As I sit at my desk to write this, Storm Imogen (or at least I think it is she- I’m losing track a bit!) is howling outside and the rain and wind are pounding against the sash windows, making me very glad the previous owners took the plunge and arranged double glazing! Today’s wedding makes me absolutely long for the long lazy days of summer, with soft breezes, warm seas and holidays by the sea and I’m sure you’ll feel the same way- it really is the perfect summer beachside wedding, captured beautifully by photographer Charlotte Bryer-Ash, who we are delighted to recommend through our beautiful wedding directory, Little Book For Brides.
Sarah, a research scientist with a focus on ecology and conservation biology of New Zealand bird species, and Dylan, an ecologist and environmental consultant, married at the gorgeous Pennsylvania Castle, Portland, Dorset on the 11th of July 2015, surrounded by family and friends, many of whom had travelled half way across the world to be part of their day.
“We are so similar in the things we like and enjoy doing that making decisions on the venue and styling was easy, as we had exactly the same vision for our wedding day as each other. We are both surfers and are definitely water/beach people, so it was natural for both of us to want a wedding that was by the sea and that reflected our passion for surfing.”
Photography by Charlotte Bryer-Ash
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“We also were both adamant that we wanted to get married outside. The combination of washed out blues and corals and white mixed with hessian created a fresh palette that matched our idea of a rustic coastal theme. We also wanted an element of boho style to add a floaty soft feel to the coastal theme.”
“We chose our venue as we wanted a beach-themed wedding, but also something a little more classic than a tent on the beach. We really wanted to get married outdoors weather permitting, but also wanted the option of having a beautiful and light indoor option if the weather was bad. Because our families are spread around the globe and we rarely get to see them, we also wanted to make a weekend of the wedding. The Penn ticked all these boxes and so we hired it for the whole weekend. It was the first venue we visited and it was definitely love at first sight! Nothing else came remotely close.”
To accessorize, Sarah wore strappy sandals, a bracelet and earrings made by her mother at Antrobus Jewels from pearls, aquamarines and dusky blue fluorite, and a sash made by Wedideas on Etsy. She finished her preparations with a silver aquamarine pendant, a squirt of DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom, chosen for its fresh and uplifting scent, and a beautiful flower crown by deLoop, who she also found on Etsy.
The five bridesmaids looked fresh and pretty in dresses made by Harsuccthing, Etsy in either pink or sea blue, worn with nude heels from Marks and Spencer and olive leaf flower crowns. Like Sarah, the ladies finished their dressing with jewellery made by Sarah’s own lovely mum.
Sarah chose an elegant Essense of Australia gown, purchased from Alma J Bridal Boutique, Auckland which she personalised with a few alterations. The shape suits her beautifully and I love the low back and the added sash.
“I really wanted a lace dress and I loved the modern lace pattern of this one. The lace and low back added a beach-feel to quite a classic shaped dress. I modified it by removing a strap across the top of the back to make it an open back rather than keyhole, and exchanged a diamante sash for one with starfish to make it beachier.”
The bouquets, top table centre piece, and button holes were by Nomad Food Flowers and Functions while the table centre pieces, ceremony flowers around pagoda, and jam jars were made by Sarah and her mother.
“We wanted soft washed-out colours mixed with sea holly and love-in-the-mist that evoked a beachy feel. Love-in-the-mist has been my favourite flower since I was a child and I was stoked when I found out they would be in season for our wedding! Such a romantic name and they remind me of the sea mists that you often get around the south coast. We added babies breath for fragility and eucalyptus and feather grass to create a flowing dynamic feel.”
Dylan chose a light brown check Lazio suit from Suit Supply, London- perfect for the summery/ beach theme. All the groomsmen’s attire was purchased from Marks and Spencer. Dylan chose casual yet stylish natural coloured trousers without jackets for his attendants, worn with a black skinny tie and braces.
“Dylan wanted a three-piece suit in a light and summery beige or cream colour. He spent months without success trying to find the perfect suit in New Zealand and the UK, until he finally found what he was looking for in Suit Supply.”
Sarah and Dylan met while catching parakeets on a deserted nature reserve island in New Zealand. (Possibly the best ‘how we met’ opening line of all time….) Their romance continued while on a surf trip to Whangamata where they spent a night lazing on the beach getting to know each other under the stars.
On their fourth anniversary they walked across at low tide to Torbay Tor, a tidal island at their local beach that they regularly climbed. The plan was for a picnic, but what a picnic! Each layer of the basket revealed a photograph of them sharing a moment on a trip they had done together and a taste of the food they had experienced on that trip. The last layer uncovered a rose, with a small box and Dylan proposed with a diamond ring, set with Sarah’s favourite stones, aquamarines.
Sarah of course said yes, and after hours of celebrating, drinking champagne, they attempted the climb down, only to realise the tide had come in and that they were marooned on the Tor. Luckily, they did get safely back, as you can see. What a very memorable day!
Sarah walked down the aisle with her father Jerry, to ‘Heartbeats’ by Jose Gonzalez.
