Europe Weddings

Just like the guests at this celebration, we too would’ve traveled clear across the globe to attend. Because when you’ve got Kim Balasubramaniam at the helm planning a champagne-fueled celebration in the Cotswolds countryside, well we’d say that’s more than worth it. Complete with a stunning garden ceremony it was a day filled with love, fun, and happiness a.k.a the perfect evening in England for them to take back home to Shanghai. See it all captured by Zosia Zacharia Photography in The Vault!

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From Zosia Zacharia Photography…Daisy and Haibin’s wedding was a real international affair, with the bride, groom and all their guests traveling from all sides of the world to the picturesque setting of the Cotswolds. The wedding day started at Lucknam Park hotel and spa – a beautiful Palladian mansion with a sweeping driveway and over 500 acres of parkland. This picture perfect couple wore an Oscar de la Renta gown and a Tom Ford suit; a real touch of glamour in the countryside!

Daisy and Haibin were whisked away in a vintage Rolls Royce adorned with a garland of flowers to the setting for their wedding reception; Valentina’s Lost Orangery. Guests were invited to the celebrations with a stunning invitation by Cutture which featured a 3-D silhouette of the Orangery and couple (there is a photograph of the couple above the water on what looks like a bridge – which is exactly the same as their invitation). A colour palette of palest blush, peach and sage green with a pop of coral and ran throughout every element of the wedding from the stationery to Daisy’s beautiful bouquet.

The Lost Orangery is a completely hidden gem in the Cotswolds countryside – the Orangery and the stunning gardens provided the perfect backdrop for a day’s celebrations; as soon as we saw the venue we knew it would be ideal – it had us as soon as we saw the outdoor chandelier!

During the cocktail hour, which took place by the water, guests who had flown in from around the world, feasted on canapes and champagne to the sounds of an acoustic double bass and guitar duo. Fragrant flowers filled the venue, even decorating a little rowing boat on the lake; Georgia from Westwood Design used English roses, orchids and dahlias in tones of blush, peach and coral which echoed the blooms in the gardens themselves.

The intimate nature of this wedding allowed all the guests to be seated for dinner on one long table in The Orangery. Urns of fragrant flowers and fruit ran along the length of the table and candles placed in antique brass candlesticks completed the look. A personalized menu sat at each place setting and the guests enjoyed a delicious five course wedding breakfast.

The couple were keen for the evening to be a fun affair, so Daisy changed into a gorgeous red Oscar de la Renta mini dress, and popped on some Dolce and Gabbana heels. A close-up magician delighted the guests and we had a jazz band playing in the background.

The party continued long into the night, with some guests even taking to the microphones themselves! A celebration filled with love, fun and happiness and the perfect memory of England to take with them as they start their new life together in Shanghai.

Photography: Zosia Zacharia Photography | Event Planning + Design: Kim Balasubramaniam | Floral Design: Westwood Design | Wedding Dress: Oscar De La Renta | Stationery: Cutture | Bride's Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana | Rings: Harry Winston | Catering: Eat5Star | Makeup: Kate Kelvin | Band: The Modern Way through Alive Network | Groom's Attire: Tom Ford | Venue: The Parsonage | Film Processing: Carmencita Film Lab | Getting Ready Venue: Lucknam Park | Magician: The Modern Way through Alive Network | Ribbons: Kate Cullen | Ring Boxes: The Mrs Box | Vintage Rolls Royce: Premier Carriage

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A 200-year-old Mogul Indian Palace in the Cotswold countryside, lace-covered overalls and romantic florals from Fiona Perry take this inspiration session from pretty to OMG amazing. Of course, the photos from Lucy Davenport Photography and details designed by Kerry Poulter Weddings & Events are a major part of the wow factor. Head to The Vault to see — and pin — all the pretty!

