SPRINGTIME sunflower style

Georgina and Frank said “I do” on 20th May, 2022

Images courtesy of Nicky’s Photography

Frank proposed to Georgina in the kitchen of their first home. He’d made her believe they were going to the pub for lunch, and when she came into the kitchen before they were due to set off, she found a projector displaying photographs of them on the wall and big floral letters that spelled, “Marry me.” Georgina says, “We’d been together around five years and it was special to have the proposal in the first home we’d built together.”

The couple dreamed of a rustic, country barn venue, somewhere that would suit a bohemian-style wedding with picturesque grounds for the all-important photos. “We’d seen images of Cooling Castle Barn set up with beautiful fairylights and knew this would be the kind of setting we’d like to get married and celebrate in,” Georgina explains. When they later found out that there was ample accommodation nearby for friends and family, this sealed the deal.

Join us as Georgina tells us all about the big day...

I wore Valentine by Suzanne Neville. It was a lace, fitted, off-the-shoulder, long sleeve, white wedding dress with a fish tail train. I was drawn to the lace detail and vintage look in particular, plus the material was flattering and made me feel comfortable with my figure.

Choosing my dress was a really special moment, as both my mum and aunt had got their wedding dresses from the same boutique and were both there when I said, “Yes,” to the dress.

I had nervous tummy butterflies in the morning, so I’d highly recommend a calming herbal tea to soothe any nerves, along with the bucks fizz of course!

The groom and groomsmen were all dressed to match in beige tweed suits with burgundy ties and brown shoes.

The bridesmaids wore navy, silk dresses. Exactly the same colour but in varying styles.

The main theme and wedding décor was fresh flowers and sunflowers, and we repurposed what we could from the ceremony into the reception space, such as the sunflower arch, which was later used as a backdrop to the top table, plus sunflower and rose meadow pew ends.

As well as the centrepieces we also opted for other floral features such as hessian chair bows with sprigs of gypsophila, gypsophila on the stair rail to the ceremony room, and apple crate boxes containing sunflower arrangements.

For the centrepieces, we alternated tall stands holding large sunflower and rose arrangements, with smaller, wider bowl arrangements, along with floating candles in cylindrical vases.

My uncle made me a wooden sign that read: “Take a shot, we’ve tied the knot. Find your seat and let’ get ready to party.” This was displayed in the entrance to the wedding breakfast next to a tray of limoncello shots. We also had a wooden welcome sign, from Your Beautiful Day.

Our flowergirl carried a floral hoop and wore gypsophila in her hair. The bouquets all featured sunflower and roses, and the gents wore rose and craspedia buttonholes.

It absolutely poured with rain all morning, which apparently is good luck. Fortunately, the sun came out just as we got married, so we’re so grateful that we could have some lovely outdoor photos in the sunshine once it all dried up.

Our fourtier cake was decorated with white roses and included Bakewell, carrot cake and red velvet flavours

Our table plan was a rustic, wooden board with a hessian background, Kraft paper and lace detail, with some flowers decorating the frame. The design complemented our invitations, as did our favours – £1 scratch cards in a Kraft paper envelope, detailed with lace and a penny.

A harpist played before, during and after the ceremony. I have an Irish family so this was a lovely Celtic touch to the day. We then had a saxophone player perform throughout dinner and during the evening celebration.

My stepdad walked me down the aisle and did the speech. We have a really close relationship and a lot of banter, so everyone expected an embarrassing speech! He certainly brought the humour, but a lot of emotion too. He asked my grandad and aunt to join him for parts of it as they had a lot to do with my upbringing, which was an unexpected, but lovely surprise.

THE W-DAY TEAM

Venue and catering, Cooling Castle Barn, www.coolingcastlebarn.com | Photographer, Nicky’s Photography, www.nphotography.co.uk Dress and hair accessory, Pantiles Bride, www.pantilesbride.com

| Bridesmaids’ dresses, Ghost | Jewellery, Lily & Roo | Shoes and bag, Jimmy Choo | Hair stylist, Hair by Janine, www.instagram.com/hair_by_janine.x | Make-up artist, Katie’s Faces, www.instagram.com/katiesfaces | Suits, Mr Munro Menswear, www.mrmunro.co.uk | Cake, All Shapes & Slices Cake Co, www.allshapesandslices.co.uk

| Flowers, The Flower Alchesmist, www.thefloweralchemist.co.uk | Stationery, Your Beautiful Day, www.your-beautiful-day.co.uk | Entertainment, The Entertainment Agency, www.the-entertainment-agency.com | Caroline Hall Harpist, www.carolinehallharpist.com | Toastmaster, Julie Lucas Toastmaster, www.instagram.com/julietoastmaster

Your dream day. Our beautiful flowers.

8-10 Church Street, Folkestone, Kent CT20 1SE 01303 252626 www.stembystemflowers.co.uk

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Bilsington Priory

A stunning venue with a real WOW factor, any couple would feel really special in this impressive setting steeped in history. Bilsington Priory is a beautiful space to marry in, with a dedicated team to look a er you.

Unlike other venues, we do not charge corkage, so you are welcome to bring your own post ceremony drinks and table wines - we will chill and serve it to your guests free of charge.

Please call us on 01233 720992 or email weddings@bilsingtonprioryestate.co.uk to make an appointment to view our stunning venue.

Nestled within 10 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, Marleybrook House is discreetly located within the historic district of Canterbury.

Former home to the international singer, actress and cabaret star Eartha Kitt, the idylic thatched house is desirably centred within the impeccable grounds of the venue to provide the perfect backdrop of a countryside setting.

The house is a stunning feature for your timeless wedding album. With beautiful blooms and wildlife in every season, it looks picturesque in every photograph.

Exclusive use with exhilarating rides include the Waltzer, Roller Coaster, Big Wheel, Twist, 50ft Octopus, Dodgems, Helter-Skelter and adult sized Victorian Swing Boats together with many children’s rides, traditional side stalls and many props to set the authentic ambience. We offer pick and mix options to create your own bespoke fairground along with different packages including one for EVERYTHING!