“It’s such a beautifully moving song and one which Dylan and I both love. I kept it a secret from him and when it started playing I could see him welling up.”
“We wanted to have a personalised and informal ceremony, as is typical in New Zealand. Therefore we wrote our own vows which represented what we loved about the other person and what we promised to be together. These were very informal and contained a lot of jokes.
We decided not to have any readings and chose to replace that with a more personal introduction by the registrar on how we met and what we have achieved in our lives together so far. We thought that this was especially important because of our families being split on opposite sides of the world, which helped them to identify more with our lives in New Zealand.
We also included a Sand ceremony in which we poured sands from our respective home countries (my UK Dorset white sand and Dylan’s black sand from Taranaki in New Zealand) into a bottle. You first each pour a separate layer of your sand, which represents each of you as separate people. You then both pour the remaining sands together to fill the bottle, which represents two different entities becoming one. This is then sealed and forms a lasting memory of the ceremony and our bond together.”
The sand ceremony reminds me of the tree planting ceremony in this wedding which we featured a few days ago- I adore this sort of visual representation of the promises you are making, and would have loved something similar at my own wedding, had I known about it then!
“I adored the ceremony as it felt very special and unique to us, and I think that this came across to our guests too. However, I also loved my Dad’s speech. It was so funny and well timed, and I felt so proud of him.”
“We made all of the decorations ourselves and tried to personalise it with little touches. For example, the table names related to surf breaks which Dylan and I have surfed on our travels around the world and were recycled from my parent’s old fence! “
“The favour bags had the place names tied to the outside as little cardboard surfboards. We made a table plan board out of strips old recycled palettes nailed together and painted in whites and blues to evoke a rustic beach hut. We made a surfboard ‘hanging board’ out of wood that people could write messages on. We also added little beachy touches around the castle, such as a driftwood heart-shaped pendant, and beach-side sign saying ‘You are the only fish in the sea for me’.”
“To match the organic, beachy feel we used a lot of earthy rustic browns in the decorations. For example we made hessian table runners, and used rustic light brown twine for the table plan, jam jars, and on the favour bags. We also made banners out of strips of burlap, linen, and dusky blues and greens to hang from the ceiling, on the back of the bride and groom’s chairs, and hanging on the front of the top table.”
“To decorate the pagoda where we got married we made shell wall hangings to frame the back of the pagoda, and made a flowered arch out of willow to frame the front. We also hung jam jars full of babies breath, Love-in-the-mist and sweet peas around the venue.”
The talent behind the images was Dorset based photographer Charlotte Bryer-Ash. I am so lucky to see lots of wedding photos and I really love these- the light is so fresh and every image is crisp and lovely. Sarah and Dylan were delighted with their pictures.
“Charlotte was amazing; she is such a friendly, loving person and made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera. We were on exactly the same wavelength and she understood our vision perfectly- we even exchanged style ideas on Pinterest. The photographs were exactly what we were after; she did a brilliant job!”
Words of Wedded Wisdom
“Always make a plan for good and bad weather if any part of your wedding will be outside. We were lucky and had a sunny day but we don’t always get it! Make sure that you would also be happy with the indoor ceremony/reception option at your venue so don’t just pick a venue for its awesome grounds.
If you are lucky enough to have sun, remember to put on sunscreen. Our day was one of the hottest and I would have looked like a lobster bride if my bridesmaids hadn’t reminded me to put on sunscreen at the last minute! And remember, don’t worry if it rains on your day, it will make the photos look amazing!
I think the only thing I regret is not having someone video the ceremony. You get so wrapped up in the moment that it is difficult to remember all the details, and I wish someone had recorded that.”
Thank you so much Dylan and Sarah- congratulations! And thank you Charlotte for sharing these gorgeous images. Is anyone else marrying by the beach?
Much love,
Shona x
Photographer – Charlotte Bryer-Ash
Venue – Pennsylvania Castle, Portland, Dorset
Wedding dress – Essense of Australia gown, purchased from Alma J Bridal Boutique, Auckland
Shoes – Pink by Paradox London, ‘Vibrant’ sandal, from Debenhams
Accessories – Bracelet and earrings from Antrobus Jewels
Flower crown – deLoop, Etsy
Sash – Wedideas, Etsy
Scent- DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom
Bridesmaid’s shoes- Marks and Spencer
Bridesmaid’s dresses – Harsuccthing, Etsy
Accessories – Bracelets and necklaces from Antrobus Jewels
Groom – Suit, Suit Supply, London; Tie from Bows N’ Ties
Groomsmen- Marks and Spencer
Hair and Makeup – Embrace Hair and Beauty
Florist – Nomad Food Flowers and Functions
Catering – Nomad Food Flowers and Functions
Rings – Mick Gibbon, Auckland, New Zealand
Entertainment – Colin Nutley, Best Disco
Shona Raffle-EdwardsView all Shona's articles
Shona is a wedding admiring bookworm with a love of the countryside, flowers and all things organisational who is currently based in sunny Yorkshire with her husband and beloved cat
Beautiful Wedding! We’re getting married here this July 🙂 The article is such an inspiration, simply stunning