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Photography: Lucy Davenport | Floral Design: Fiona Perry | Wedding Dress: Sophia Kokosalaki | Wedding Dress: Suzanne Harward | Cake: Princess Patisserie | Stationery : Oh Wonder Calligraphy | Shoes: Emmy London | Hair + Makeup: Louise Seymour | Bridal Boutique: Suzanne Harward from LA Bespoke | Crockery & Glassware : Summerill & Bishop | Cutlery : Amara | Event Planning, Coordination & Styling : Kerry Poulter Weddings & Events | Film Processing: Carmencita Film Lab | Floral Lace Dungarees & Heritage Jersey Top : Needle & Thread | Furniture: Wedhead | Jewellery: Sarie Joynes | Location: Sezincote House | Meringues : The Meringue Girls | Model: Kirsty-Anne Tritton | Silk Ribbon & Runner : Kate Cullen | Sneakers: Florence | Sparkling de Léoube: Daylesford | Table Linen : Table To Dine For

I’ll be the first to admit I was a total horse-nut as a child (anyone else?!), and have always dreamed of having an equine friend on hand during my Big Day. This inspiration shoot, practically bursting at the seams with British charm (Wellies!), and not one, but two beautiful horses, was all the encouragement I need to keep on dreaming. Click through the gallery here, and you might be having some horsey wedding dreams soon, too!

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From Jane Riddell of Planned for Perfection… This fabulous equestrian shot was taken on location at Wyck Hill House Hotel and Spa, an elegant 18th century Manor House located in the heart of the beautiful English countryside.

Wyck Hill House approached me to help them create a styled wedding shoot that combined its opulence and grandeur with the very essence of Cotswold Life.

Situated in the stunning Gloucestershire countryside, with breath taking views over the rolling hills of The Cotswold, the Manor House is close to the racing town of Cheltenham and the famous Beaufort Polo Club, where Prince’s William and Harry have been known to play, so an equestrian styled shoot seemed rather fitting!

On what turned out to be a rather grey February morning, the roaring log fire and a glow of candle light brought a warmth to the old library and ornate Adams room, whilst the soft blush tones and striking burgundies florals supplied by Stephanie Saunders ensuring an elegant Downton Abbey style back drop…

The beautifully designed stationery by On Cloud Nine, hinted towards the equestrian and country side theme whilst retaining an elegant simplicity and when styled with rustic horseshoes, captured the theme of the shoot perfectly.

The stunning gowns were supplied by The Bridal Room at Broadway, who provided a wonderful mix of satin and lace dresses, offset by gorgeous accessories and complimented beautifully by flowing chiffon bridesmaid dresses from Katherine Allen Bridal and the Cake Chemists provided two incredible wedding cakes.

The winter’s sun made a brief appearance later in the afternoon and the wonderful Laura Power photography was able to capture some bridal shots with the horses, which ended the day perfectly….what better way to spend a day than ‘horsing around’ in the Cotswolds with a team of Cotswold’s finest wedding suppliers!

Photography: Laura Power | Event Planning: Planned for Perfection | Floral Design: Stephanie Saunders | Wedding Dresses: The Bridal Room Broadway | Cake: The Cake Chemists | Stationery: On Cloud Nine | Bridesmaids Dresses: Katherine Allen Bridal | Hair And Makeup : Heidi Vince | Venue: Wyck Hill House Hotel And Spa

My secret dreams were realized when this English wedding came across my desk. Pretty pastels and beautiful bridesmaids, a stunning custom gown by Lusan Mandongus and plenty of cheeky British charm make this summer celebration one I won’t soon forget. Katie Julia and Velvet Street Studios captured it all, from sun up to last kiss, all packed into this gorgeous gallery for us to love on.

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From The Bride… Thinking back our wedding day feels like a dream; I’ve looked at the photos and watched our wedding video a dozen times and I still beam with a smile remembering how beautiful, romantic and truly special the day was.

I was so happy to have a summer wedding so that I could use a pastel palette and peonies, which are my favourite. I wanted the day to be elegant, timeless and romantic, and we both agreed on a small intimate affair, with only people that had shared in our happy memories as a couple.

