Amazing local, family orientated wedding
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All photographs not marked “in house” were taken by Kelly Tawse Photography - Kelly Tawse Photography- Candid Dorset Wedding Photographer / kellytawsephotography@gmail.com
Kelly was a hero and stepped in when the original photographer double booked As you can see it was a blessing in disguise as she takes incredible photographs!
Thursday morning and the sun was shining as Perfect Party Tents arrived to put up a beautiful octagonal marquee in the field. They had brought bell tents to Shillingstone before but never a full size marquee. Behind the main marquee they erected a smaller tent for seating which they provided along with the benches and tables.
Perfect Party Tents - 07539 419636 / perfectpartytents@hotmail.com / http://www.perfectpartytents.co.uk/
In the centre of the marquee Quality Marquee Hire inserted the most beautiful dance floor that we have ever had here at Shillingstone - a perfect shiny chequerboard square.
07889 009066 / qualitymarqueehire@gmail.com / qualitymarqueehire.co.uk
For a set sum, Fiona from Perfect Party Tents allow their clients to have access to their Alladin’s cave of extras where they can choose furniture, props and decorations to suite their chosen theme. These were stored until Friday when an army of friends and relations turned up to put them in place.
Before Perfect Party Tents left, they started the glamping village in the outer walled garden with a few of their bell tents which were very beautifully decorated.
Flowers went into the churns lent by Perfect Party tents and a variety of small glass containers. Some of the flowers had been grown by the bride and the bridegroom’s mother - not easy in this year of drought - plus a couple of buckets from Penny Close Farm - flowersfromthefarm.co.uk/members/pennyclose-farm-flowers/ www.pennyclosefarm.co.uk
jenny.cobb@pennyclosefarm.co.uk - They also made the bride’s bouquet.
The Hire Barn - The Hire Barn - Home / enquiries@thehirebarn.com - arrived to set up a wonderful array of beautifully made lawn games ready for guests to enjoy the following day.
The couple were expecting large numbers of young children, many of them school friends of their sons. They had made a special “bar” dispensing soft drinks and sweets and we lent them a gazebo to go over the top. We had also moved an old swing frame to the lawn complete with it’s new tent cover. The bride had even provided bubble guns and colouring books.
Dike and Sons from Stalbridge arrived with their bar which, as the weather was so glorious, they set up in the shade of the trees beside the marquee. - Dike & Son / info@dikeandson.co.uk
The weather forecast predicted no rain so the chairs were moved from the marquee to the lower lawn and set out in front of the Gazebo ready for the ceremony the next day.
in house
The final duty was to consign the smaller vases of flowers to the care of the ancestors in the porch for a night.spent safely on the cool marble floor.
Saturday and the groom and his friends arrived to finalise the finishing touches.
Two sets of sunglasses were arranged on the table in the Gazebo and bunches of flowers tied to the chairs on the aisle.
Smaller arrangements went back on the tables. The marquee looked amazing - as one guest said later “It looks like something out of “Country Living “ Magazine”. A huge amount of thought had gone into the planning but the end product was relaxed and informal.
Guests began to arrive and soon it was tine for them to take their seats. The mother of the groom pinned on his buttonhole and he went to wait nervously for his bride.
The bride arrived looking relaxed and beautiful. Her father looked so proud as he helped her out of the car.
She posed for some photographs before going into the house to see the registrars. She was wearing a close fitting lace dress with a sweetheart neckline and the most beautiful train with lace detail. It was perfect for her and she looked amazing.
01258 423321 / info@exclusivelyyoursbridalboutique.co.uk / exclusivelyyoursbridalboutique.co.uk
The bride had no bridesmaids so she and her father set off alone under the Catalpa tree to meet her groom.
His duties done, her father returned to his seat and with a quick tweak to her train, the couple were ready to start the ceremony.
The main part of the ceremony over, their two sons joined them for a handfasting ceremony to bind the family together.
Other children amongst the guests were invited up to tighten the knot. and the bride and groom were declared man and wife.
The register signed, they walked back down the aisle , snatching a few minutes under amongst the ribbons hung in the Catalpa Tree, before returning to the house for some all important time to themselves.
There Kelly took some more wonderful photographs while the groomsmen lined the guests up outside the dining room windows.
Time to go out to face a bombardment of congratulations and confetti!
A few formal photographs followed plus some with their children before they returned to the marquee to mingle with their friends.
Guests, especially the young, took full advantage of the games laid out for them, even the slipperiness of the dance floor put to the test.
There was no formal sit down meal , with guests helping themselves to the delicious feast laid on by Dikes washed down with beer from the bar.
Guests explored the grounds and caught up with old friends and it was no time at all before it was time to cut the cake - an incredible confection decorated with real flowers, made by the Bride!!! Her mother in law made chocolate cake and step mother an iced fruit cake.
Soon the great moment that the children had been waiting for arrived - they were allowed to attack the huge red Piñata hanging from the roof of the marquee!
The sun began to go down and Kelly took the couple to the walled garden to take a few more informal pictures.
7.00 pm and the disco - Luv Wed - began to play, evening guests arrived and the party began with the First Dance.
Music continued until Midnight with a break for guests to collect their delicious hog roast from the stall that Julien Else, from Else Family Butchers in Stalbridge, had set up in the field by the marquee.
07872 008828 / hello@luvwed.co.uk / luvwed.co.uk
01963 362276 / info@elsefamilybutchers.com /elsefamilybutchers.com / elsefamilybutchers.co.uk
With the generator turned off and their guests departed, the happy couple wended their way to their Wedding Night Bell Tent in the Walled Garden - It had been an incredible, Happy, Magical day.
