This afternoon’s wedding is very special, I have completely fallen for the beautiful florals and pretty surroundings of Richmond Park. A firm favourite of any Londoner, the vast parkland is tranquil and feels oh so far away from the hustle of the city, yet it’s touching distance and perfect for a tasteful wedding in the woods.
Colleen an Account Director and Mike a Chartered Surveyor married outside in the stunning, unspoilt surroundings of Richmond Park on the 25th of May this year with a Humanist ceremony completely personalised to reflect their life together. Their reception was then held at the park’s highest point, in the magnificent Pembroke Lodge with views stretching over the Thames Valley. There’s a natural woodland feel to this wedding, flashes of deep berry mingle with dark green and light pink accents reflecting the spectacular surroundings and photographer Sofia Plana was on hand to shoot the beauty of the day in all its glory.
“I have always loved Richmond Park. Mike and I met in London and I grew up close by the park so I knew that Pembroke Lodge is a beautiful setting. I’m not sure we had a definite style, it all just came together as things we liked or enjoyed. The main thing for us was to have a fun and relaxed day.”
Photography Copyright (c) 2014, Sofia Plana Photography
Colleen set an elegant tone with her gorgeous Sarah Janks dress from Blackburn Bridal and Johanna Johnson veil. This lucky bride got her raspberry Jimmy Choos from as a wedding gift from her aunt, finishing her look perfectly.
“The most stressful decision was the dress! I loved the elegance and simplicity of the Sarah Janks dress. The lace is beautiful and so is the V back. As for the Jimmy Choos from my wonderful aunt, they now have pride of place in my shoe collection!”
“Jay Archer, our florist is a super star and produces the most beautiful flower arrangements I have ever seen. We wanted natural, wild flowers and left it in her hands to work her magic, which she definitely did. We were so happy we chose Jay, she was nothing but wonderful from the first enquiry to our meetings at home and at Covent Garden Flower Market, to the wedding day.”
“Our lovely photographer Sofia Plana captured every moment beautifully. It’s lovely to have so many wonderful photos to remember the day.”
Colleen and her bridesmaids had their hair styled by Severin Hubert from Hepburn Collection and their makeup was applied by Ana Ospina.
“I wore ‘Daisy’ by Marc Jacobs perfume, I always wear it in the summer. The Sarah Hickey earrings and bracelets I wore were gifts from my aunt and uncle.”
“Rosie Cruickshank designed and made each bridesmaid dress, she was my star supplier and I couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated and understanding dressmaker. She listened to each bridesmaid and made something completely unique to them. The flower girl dresses had bows added by Rosie too.”
Mike wore a very dapper Armani suit with a crisp white shirt and icy blue tie.
“We had a humanist ceremony in the park with our friend playing the acoustic guitar as I walked down the aisle. The ceremony was tailored to our relationship and history so it all felt really personal. We had two readings; ‘Marriage is Madness’ read by my brother and altered slightly, then an extract from ‘Les Misérables’ by Victor Hugo.
‘You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving,
The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness,
We pardon to the extent that we love,
Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never be lonely again,
And great happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved,
Loved for ourselves, and even loved in spite of ourselves.’”
Words of Wedded Wisdom
“Delegate! Don’t do everything on your own. We were very relaxed about most things and made each decision separately so we didn’t get too worried about everyone else’s opinions -easier said than done but worth it! I was so pleased that the day truly reflected Mike and I. We were on a high all day!”
Congratulations to Colleen and Mike and thank you so much for sharing your special day with us. Photographer Sofia did a wonderful job, there’s more of her gorgeous photography on her blog. Are any of you planning an outdoor ceremony like Colleen and Mike?
Love Caoimhe xx
Photographer Sofia Plana Photography
Venue Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park, London
Dress Sarah Janks from Blackburn Bridal + veil Johanna Johnson
Brides Shoes Jimmy Choo
Brides Accessories Sarah Hickey
Bridesmaid’s Dresses Rosie Cruickshank
Flower girl’s Dresses Accessorize
Grooms Suit Armani
Ushers Suits Topman
Page Boy Outfits Next
Make up Ana Ospina
Hair Severin Hubert
Florist Jay Archer Floral Design
Cake Lake-Thomas Cakes
Entertainment The Deps
Stationery Twogether
VW Campervan Bow Field Hire
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Caoimhe Anderson View all Caoimhe's articles
Caoimhe will never tire of beautiful wedding dress and a blooming flower crown. When she's not lusting after a gorgeous wedding she will be trying new vegetarian recipes, knitting very slowly or capturing a pink sunset from behind a camera lens.