Neither of us had any idea of the sort of venue we wanted, but from the moment we walked into Thyme Barn we fell in love. It’s set in the most idyllic little village called Southrop in the Cotswolds. The venue is mainly used as a cookery school, and both Guy and I love our food so this was a big selling point for us. Some of the venues we saw felt like there was a wedding revolving door, but at Thyme Barn they paid amazing attention to detail, and you may also recognise the location as it was where Kate Moss got married!

We hired five of the cottages that surrounded the barn, and it felt like we’d hired our own little private village for the weekend. The night before the wedding Guy had dinner with all the groomsmen down at the village pub, and I had dinner with all of my girls at the main house. On Sunday, our guests travelled home and the family members stayed for a Sunday roast. We wanted the wedding weekend to last as long as it could.

I have to say my dress was the only part of the wedding process I didn’t enjoy – I tried on about 60 dresses and none of them felt right. In the end, I found two Lusan Mandongus dresses that I liked – on one I adored the dip of the back and the other the wow factor of the four-foot trail – and the moment the assistant said we can merge the two I was sold!

For the bridesmaids’ dresses I couldn’t find the colour I wanted in the UK, so ended up buying the dresses from a US brand call Donna Morgan. It was a bit of a pain, as they don’t ship to the UK. Luckily my maid of honor’s sister lives in the States so we had them delivered there and she posted them to each of the bridesmaids. My bridesmaids I have known since school and they are like sisters to me. I feel so privileged to have their friendship, love and support. It meant the world to me that they were by my side on my wedding day.

My flower girl Lara is one of my old charges from when I was a nanny, we still share a very special bond, and she looked simply beautiful on the day. My pageboy Sam is another of my charges, he helped warm up the crowed by walking down the aisle with a last chance to run sign. His cheeky smile lit up the room. And last but not least my adorable pug cross, Miss Beasley Pickles, totally stole the show!

My most memorable moment was this: as I set off with my bridesmaids on the short walk to the ceremony a huge black cloud appeared and the heavens opened. I looked up at the sky and asked my granddad, who had recently passed away, to bring out the sun. Throughout the ceremony you could hear the thunderstorm outside, and it made it feel very dramatic. After the “ I do’s,” Guy squeezed my hand and whispered, “Look outside.” No joke, the clouds parted as a beautiful ray of sunshine shone through the window above the registrar and the sun stayed out all day.

Photography: Katie Julia | Videography: Velvet Tree Studios | Wedding Dress: Lusan Mandongus | Cake: The Pretty Cake Company | Ceremony Venue: Thyme Barn | Reception Venue: Thyme Barn | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Donna Morgan | Hair And Makeup: Samantha Davis Make Up | Grooms Attire: Adam Waite | Assistant Photography: Mirella Baio Photography

Raised in Singapore, having moved to Australia and settling on the UK as home, this beautiful duo has a love that stretches the globe. So when it came to their wedding, tying together their background was oh-so-important, and Jessie Thomson made that happen. This gallery from Leah Kua is all the proof why the Cotswolds and a Chinese tea ceremony are a perfect pairing.

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From Jessie Thomson Wedding Planning…A traditional Chinese tea ceremony set in the heart of The Cotswolds in England, with close friends and family the day before the full wedding celebration, followed by an afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches and scones – set in the gardens of a boutique Cotswold stone hotel.

I was honoured to be invited to this pre-wedding celebration as a guest with my daughter, and to witness such a beautiful and time honoured tradition in the British countryside on a hot Summer’s day.

It was the perfect way to start a weekend of celebrations!

From the beautiful Bride…Ryan and I are of Chinese descent and raised in Singapore. 15 years ago, we both moved to Australia first and then the UK. When we decided to get married in the UK, we planned our wedding around two visions: one of a rustic chic barn theme on the actual day, and a cultural heritage theme on the day before. We wanted the latter to be an intimate affair purely for our families, wedding party and wedding planner. The beautiful and romantic grounds of the Rectory Hotel in the Cotswolds was the perfect spot to host the ceremony.

