As the January chill sets in, we’re warming ourselves with memories of the wonderful winter weddings we had the privilege of hosting in the twilight of 2018 - none more so than Holly and Alex’s stunning soiree in late November…
Holly and her bridesmaids descended on The Normans Cottage for the weekend, and it was here where they readied themselves for the Big Day, with the help of hair and make-up extraordinaire Julia Jeckell and hairstylist Lottie Haigh.
Bridesmaids were dressed in simple yet stunning gowns by Issa at House of Fraser…
… while bride Holly looked amazing in a Diane Legrand design, from Paverly Bridal in Wimbledon, London.
Outside, groom Alex ensured he didn’t let the side down, dressing in a snappy three-piece Hugo Boss suit.
For all the giddy excitement reverberating around The Normans Cottage, Holly emerged, composed and wedding-ready, holding a bouquet of roses, clematis, eryngium, Veronica, lavender, dusty miller, clary sage and asparagus fern. Bravo, Clock Dandelion, for crafting this botanical beauty!
And so, to The Normans Ceremony Barn, where Holly’s father walked his daughter down an aisle lined with verdant eucalyptus and solidago.
Holly and Alex did the ‘I dos’ in a heartfelt ceremony, which featured readings from friends and personalised vows. The scene was framed by two striking arrangements of white roses, dill, delphinium, more solidago and eucalyptus (again, the handiwork of Clock Dandelion).
The moving ceremony culminated in a kiss, which was greeted with cheers from guests - none louder than the bridesmaids, seen here wearing their eye-catching Issa gowns.
Outside, chilly climes did nothing to deter guests from al-fresco merrymaking - all and sundry headed into the Courtyard for drinks and canapes…
… served by those fine folk at The Hog & Apple Food Co.
Bride Holly took time to raise a glass and bask in the adulation of her guests…
… before heading out to explore Normans Farm with Alex in tow for photos (and a sneaky smooch).
Inside the Grain Shed, olive trees imbued with (yet more!) fairylights served as table centrepieces. “I loved Jo’s [of Clock Dandelion] suggestion of olive trees instead of big flower displays,” says Holly. “They kept tables clean and crisp and, more importantly, there was plenty of space on the tables for the delicious winter barbecue boards served by Hog & Apple!”
Another notable feature on each table were the bottles of ‘Arblaster Ale’ (brewed by a guest and served at The Normans for one night only!).
We absolutely loved the personalised table settings - a Lego alter ego for each guest. “Alex will tell you this was his only real contribution to wedding planning - and now it’s the main thing that our guests talk about and remember about the day!” laments Holly.
Indeed, there seemed to be a handcrafted, personalised touch at every turn - take this copper arch from Little Deer, for example, which made for a unique alternative to a photobooth.
And there was, of course, the cake. Not only did this stunning four-tier toffee sponge (by Iced Yorkshire) look and taste divine, its dissection heralded the start of a wild and wonderful night.
Congratulations to Holly and Alex - a beautiful couple!
“From start to finish The Normans team were accessible and easy to communicate with, extremely helpful, and genuinely a pleasure to meet!
And the venue really just speaks for itself. It’s got enough character to stand on its own - yet at the same time it can be an amazing blank canvas to make into whatever you want!”
