It’s just the most perfect spot for a relaxed outdoor wedding. I’ve also definitely crushed once or twice on their barn – a Scandi-industrial creative space – the blank canvas of dreams!
Rona & Alex’s big day shows off all this Essex wedding venue has to offer; from getting ready in their farmhouse, to an outdoor ceremony, drinks in the summer sunshine and then frolics in the fields as the sun starts to set.
Wedding day bliss – enjoy these gorgeous photos by Emis Weddings folks.
Notes from the Bride
Rona says…
We loved Houchins as soon as we saw it. It has a relaxed but modern feel. It was important to us that the day had good natural flow and Houchins has a fantastic setup. The outdoor space, including the surrounding fields, are beautiful.
My wedding dress was Willowby by Watters via the bridal boutique Halo & Wren. I loved the idea of separates and was drawn to the top immediately. My shoes were Sophia Webster, but generally my accessories were minimal. Emma Victoria did the hair and make up for the whole bridal party. We all had fairly natural and relaxed styles. My bridesmaid dresses were a dusky grey colour with a beaded overlay and were one of the first purchases I made after I spotted them on ASOS. The groom wore a tailored linen suit from Mark & Spencers and the Groomsmen all wore silk printed Hermès ties.
We kept the palette for the décor quite restricted. We wanted to keep it looking clean and modern so used natural wood, greenery, white lighting and monochromatic stationery. The interior of the venue, a converted barn, is already stunning so we didn’t feel it was necessary to add too much.
Our florist was Yellie from Love Flowers, a beautiful shop in Hertford. We opted for a variety of greeneries with a wild and textural feel. We were keen to include Eucalyptus as a nod to the Groom’s Australian heritage.
Our caterers were Bouquet Garni, one of Houchins’ recommended suppliers. We had a 3 course wedding breakfast, which included the best cheesecake of all time. In the evening we had a BBQ. We selected all our wines ourselves, road tripping over to France to collect.
Our photographer, Emis stayed from start to finish. He was unobtrusive, relaxed but directive when he needed to be, and integrated well with the wedding congregation. He managed to capture some amazing moments and the photos are so beautiful.
Best part of the day
We both have a great love for live music and our band’s rendition of Chop Suey by System of a Down as our last dance was definitely a stand out moment!
From one bride to another…
I think my advice to couples would be to focus more energy on the aspects of the wedding that will create real fun on the day, rather than obsessing too much about all of the tiny aesthetic details. If you’ve chosen good suppliers everything will come together in the end. I would also say choose a venue with staff you trust (and like) as they really make a difference on the day.
Venue Houchins
Photography Emis Weddings
Bridal Boutique Halo & Wren
Hair & Makeup Emma Victoria
Florist Love Flowers
Caterers Bouquet Garni
Band Rokko Band
Guitarist Marcello Michael
Based on a weekday wedding in March.