Steeped in tradition, the tea ceremony is the most sacred ritual of Chinese nuptials. It serves as the bride’s symbolic introduction to the groom’s family. Choosing to incorporate this tradition was our way to honour the Chinese values that we were raised with and close to our hearts, despite having been living overseas for so long. Equally, we felt this was an important feature to include, given the next day’s wedding events would take on a more modern and relaxed western approach.

Since the exact presentation can vary from family to family and different Oriental cultural groups, we kept ours simple and elegant with the showcase of the tea set being the focal item in the ceremony set-up. A complete tea set represents harmony and togetherness. Traditionally, the tea set itself is part of the bride’s dowry and becomes a keepsake that she’ll use again for her own daughter’s ceremony someday.

Sweet tea is believed to bring happiness to the couple and to foster good relations between the bride and her new in-laws. According to legend, placing lotus seeds and two red dates in the teapot brings children into the marriage early on and every year thereafter. I was very blessed to have my mother choose the porcelain tea set, bringing it from across the globe and preparing the sweet tea on the day. It was an involvement and role that meant a huge deal to her, as a Mother. And to me too.

During the ceremony, Ryan and I served the tea to both our families who would take turns, proceeding from the most senior members of Ryan (the groom)’s family and then my (the bride) family. Drinking the tea was a sign of acceptance of the marriage and therefore quite emotional especially for the more senior family members. In return, we the newlyweds, received red envelopes filled with money or jewellery as a gesture of their blessings.

Red is a symbolic colour for all joyous occasions in the Oriental culture, so it naturally became the choice of colour for my custom made “cheongsam” or traditional gown from Singapore that I wore for the event. It also turned out to be a fitting one when I realised there were pops of red colour dotted about, from the Oriental wedding wall decal, to the red packets and even the red roses in the garden!

I loved every detail of my dress from the French corded lace to the slit on the side which allowed me to show off one of my legs. Since it was a very striking dress, I kept my accessories to a minimum, choosing to don on a pearl necklace and earrings. To complete the whole look, I chose an updo style, which I was initially rather nervous about, as I have never been one to wear my hair up most of the time. But having a brilliant hair stylist meant I had nothing to worry about at all. I was at ease the whole time and was reluctant to take it down when the day was over!

As a contrast, Ryan chose to go for a western style semi-formal look which surprisingly, complemented my traditional look well. His outfit took on a pastel palette comprising a shirt with delicate prints, a waistcoat and a pair of tan leather brogues.

The day would not be complete without a little East meets West. We were in the UK after all! After the ceremony, our guests were treated to a proper English afternoon tea experience complete with scones, cakes and pastries. It gave us a good opportunity to mingle with everyone in a relaxed and fun manner, just like an afternoon outdoor garden party in the summer! Looking back, that day proved to be so precious in that we got to spend more time with everyone, many of whom have travelled from afar for us, celebrating a familiar tradition with a twist.

Photography: Leah Kua | Wedding Planner: Jessie Thomson Weddings & Events | Ceremony Venue: The Rectory | Groom's Attire: Ted Baker | Bridal Hair & Makeup: Heidi Vince

Last week we feasted our eyes on this insanely pretty shoot full of English charm from Planned For Perfection and CJK Visuals. We basically fell in love with all the gorgeous, and we couldn’t wait to share this darling sister shoot inspired by a beautiful, youthful love, drenched in innocence and adorable moments. I mean, what’s more romantic than a quaint picnic in the English countryside?! See it all here.

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From CJK Visuals…I met up with Jane during my second backpacking trip around Europe. I was beyond excited when she said she would work with me on an English-themed wedding styled shoot. Little did I know, she had planned a mini “young-love” picnic styled shoot as well!

The models, Molly and Ed, the daughter of the planner and son of the florist- had only met each other once or twice- and you would’ve thought they were each other’s first love! They were so adorable with each other and I had so much fun having them awkwardly hold each other’s hands for the first time. I don’t know about you, but I think these two should probably go on a real date after this shoot!

