approach to dress shopping was to go in with an open mind. I started by trying on lots of different styles until I came to one that I really liked. However, despite trying on lots of dresses, I still couldn’t find that perfect dress. I then went to Boo Bridal, which I had driven past on the way to The Elvetham many times. Fortunately, Emma at Boo Bridal was extremely helpful and we spoke through what I originally thought I wanted and the various dresses I had tried. Emma then pulled out my eventual dress by Mia Mia and told me to try it on. It was perfect, especially because it had pockets! Once the final touches were added such as a sparkly belt, I knew it was the dress I wanted and had dreamed of!
The colour scheme was based on the suit choice. Jonty chose his suit first which combined grey trousers with a navy jacket. Then we decided to have a light blue colour for the bridesmaids to complement the groomsmen. Finally, green, white and a little bit of blush was chosen for the flowers to add a bit of colour and we felt these complemented The Library where we had the wedding breakfast.
Our florist was Charlotte at Moutan and she was great, the flowers were stunning, especially the church arch! Charlotte completely understood what we wanted and helped recommend the flowers. I knew I wanted seasonal flowers and a mix of bigger flowers and smaller more delicate ones.
Best part of the day…
The morning for me was really relaxed. We got our hair and make-up done in The Seymour room at The Elvetham and then moved to the Bridal suite to put our dresses on. I remember putting the dress on and just feeling ‘Right let’s do this’. The journey in the car to the church was incredible, it was nice to spend those few minutes with just my dad. As soon as we arrived at the church, I couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle! I always thought walking down would be really scary, but it was the best 30 seconds of my life!
Jonty says “It was full of excitement as we had been planning this day for the best part of a year and a half. I knew it was going to be a wonderful day and couldn’t wait to get to the church to officially kick the day off!”
We arrived at the reception and had our own dedicated waitress for our canapés and Champagne, which was amazing! It was great walking into the venue and seeing all our guests, already there, laughing and taking in the day’s festivities. When we picked the venue we always hoped for a sunny day so our guests could enjoy the gardens and we were lucky that the weather was on our side. The wedding breakfast went perfectly and the food was amazing. We also had a magician come to the tables in-between courses which helped further the excitement in the room. It was a great opportunity for us to say hello to all our guests. The speeches were brilliant and all complimented one another. The library room where we had our breakfast was perfectly sized for the guests we had and when giving speeches gives a good platform to see everyone in the room giving a more intimate feel.
From one couple to another…
I didn’t realise how quickly the evening would go, my only regret is not dancing enough!
Jonty’s tip is to ensure you get around to speak to most guests especially during the wedding breakfast as you want everyone to feel welcome!
Credits
Venue The Elvetham
Photography Alistair Jones, Ideal Imaging
Dress Mia Mia from Boo Bridal
Hair & Make Up: Pam Wringley, Wedding Make-up and Hair
Stationery Lou Paper
Flowers Moutan
Cake Le Papillon
Magician Nicolas Clement
Toastmaster David Hunt
Wedding Car Charismatic Cars
