I LOVE YOU

South Farm was the perfect location for James and Tina’s wedding

Images courtesy of James Polley Photography

James and Tina’s adventure first started online. Tina says, “It felt strange meeting that way as we only lived within walking distance of each other. But I’m sure the universe has a plan, and we met exactly when we were meant to.” James was smitten as soon as he laid eyes on Tina. “She was gorgeous and had a lovely personality that’s so friendly, kind, funny and easy-going”, says James. Every moment spent together was perfect, and the pair fell slowly fell in love.

James proposed to Tina back in 2019 by a river near their village; it was a moment they’d never forget. James says, “It was a beautiful summer’s day, and I said we should go for a picnic. We picked a spot under an oak tree, and I popped the question after dessert – Tina said ‘yes’ instantly.” He adds, “We had a glass of champagne to celebrate before a herd of cows came stampeding into the field. They quickly spotted us and came to see what food was on offer. We had to make a quick escape before they ate the lot – we still laugh about it now.”

Here James shares details about their special day...

“We’d initially planned to get married in March 2021, but we had to postpone due to the pandemic. Given the distance that the various restrictions had put between friends and family, we wanted our wedding to be a chance for everyone to let their hair down, catch up and enjoy themselves.

“Our two children were very much part of the planning process; they love farms, tractors and animals – so South Farm was the perfect wedding venue for us. The wedding planners were great at helping us make decisions and made the whole process easier. We were also mindful that the British weather could be unpredictable, but the property has fantastic options for indoor and outdoor spaces we could use.

“We had a handwritten table plan framed on an easel, and we kept our table names simple with white numbers printed on brown card. For favours, each guest received a packet with forget-me-not seeds inside for our guests to sow after the day. We had a beautiful wild mixture of seasonal white blooms for our wedding flowers, which included plenty of foliage. Each table featured rustic glass jars with eucalyptus, peonies and hydrangeas inside. To keep guests from going hungry, we had canapés followed by a three-course wedding breakfast provided by South Farm. Afterwards, we served orange, lemon and chocolate cupcakes.”

Tina says, “I wore an exclusive gown from Sincerity Bridal that I picked only a couple of weeks before the wedding. It was an dreamworthy dress with a high neckline, full skirt, a low-square back and an oversized bow. For accessories, I had a simple veil and white satin shoes. I was so happy with my look on the day. I couldn’t have wished for more from the dress and the excellent hair and make-up artists!”

James continues, “I wore a blue three-piece suit from the Savoy Taylors Guild with brown leather shoes and a blue herringbone tie. The best man wore a two-piece version of the same suit with a matching tie, while our sons wore navy suits. The bridesmaids looked beautiful in halter-neck dresses.

“To keep our guests entertained, we used the venue’s resident DJ in the evening. He had a list of our ten favourite tracks and allowed guests to request their own songs. Our master of ceremonies Chris was brilliant throughout the day, he would joke with guests and kept everything flowing while taking the stress away from us.

“We were both excited to get finally get married and happy to see so many loved ones – I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the day. Seeing my stunning Tina for the first time as she walked down the aisle with our two boys left me thankful for all I had. Our photographer James Polley did a brilliant job capturing our day and was fantastic with the kids.”

JAMES AND TINA’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK Venue and catering, www.south-farm.co.uk | Photographer, www.jamespolley-photography.co.uk | Bride’s dress, www.burrbridal.co.uk Hair, www.theparlourcambridge.co.uk/sitting-pretty | Make-up, www.makeupbylottie.co.uk | Groom’s suit, www.moss.co.uk | Flowers, www.augustahope.co.uk | Entertainment, www.boogie.pro | Master of ceremonies, Chris Jennings 07840 299 553

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