Jane put together an adorable English picnic “first date” shoot located on the grounds of the Bibury Court Hotel. Finger sandwiches, picnic basket, cupcakes, and Harry Potter- I can’t think of a better outdoor date in the Cotswolds!

Photography: CJK Visuals | Floral Design: Lilyfee Floral Designs | Food And Drink: Bibury Court Hotel | Hair And Makeup: Heidi Vince Hair | Car Rental: Morris Minor Weddings | Hotel: Bibury Court Hotel | Planner + Stylist: Planned for Perfection

If you dream of quaint English charm and dapper details for your Big Day, I highly recommend you spend some QT in this enchanting gallery from CJK Visuals. Planned For Perfection filled it with the prettiest of pastels in the form of bow-tied linens, perfectly plated roses and floral crowns from Lilyfee Floral Designs and garden-gorgeous stationery from Lucy Ledger. It’s seamless and well, captivating beyond words. See it all here!

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From CJK Visuals…After my first backpacking trip around Europe, I immediately fell in love and needed to get back. I’ve wanted to shoot international weddings since I first started doing photography, so that first trip over inspired me to reach out and make it happen. I started to email different planners about meeting up in April, when I stumbled upon Jane Riddell of Planned for Perfection based out of the Cotswolds in England. She was immediately excited and up to work on an amazing English-wedding styled shoot with me on my next trip over in August.

When she asked what sort of shoot I was interested in doing, I said anything ENGLISH! It’s so different and very specific- nothing like I’m used to shooting over on the East Coast in the states. Jane was 100% up for it and she really put together something special.

Fast forward a few months of emails back and forth, discussing minor details- and I am in England prepping for my first international styled shoot! I arrived after a flight, train, and taxi ride to the incredible Bibury Court Hotel, and my jaw was on the ground. I can’t begin to explain how perfectly English this venue is- it looks like a movie set! Jane and her team put together one of the most incredibly beautiful shoots I’ve ever seen. The florals, dresses, and real-life couples that modeled for us couldn’t have been more perfect. I am so looking forward to getting back over there and working with this amazing team of vendors again!

Photography: CJK Visuals | Wedding Dress: Wedding Days Of Cheltenham | Cake: Curtis And Co Cakes | Stationery: Lucy Ledger Designs | Hair And Makeup: Heidi Vince | Hotel: Bibury Court Hotel | Dress Designer: Charlotte Balbier | Floral Design + Prop Styling: Lilyfee Floral Designs | Menswear: Groomswear | Planner + Stylist: Planned for Perfection | Wedding Car: Morris Minor Weddings

Intimate weddings have my heart. Intimate weddings dripping in gold and vintage glam? Well, that’s next level. Designed by Jessie Thomson with florals from Rose Hamson, these images from Hannah Millard are pure SMP gold. And the fact that this couple looks like they just stepped off the runway and their son rivals the cuteness of Prince George? Well, that’s all bonus.

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I helped this beautiful bride with partial planning; creating her a bespoke wedding design scheme and recommending fabulous suppliers, taking over wedding management in the final weeks and styling & co-ordinating everything on the day itself.

With under 30 guests the day felt so special and intimate, and dancing the night away to vintage jazz and candle light was the perfect end to a romantic sunny day.

They have the sweetest love story, and the cutest little boy “Albie” who stole the show before bedtime!

Photography: Hannah Millard | Event Design: Jessie Thomson Weddings & Events | Event Planning: Jessie Thomson Weddings & Events | Floral Design: Rose Hamson | Caterer: Berry Blue | Entertainment: The Hipcats | Cutlery, Crockery & Glassware: Helene Millot | Feather Chair Backs: Things By Laura | Hair & Make Up: Sgrvintage | Linen: Table To Dine For | Macarons: Anges De Sucre | Marquee/Tent: Artisan Marquees | Private House: The Parsonage | Typewriter: Penny Lane Vintage | Vintage Furniture: Poppy Trading Company

Wildly romantic and beautifully captured by Belle And Beau Fine Art Photography, this pastel-filled party is seriously making my day today. And it will probably make my day tomorrow too. Because sitting in this gallery are some of the loveliest images I ever did see, and you can see them all right here.

