Amy & Ethan married in the middle of winter and, after entrusting Amy’s parents to find the perfect location for their big day, they chose Stratton Court Barn. Good job we say! Karin Tindall, Wedding and Events Manager, talks us through this celebration.
Karin says…
Amy and Ethan both live and work in Australia, with Amy from the UK and Ethan from the USA. They had a small legal ceremony in Australia, but wanted a proper celebration, including a ceremony that really reflected them and their beliefs, in the UK. Amy’s parents therefore did the initial venue hunt on their behalf, with their search concentrated around their home on the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire border. In Stratton Court Barn they found a barn venue that offered them the flexibility they needed for the ceremony and blessing, the rustic chic they were after, yet contemporary enough to offer warmth and comfort in the middle of winter. It was also important that all wedding planning could be done remotely, as at the time of booking, Amy wasn’t sure if she’d be back in the UK between booking the venue and the wedding date.
Amy found her dress in a boutique in Australia, and shoved it into an overflowing suitcase, only to pull it out a few days before the wedding. Her (slightly horrified!) mum did an incredible job of steaming it to perfection though, ensuring the elegant and sweeping lines of the gown and train looked perfect on the day.
Amy’s style is very laid-back and natural and she really wanted to reflect that on her wedding day. So her hair and make up artist, Debbie Mac, gave Amy’s long and thick hair some soft curls and gently twisted the front sections away from her face – and secured it at the back in a twisted design to add interest. The makeup used was only there to enhance her natural features, perfecting her skin and making the most of her beautiful brown eyes.
Ethan and his groomsmen were in classic dark navy, but with the added touch of matching braces and burgundy ties, creating a dapper look even when the jackets were off.
The flowers were hugely important to Amy, and all décor focused on this. She didn’t necessarily know what flowers she wanted but she did have a clear vision. The colours she had in mind were burgundy, navy and mustard yellow which were a joy for Joules at Willow & Thyme to work with, particularly as her bridesmaids were wearing forest green, which is neutral in floristry terms. Joules recommended staying as seasonal as possible, including ranunculus, anenomes, eryngium (blue thistle), garden style roses, burnt orange chrysanthemums and masses of textured foliage to create slightly wild and structured bouquets with gold/mustard trailing ribbons for the girls. Similar flowers were also introduced into the ceremony arch and the table flowers, ensuring that some softer, blush and peach colours were introduced, to add some warmth to the richer berry colours.
Amy wanted the flowers to do the real talking, but added burgundy napkins to pick up the main colour scheme, and mini American and English flag badges as favours. Fairylights around all the beams inside, and a fairylight canopy in the courtyard, all from Something Borrowed Event Hire, added further warmth.
“We were all so happy with the location for our daughter’s wedding. The venue was stunning, the suppliers were amazing, and nothing was too much trouble for anyone involved in Amy’s day!” – Sally, Mother of the Bride
Amy & Ethan wanted to the day to exude warmth, comfort and family values, and also to give their American guests a taste of England. The food and drink complemented this perfectly. Winter Pimms was served warm after the ceremony. For their sit-down meal they had a traditional English Sunday roast, served family-style to the tables, followed by a trio of dessert. All done by S&J Cuisine.
There was also a nod to the Father of the Bride’s passion for Land Rovers. Not only did Amy arrive in her dad’s Land Rover, they also had wood fired pizzas at night, prepared and served by The Wild Oven team with their Land Rover pizza van.
Amy & Ethan wanted beautiful, atmospheric photos, with their story being told in the photos captured. They wanted a documentary style photographer, who could really blend in unobtrusively, so they could focus on enjoying the day with their families and friends, who’d travelled from near and far to be there with them. They fell in love with Monika’s ability to capture natural moments, radiating real emotions, in the most stunning way, and trusted her implicitly on the day.
Venue Stratton Court Barn
Photography MT Studio Weddings
Caterer S&J Cuisine
Pizza The Wild Oven
Florist Willow & Thyme
Lights Something Borrowed Event Hire
Hair & Makeup Artist Debbie Mac
Photo Booth MT Studio Weddings
Based on a weekday wedding in March.