Joe and Rachel’s vision for their big day was quaint, English country chic and they transformed the barn with the most beautiful decorations. The flowers, white and pink roses with eucalyptus and gypsophelia, were provided by Rachel’s friend Brogan and her mum, and sat proudly in jam jars and antique silver teapots.
Their seating plan, as rustic wooden crate with a different photo frame with each table list, was sat on huge hay bales, and continuing with the rustic theme, a wooden step ladder displayed more beautiful flowers, candles, teapots and photos of Joe and Rachel as children.
Rachel made use of our beautiful repurposed wooden cable drum to display their gorgeous picnic basket card holder and guest book. Strung around the beams were amazing photos of Joe and Rachel’s loved ones on their wedding day and it was such a beautiful idea and so personal.
Towards the dance floor, Joe and Rachel had set up their cake table, and on it stood the most enormous pile of mouthwatering brownies we had ever seen! Along with a selection of cakes all made by Rachel and Joe’s family and friends.
When the wedding day arrived, Rachel and her bridesmaids and flower girls got ready together around our huge antique table in the West Wing Ballroom. The room was a buzz with excitement while Abbey Bowden worked on plaited up dos and Stacey Borg created the most beautiful delicate make-up looks. Once Joe was ready, we led Rachael with her father, and the girls, through the house to the ceremony in the gallery. The bridesmaids’ dresses were gorgeous, dusky pink with beaded low back detail. Rachel’s full tulle skirted, beaded gown was simply stunning. Her floor length veil completed the look- she looked beautiful.
Hornington Gallery is the perfect space to hold a civil ceremony, as Rachel and Joe found out. Floor to ceiling windows flooded the space with natural light, and the aisle was lined with huge glass candle lanterns. Joe waited for his bride at the end of the aisle, looking extremely dapper in his navy suit with burgundy tie and button hole.
Musician Dan Bridgewood-Hill (DBH) serenaded the pair before and after the ceremony, and in the courtyard while the newly-weds enjoyed home-made canapes presented by the most adorable (and extremely helpful) flower girls. Rachel and Joe were photographed by the brilliant Mark Dolby throughout the day.
Once the party moved through to the barn, they were treated to authentic fish and chips from a van in the courtyard, curtesy of Hip Hop Chip Shop, complete with mushy peas and lashings of salt and vinegar!
Rachel’s father Terry spoke beautiful words about his daughter and her new husband. He described Joe as smart, confident, ambitious and a true gentleman. If he had to choose a husband for his daughter, he would have picked Joe. Their beautiful daughter Edie meant they were a little family and really do complete one another.
Joe was really touched by Terry’s kind words and thanked him and his wife Elaine for raising the best person he’s ever met and allowed him to marry her today. he thanked his parents too, saying how he owed them a lot, figuratively and literally… He thanked guests who had travelled all the way from Cyprus, New York and even the south of England!
We learned how Joe met his bride, while they both worked at the Halifax bank call centre in Leeds. Its surprising they made it to their wedding day, of their second date was anything to go by- Joe, who was on crutches, took the gig tickets from his pocket only to pull out a condom and drop it on the floor! On the same night, Rachel dislocated her shoulder trying to get out of her jumpsuit in the loo! The pair are clearly made for each other! He gushed about his beautiful bride, saying she is truly incredible and he couldn’t have picked anyone better to go through life with.
Best man Jonny, self-declared long time wing-man and mentor to Joe, started his speech by toasting the real star of the show- gorgeous little Edie. He went on to say that Rachel is such a fantastic addition to their friendship group and thought she looked absolutely stunning. Jonny then spoke about his friendship with Joe, which started when they met at school in the 80s. He described Joe as loyal, charming, strong (but not in a literal sense…) and a much better man than himself, but for this one day, he could be the Best Man.
Joe and Rachel’s DJ, Ziggy Archer from Hi-Life Entertainment made sure that party went on late into the night and everyone had such a fantastic time.
We recieved a lovely email from Rachel and Joe which we have shared below-
‘Hi Jo,
Thank you so so much for our card and beautiful present, i treated myself to some flowers and it’s now pride of place. We absolutely love it, what a beautiful keepsake and way to remember our day.
We had the most incredible weekend, we both just want to do it all over again, wish you had been there to celebrate with us but hope you had a lovely time relaxing in the sun. Imagine it was very well deserved after harvest.
We spent a week in Wales just the 3 of us after the wedding in a little cottage out in the sticks which was just such a lovely way to relax and spend time together after the manic wedding build up. We had hope to go abroad but my passport arrived the day monarch crashed and a 10 hour flight to Portugal didn’t seem appealing haha.
Thank you all again for helping to make the entire weekend so perfect, we honestly couldn’t have chosen a more perfect place to start this next adventure.
Rach, Joe & Edie x’
We hope you had the most incredible day, congratulations Mr and Mrs Fretwell.
Suppliers on the day…
Photographer
07590896202
Catering
Contact – 07855 053271
Hair
Abbey Bowden
Contact – 07753335736
Makeup
Stacey Borg
Contact- stazwood25@hotmail.co.uk
Entertainment:
DBH (Dan Bridgewood-Hill)
Hi-Life Entertainment (Ziggy Archer)
Contact – 07460729400