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From Belle And Beau Fine Art Photography…The theme of this wedding was ‘soft romance’ and it stayed true to the theme throughout the entire day. We were surrounded by soft pinks, peonies and olive and pear trees and lot’s of pretty details! Ali and David were married at the beautiful venue Thyme Barn in the picturesque Cotswolds. (It was the same venue where Kate Moss got married!) The whole wedding party was beautiful, and Ali just exuded grace and beauty all day!

From the Bride…I couldn’t decide whether to go for a figure hugging dress with a beautifully intricate laced back or the dress I chose. Ultimately I knew the dress I chose was ‘the one’, because it made me feel like a bride…I felt like that was how you were supposed to feel when you get married!

I love peonies! However they are not really in season in August, so it was hard to find a florist who could guarantee them! However, Su at Twig could! Again, my main desire was to keep things simple and beautiful. I wanted my bouquet to be white peonies with greenery and the table vases to tie in with my bouquet. The table vases also had a touch of blush pink in them to tie in with the bridesmaid’s dresses. I didn’t have bouquets for the bridesmaids, nor button holes for the men. This was done purposely to ensure the proceedings were a little less formal, and a little more personal. We also had a couple of huge vases filled with gorgeous peony displays, which were at the front of the church for the service, then brought into the barn for the wedding breakfast. I provided Su with a couple of pictures from Pinterest but left the rest to her creative design!

The bridesmaids wore very simple but beautiful dresses in blush pink to tie in with the flowers, stationery, colour theme of white and blush pink. The groomsmen worse Chinos, boat shoes, pale blue shirts, linen waistcoat, rugby tie. The theme for the boys was rugby. They wore the same attire that they would normally wear to a formal rugby event, but I added waistcoats to make it a little more special. They also each wore a different tie – the tie from their rugby club.

David loves Rugby! It therefore was natural for him to wear his rugby attire (obviously not shorts and boots!), as this is what he feels most comfortable in. I think he looks gorgeous when he is dressed in his rugby attire and it reminds me how much I love his commitment and passion for the sport. We wanted our wedding to be relaxed and to reflect us, which David’s attire certainly did.

Our Photographer was Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography. Holly’s style was exactly what I was looking for. Simply beautiful. I knew from looking through Holly’s portfolio that we had very similar taste and therefore she was the perfect choice for our wedding. I wanted our photographs to be natural, simple and just gorgeous. After our engagement shoot, I was sure I had made the right choice. Holly’s approach was also so gentle and laid back that it made having our photos done easy and enjoyable. We also didn’t want to spend hours away from our friends and family during the day, which Holly totally got. Holly was able to get the perfect picture every shot, which meant the time we did spend away from everyone else was short and sweet – with perfect results! Looking at the photos, Holly has captured the day perfectly from beginning to end.

The Kilner Jars had several uses. They were favours, name settings and cocktail jars. Each person had their name on a brown name-tag on the jar in their place at the table. We had a mixologist for cocktails for the evening, so people then used the jars throughout the evening from which to drink their cocktails! Lots of fresh flowers. Outside scattered throughout the courtyard we had large silver lanterns with candles burning throughout the evening. We also had a couple of open log fires burning in fire baskets in the courtyard for guest to roast marshmallows. We also had a ping-pong table for people to play beer pong!

We wanted our Wedding to be a day with friends and family, eating, drinking, dancing and having fun. We had all of our favourite people, things, food, drink, music…our perfect day! Don’t feel pressure to do what people think you ’should’ do. Do what you want!

Photography: Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography | Floral Design: Twig Of Tetbury | Wedding Dress: Enzoani | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Venue: Thyme Barn | Hair And Make-Up: Vicky Quinn | Singer: Shannon Saunders