ELEGANTLY rustic

from Your Sussex Wedding - February/March 2023 (Issue 101)

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Jess and Matt chose a blush, sage green and gold palette for rustic nuptials with a touch of class Images courtesy of Joanna Cleeve Photography

Jess and Matt met through Tinder, despite the fact neither of them had much faith in it initially and were extremely cautious using it. “We met up one afternoon in a local pub. Once we got talking time flew by and before we knew it, we’d been there for hours,” Jess remembers. So, they decided to extend their afternoon date into the evening and stayed for dinner. Jess had been gone so long her mum had started to worry, especially since the mobile signal at the pub was non-existent. So, unbeknownst to them, she turned up at the pub to check her daughter was ok, and peering through the window was able to see the start of this budding romance. “Luckily we didn’t see her, otherwise we may have a different story,” Jess laughs.

We fast forward three-and-a-half years now and the happy couple were out for a stroll along their local beach. On reaching the family’s beach hut, which has been handed down through generations and holds many special memories, Matt suggested they take a photo. He then got down on one knee and presented Jess with a beautiful engagement ring. “It was a complete surprise with loads of screaming and tears,” Jess tells us.

The pair visited Southdowns Manor for the first time on a beautiful sunny day and the setting took their breath away. “When we stood on the terrace where we’d marry, we looked at each other and became emotional knowing this was the perfect spot,” Jess explains. They were hooked and booked their wedding date, 2nd September, then and there.

Here, the bride gives us the lowdown on W-day...

We were joined by our cockapoo, Vinny, for the ceremony and part of the reception. We bought him a little outfit that matched the groomsmens’ and it’s safe to say he was the star of the show!

We were very keen to get married outside on the terrace but the weather kept changing. We were delighted when the sun came out and our al fresco ceremony went ahead.

We were both surprised at how emotional we were.

We really enjoyed the moments after our ceremony when we had the chance to greet our guests and start celebrating. We felt more relaxed then, and full of joy.

Matt wore a dark blue, three-piece suit with a pale pink tie and pocket square. His buttonhole featured a white rose. His groomsmen wore twopiece suits with sage green ties and white pocket squares.

The table plan and other signs were made using mirrors. The idea was to achieve a rustic yet elegant and classy look. We spray painted the frames gold and added white writing. We also bought artificial floral garlands to wrap around it.

Three of the bridesmaids wore pale pink, satin dresses, while the other three wore sage green in the same style.

I wore Rosa by Morilee. I was in love with it from the moment I tried it on. I wouldn’t have picked it out myself, but Amy at Whyte Weddings suggested I give it a chance.

To Have and To Hire in Billingshurst supplied our centrepieces. We chose gold, rectangular plinths with candles and fresh flowers in white and pink with greenery including eucalyptus.

Our beautiful cake was made by our lovely friend, Julia. After many intense tasting sessions, we selected chocolate and lemon. The threetier bake was decorated with a stunning floral arrangement matching our palette.

We danced the night away with our guests and kept the party going in one of the rooms until 4am!

For favours we provided everyone with sparklers with a personalised tag attached. We used them in the evening, which looked magical.

We were both blown away by how accommodating and kind Lia, our planner at Southdowns Manor, was. She went above and beyond and made sure we were always comfortable and happy. It was like having a close friend organising our day!

Matt and I aren’t known for our dancing, so we were nervous about hitting the dancefloor. We carefully choreographed a short routine to keep us from flapping on the day. Our guests loved it and were very impressed.

THE W-DAY TEAM

Venue, Southdowns Manor, www.southdownsmanor.co.uk | Photographer, Joanna Cleeve Photography, www.joannacleevephotography.co.uk

Dress, Whyte Weddings, https://whyteweddings.com | Hair and make-up, Grace Benson MUA, https://gracebensonmakeup.com | Suits, Moss Bros | Flowers, Spriggs Florist, www.spriggsflorist.co.uk | Entertainment, Smiles Better Entertainment, https://smilesbetterphotobooth.com | Venue styling, To Have and To Hire, www.tohaveandtohireweddings.com

Bridal Specialist

Charmaine is a bridal specialist with over 10 years in the industry. Making sure to listen to how you want to look and feel, as well as providing a guided, professional opinion when needed.