You know that moment when you first view a photo that completely takes your breath away? When this wedding first landed in my inbox, that happened. The images by photographer Kathryn Hopkins, capture all that heartfelt emotion – I could practically feel the beautiful bond between the newlyweds. Before we explore these sweet photographs however, let us first soak up the loveliness of being transported back to one beautiful day last Summer with this sweet film by Colbridge Videography.
https://vimeo.com/112383740
Mr and Mrs Ainger tied the knot at the picturesque Woodhall Manor in Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Suffolk on 15th August 2014. The bride, a children’s wear designer, and the groom, a fire officer, wanted a romantic and rustic feel to their day and planning their wedding themselves gave the personal feel they were looking for.
Photography by Kathryn Hopkins Photography
“I love rustic and romantic styling, so that became the inspiration. The colour developed as I’m not a pink girl but love purple so that became the inspiration for colours. We planned the wedding ourselves.”
“I trained as a designer so it was great to get involved and would never have felt happy someone else doing the planning as we both really wanted that personal touch and sense of achievement that we’d done it ourselves.”
“We chose the venue because we both just really liked the feel of the place and it was conveniently placed for both families. We never had a set idea of the type of venue we wanted, we just wanted to feel comfortable.”
Kathryn Hopkins Photography was the couple’s photographer and, as you can see, the images are filled with light and are just so very beautiful.
“I used to work with Kathryn before she became a professional wedding photographer, so I always knew that she would be my photographer. She trained as a designer in fashion and has an eye for detail and is a total perfectionist. I knew I could trust her. I hate having my picture taken and love that her photography is relaxed, romantic and shows true emotion; it’s very flattering. She did a great job and has captured the day perfectly. One of Ryan’s friends took the family group photos and main group photos for us as a present.”
And to top off her stylish look, Mrs Ainger donned a pair of killer Karen Millen heels, Accessorize earrings, her grandma’s watch, and a spritz of Lancome’s ‘La Vie Est Belle.’
“The scent is very feminine and floral and long lasting.”
Hair and make-up was by Ruche Hair and Beauty – and I’m loving the bride’s pretty braided up-style, coupled with loose curls.
Fancy Little Flowers prepared the pretty flowers in different shades of purple and they look so striking against the bride’s lacy ensemble. And a very sweet and personal touch was the addition of her grandad’s watch to the bouquet.
“I wanted something that looked vintage and rustic. I don’t know much about flowers so left it to the florist to choose them. I loved what they made for me, it was perfect.”
Did you see our fashion guru Sarah Lee-Bunting’s feature over the weekend where she showcased bridal fashion trends for 2015/16? (see here for the full feature). One of the designers, Australian-based Bo and Luca, who specialise in bohemian styles, created our lovely bride’s boho headpiece.
The groom cut a fine figure in his Next attire – with the groomsmen looking equally stylish in bowties and braces.
“Walking down the aisle and seeing each other was really special and emotional. The vows, I loved the fact I was going to be his wife.
There was nothing we would change – to us it was the perfect day and everything we hoped it would be.”
The couple started off their relationship as friends … and fast forward to 2012 where the groom surprised his bride by popping the question in public in a very romantic way!
“We’ve known each other forever! I went to school with Ryan’s younger sister, so we were around each other a lot growing up. We developed a friendship and then that and then into a relationship as we got older. We got engaged in October 2012 on our way to Mexico. There was a big announcement on the plane and he got down on one knee in the aisle! It was a complete shock and was such an amazing way to start the holiday. I’ll never forget our time in Mexico.”
The bride chose ‘Dietrich’ by Pronovias, found via The Wedding Shop in Colchester – a mix of lacy layers, feathers and stylish mermaid train – the result is a beautifully fitting, flattering and feminine silhouette…
“I fell in love with this dress the minute I put it on. The layers of lace, the fact it looked quite vintage and the feathers on the neckline was really unusual. Also the shape of dress, it fitted my shape perfectly – I just loved everything about it. It’s a strapless dress but knew I wanted cap sleeves for the day so the wedding shop added removable sleeves for me.”
The five elegant maids wore gorgeous Lauder maxi-dresses in an oyster shade from Coast, heels from Next and a touch of gypsophila in their hair.
The rustic and romantic decor was filled with a range of sweet little touches: wooden tree slices on the tables with a mixture of glass jars and bottles tied with lace and twine for the flowers; hessian and lace table runners, and white wooden frames for the table plan. Favours were a packet of sweet hearts with the couple’s names … and the crafty bride designed the stationery herself.
Michelle Wade from Vanilla Patisserie created the deliciously-tempting wedding cake and cupcakes.
“To be honest I was sold on this company as soon as I went for the tasting. The cake was yummy! Again we wanted something relaxed and informal so decided on cupcakes and had a white chocolate covered cake on top.”
Words of Wedded Wisdom
“Give yourself plenty of time for the planning. It’s much more stressful than you think it will be towards the end, so don’t leave things to the last minute.
Choose suppliers with thought. Check them out and make sure they are right for you. If you feel a connection to their work it probably means you are a good fit. Don’t just book for price as you may be disappointed.
Start your planning by deciding on your budget, then thinking about what is important to you. That way you can give a larger budget to the areas of importance and compromise on those not so important.
Pinterest was my life when planning the wedding.”
Well Mr & Mrs Ainger, you’ve taken my breath away. That lace, those flowers, the rustic decor, and all beautifully captured by Kathryn Hopkins Photography. I love that you began as friends and continue on your journey together as husband and wife. Keep smiling your beautiful smiles and enjoy the adventures that await!
For more gorgeous Pronovias inspo see here.
Have a lovely rest of week everyone!
Love Jo -xxx-
Photographer – Kathryn Hopkins Photography
Video – Colbridge Videography
Venue + Catering – Woodhall Manor, Suffolk
Bride’s Dress – Pronovias via The Wedding Shop in Colchester
Bride’s Shoes – Karen Millen
Bride’s Headpiece – Bo and Luca
Bride’s Jewellery – Earrings via Accessorize
Bride’s Scent/Perfume – ‘La Vie Est Belle’ by Lancome
Bridesmaid’s Dresses – Coast
Bridesmaid’s Shoes – Next
Bridesmaid’s Accessories – Accessorize
Groom – Next
Florist –Fancy Little Flowers
Cake – Vanilla Patisserie
Stationery – Designed the bride
Hair & Makeup – Ruche Hair and Beauty
Entertainment – The Essex DJ
Jo Singletary View all Jo's articles
Jo hails from and lives in sunny Australia, is currently working towards her dream of being a career coach and a few of her favourite things are watching the sunrise over the ocean, morning walks on the beach, butterflies, and supporting the guide dogs charity.
A beautifully elegant wedding. The bride’s headpiece is so gorgeous, as are those oyster bridesmaids’ dresses, it’s an unusual colour which always suits everyone. X