As if your Spring Fever weren’t at an all time high after the winter we’ve had, we’re throwing a beautiful garden wedding your way, and the bride is wearing a dress made of flowers (!!!) from Zita Elze. Believe me when I say you’re not going to want to miss a minute of this beautiful gallery from Mister Phill, and as a sweet treat for you, we’ll be back later today with a closer look at that beautiful gown!
From Mister Phill… Leanne & Ben’s English Summer wedding day traversed and encompassed rustic natural charm combined with old Hollywood style elegance and modern twists that made their day truly their own, truly one to remember; a day rich in fantastic design from beginning to end and populated by fantastic people.
The visual show-stopper of the wedding, it must be said, was Leanne’s breathtaking first wedding dress of the day – yes, she had two dresses – an astounding fresh flower and berry bodice combined with a flowing train made of Stipa grass, designed by Zita Elze. Worn by Leanne for the ceremony at St. Michael’s Church in Betchworth, Surrey, the dress was a complete surprise for all of the assembled guests and represented the first ever occasion on which a bride had worn one of Zita’s creations on her wedding day.
As Ben awaited his bride at the end of an aisle arrayed down each side with tea lights, pots of straw-light Stipa and dark green grasses interspersed with daisies (all arranged by Zita), and adorned with hand cut paper butterflies by Florrie Ann Thomas, Leanne entered the church through an entrance arched with grasses and flowers designed to echo her dress, accompanied by rustic wooden hearts and dangling bottled flowers. The wedding rings too were delivered on a wooden heart to match!
Ben wore a grey Armani suit and he and his groomsmen sported boutonnière designed to match Leanne’s bodice. Leanne’s bridesmaids wore slate gowns from Twobirds and held bouquets of yellow Aram lilies and Stipa grass.
After the ceremony, the newly-weds joined their guests at Leanne’s family home for the reception. An architecturally stunning stretch tent supplied by The Stretch Tent Company accommodated the wedding breakfast and evening party, providing shade from the English summer heat whilst capturing cool breezes through its open sides (it also served well in keeping everyone sheltered from a passing British summer storm!)
The tent was decorated with a clean, modern air to it, crisp white linens accompanied by silver dinnerware, adorned with tealights, flowers and bunches of gooseberries on the top table to extend and interweave the natural organic flavor of the afternoon’s ceremony into the evening’s celebrations. The open sided construction of the tent allowed the party to extend into the family garden where guests could relax on beanbags and in rattan chairs.
Between ceremony and reception, Leanne changed into her second dress of the day, an utterly stunning, figure hugging Old Hollywood style Pronovias gown. Ben’s expression of amazement and admiration, as he watched Leanne descend the stairs in this second outfit, was priceless!
The meal served at the wedding breakfast was of Leanne & Ben’s design, centered around a particular shared enjoyment of eating at Nandos. The culinary theme was commensurately interpreted, created and delivered by Purple Grape Catering. Baked beans with toasted soldiers, fish fingers with tartar sauce and macaroni and cheese pots served as appetizers and were followed by chicken breast marinated in Peri-Peri sauce and accompanied by chips, crunchy coleslaw, spicy rice and macho peas for the main course (with a vegetarian option of grilled Halloumi and mushrooms). The main course elements were delivered in large bowls to each table to enhance the sharing experience of the day. A lottery ticket was placed in a teacup for each guest to chance their fortune that weekend. Chocolate and raspberry pots, Eton Mess, Crème Brûlée topped with popping candy, Tiramisu and chilled rice pudding topped with fresh fruit compote were offered on a specially set aside table as a dessert selection for each guest to choose which took their fancy.
A beautiful wedding cake by Ceri Olfoson was designed to complement in style Leanne’s first wedding dress of the day.
The day was topped off with a resounding evening party that saw guests dancing into the night.
Photography: Mister Phill | Videography: From The Hip | Floral Design: ZITA ELZE | Cake: Olofson Design | Church: St. Michael's Church, Betchworth, Surrey | Shoes: Louboutin | Bridesmaids Dresses: Two Birds | Groom's Attire: Armani | Bride's Family Home: The Stretch Tent Company | Butterfly Decorations: Florrie Ann Thomas | Evening Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Event Planning & Catering: Purple Grape Catering | Floral Wedding Dress: ZITA ELZE | Hair & Make-up: Beauty Call