First Hand Fast Blessing Service.

This was our first Hand Fast Blessing service.  The couple were married in New Zealand, pre Pandemic, but the bride was determined to have a celebration here in Dorset, complete with the wedding dress she had dreamt of.  Planned for 2020, cancelled again in 2021, their patience paid off.

Friday brought the bride’s family to help with preparations. The bride had chosen the gate to the HaHa as the site for the ceremony. The weather did not bode well for the following day – so unfair as it was very hot and sunny all week.

The groom had constructed a wooden arch and this was put in place between the rose beds before being decorated with flowers by the bride and her mother. More flowers were arranged ready to go down the aisle. The theme was peacocks and the flowers echoed this in purple and green.

The bride’s father arrived with a trailer full of haybales which were heaved onto the lawn and laid out in rows ready for the guests to sit on, just in time before the celebrant arrived for a run through of the service.   Those taking part in the ceremony were given a demonstration of what they would need to do as the ribbon tying is quite complicated.

The following day the bride with friends and family came over to put out the final touches.   

The bride had provided sheets to lay over the bales to protect the ladies’ legs from prickly hay and  these needed putting in place along with the final flowers on the arch and down the aisle. Everything was ready bar the tablecloth for the celebrant’s table which we had held back as rain threatened.

Guests began to drift onto the lawn.  These were close friends and family as a larger party was being held in the village where the couple and their families live.

With everyone seated, it was time for the bride to arrive.

She looked amazing in an Edwardian style lace dress which suited her perfectly.  Her bridesmaids were dressed in dark purple or green dresses and were accompanied by two younger girls in white tulle carrying wonderful wands with a peacock on the top instead of a star.

She made her way into the house to have some photographs taken with her bridesmaids.

Everyone then gathered in the dining room to wait for the processional music to start. Carefully making her way down the steps, with the help of her father, she made her way across to lawn to her bridegroom. 

The ceremony was beautiful and went off without a hitch although some people found it harder to complete the ribbon tying than others!

Just as the service was finishing it began to drizzle but guests were not put off and hurried to the drinks gazebo for a cold glass of bubbly. 

The bride and groom went to have a few pictures taken - THEN it began to pour!!

Everyone fled to the dining room where group photographs were taken and more drink drunk!  A very different end to day from the one planned but very festive.

As guests began to leave to go to the reception,  a shining blue Rolls Royce with white upholstery arrived to take the bride and groom – owned and driven by a local friend, it was organised as a surprise for the bride – she was thrilled.

The Couple will return as they want to take the photographs in the ground that the weather made impossible – watch this space!

Here we go!! It was a lovely evening with a beautiful sunset promised, a month later that the couple came back to take the photographs they had wanted in the gardens and the bride’s uncle took some beautiful fun shots, starting on the lawns.

Before moving on to the Walled Garden and the Camping lawns.

And finishing in the field.