Many of our couples often live out of county and juggle wedding planning amongst everyday life which can be daunting to so many. We want to make our couples lives as easy and stress free as possible as we fully appreciate that wedding planning is a full time job in itself so instead of Sarah and Alex having to travel to us for their first meeting, we had a late night zoom call in between their busy work lives. It was at this point that we also met Phoebe, their loveable Golden Retriever pup, who was naturally just as important in the planning process as our Bride and Groom!
Given we are all dog lovers at CHB, we were pleased that Sarah and Alex wanted their final planning meeting to be on-site. Obviously we wanted to see our soon to be Mr and Mrs but really, our eyes were on the prize - meeting Phoebe! Luckily she lived up to expectations and was more gorgeous than imagined so we were super excited to have her as Flower Girl for the big day.
Plans were always straightforward and organised, with a lot of DIY thrown into the mix - we love it when our couples get creative together! That said, Sarah and Alex recognised that some elements of the decor needed to be left to the experts and we would have to agree. Big installations like draping and lighting are not only time consuming, but complicated and nobody wants to be half way up a ladder for hours the day before their wedding. Cue Quirk Events who installed drop festoons over the dining tables in the Woodshed with a central drape to soften the dark features. They then moved into the Main Barn to swag festoons and drapes through the entire length of the building whilst Authentic Charm wrapped festoons in foliage in the Woodshed. If you need or want minimal dining table decor then foliage and floristry above heads works wonders, looks so effective and brings another dimension to your overall look.
Set up day saw us all in denial about the predicted weather forecast for the wedding and although a plan B was in place, it was never discussed which we think was a blessing in disguise as it turned out to be the perfect summer's day!
Sarah and Alex re-evaluated what they wanted from their wedding day during the pandemic and decided to have an intimate legal ceremony with solely their witnesses on the morning of the wedding on the Mezzanine level of the barn. Once legally married, both parties returned to the Old Coach House to get ready for their humanist ceremony in the afternoon with all of their friends and family led by their wonderful celebrant Kate Evans.
As guests were ushered onto the lawn for the confetti shot, little did our newly weds know that a surprise was waiting for them on the stubble field. Both growing up in the countryside, and being back in Norfolk for their wedding, they mentioned how much they’d love to have a tractor for photo opportunities. Luckily, CHB is part of a working farm so the King of tractors aka ‘The Crawler’ was parked up as a big surprise from us and our newly weds couldn’t have been happier!
Being our first September wedding, Sarah and Alex’s day saw hints of Autumn scattered throughout; from pressed leaves, fragrant candles and burnt orange napkins to the most mouthwatering array of canapes and menu. Avid Harry Potter fans, instead of theming the day to their beloved Wizard, their subtle contribution towards their love of the story was in the form of miniature (and drinkable!) love potions on each place setting for guests to enjoy throughout dining.
With the day’s formalities drawing to a close, the cutest white Landrover defender arrived to provide freshly ground coffee for all on the rear hard standing to fuel the evening party.
Congratulations to the loveliest family of three, come back and see us soon!
Photographer - Jimmy Southwell
Florist - Authentic Charm
Draping & Lighting - Quirk Events
Stylist - Emma Jewell Crafts
Caterer - Gold Leaf
Hire equipment - Banqueting Hire Service
Celebrant - Kate Evans
Cake - The Stanley Bakes
Band - The Sweet and Low Down
Coffee landrover - Queen Bee Coffee Company