Dream weddings

Xxxxxxxxx Weddings

Tell us about the proposal; was it expected, discussed or entirely spontaneous?

It was very much a surprise a er being together for 10 years. Matt took me away to one of my favourite places, Brighton. He proposed on Brighton Pier, placing the ring very dangerously on top of the chocolate ake on my ice cream!

What made you choose Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park for your big day?

It ticked all our boxes. It had a lovely, relaxed country vibe, a beautiful barn, the option to have a BBQ for our wedding breakfast and, best of all, a tour of the animals!

When did you start to plan your wedding, was your partner involved in the planning or did you both instinctively know what type of wedding you wanted?

We started to plan about six months a er getting engaged – summer 2019; we both had similar ideas of what we would like and were very much looking for an informal day with lots of music and colour.

How was planning your wedding during the pandemic? Did you have to move date and did you get support?

We had to postpone the wedding by a year in the end; it should have been October 2020. It was disappointing and frustrating not knowing when we could start planning again. All of our suppliers and Jimmy’s were very supportive and exible throughout. Everyone was in the same boat and didn’t know what was going to happen next. I’m glad we were nally able to have the wedding we had planned with all our friends and family around us.

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Weddings

Tell us about your ceremony – was anything special to you as a couple incorporated?

We wanted a fun, engaging and personal ceremony and our celebrant was fantastic! We wanted a couple of our favourite songs to get everyone involved and sing along to, and the suggestion from Michelle to create an ‘anniversary box’ during the ceremony made it extra special. We placed our favourite bottle of wine and a love letter to each other in the box, and plan to open it and read the letters on our first anniversary.

How was your wedding breakfast? What was on the menu?

We wanted a full-on BBQ feast as we love having these at home. Steak burgers, ribs and the utterly delicious pulled pork doughnuts went down a treat with our guests!

What did you do to make your wedding personal to you both?

We personalised it through music. We sang two of our favourite songs during the ceremony. Our first dance song was in no way a traditional wedding song, but it’s a song/band that we both love, so we chose it anyway (My Chemical Romance – Welcome to the Black Parade). We also found an amazing indie rock band to play all our favourite music in the evening.

What was your most memorable part of the day?

Dancing with friends and family to our favourite tunes all evening!

Where did you have your evening reception and what entertainment did you have?

Evening reception was in the barn. We had a DJ to kick off the dancing followed by The Indie Killers band who rocked the night away.

Where did you go on honeymoon or what do you plan to do?

We stayed at Seckford Hall Hotel & Spa for a few days to relax and plan to go to Iceland for our belated honeymoon later this year.

What was your favourite wedding purchase?

My dress! It was so much fun finding the right one and I’m so glad I went with my gut and wore something colourful!

Do you have any tips for future couples?

Your wedding should be personal to you. If it’s something not ‘usually’ done at a wedding or even something never done before, if it’s what you love, just do it!

www.jimmysfarm.com

Weddings

Top 100 places to get married in the world. to get married in

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Weddings

Totally Wild, Totally Unique

On such a momentous day, you deserve nothing but the best of local food and a little bit of countryside living. Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park is one of the most unique wedding venues in East Anglia. The versatility of the facilities and flexibility of the staff guarantees a truly exceptional wedding day for every couple. To find out more, go to: jimmysfarm.com or email: weddingsandevents@jimmysfarm.com for a tour of our unique facilities.

Suppliers

Wedding planning: Natalie Solanke Weddings Photographer: Big Fish Photography Celebrant: Michelle Taylor – The Funky Celebrant Bride’s dress & accessories: Rock the Frock Bridal, Chelmsford Groom’s suit: Moss Bros Bridesmaids’ dresses & accessories: Ever Pretty Groomsmen’s suits: Moss Bros Cake: BuBakes Flowers: Jade’s Flower Design Entertainment: DJ – Shortz Soundz / Band – The Indie Killers Table plan & stationery: Hobbycraft / Zazzle Hairdresser & makeup artist: Bumblebee Bridal Transport: VW Campervan, V-Dub Rides

www.jimmysfarm.com

Weddings

“Your wedding should be personal to you. If it’s something not ‘usually’ done… or even something never done before, if it’s what you love, just do it!”

www.jimmysfarm.com

Weddings/Events

How to Plan the Perfect Event

Lucy Pembroke, our new Weddings & Events Manager, joined at the beginning of July bringing over 30 years’ experience organising events. She is very excited about the potential of the Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park site and is planning to develop a varied annual events programme, which she will be sharing in the Spring 2023 edition.

Here she shares some of her top tips...

1. Do your research

Start your research well in advance and take your time – if you are theming an event, don’t be afraid to allow your idea to evolve. There are lots of free online resources available; Pinterest.com is a great resource in creating a theme or finding a central idea you can work around. Canva.com also has amazing free templates for invitations and posters.

2. Stick to your budget

Once you have created your budget, you must stick to it. If you are set on spending more in one area, shave a little off some of the other areas to increase the spend in that area. Regularly review your budget – that way you won’t make any brash last-minute decisions.

3. List the pros and cons

Sometimes it is difficult to make a direct comparison, whether it be a theme or a venue, especially as every venue is different. By creating a list of pros and cons, you will be able to decide on which venue or idea meets your requirements.

4. Forward planning

An event plan (and if needed, a timeline) is a great way to plan. Use it as a working document, not only for yourself but also as a way of communicating your requirements and expectations to those involved. When everyone has a full understanding of their role and responsibilities, if something unexpected happens, you can deal with the situation quickly.

5. Contact with suppliers

Maintaining contact with your suppliers is very important; as you get nearer to the event, call them (not an email or message) to confirm they have all the information they need. People do forget, and this way, you have peace of mind, and can focus on other areas.

6. Evaluation and feedback

Evaluation and feedback are both really important. Ask your suppliers, staff and attendees for their feedback; I call it ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’. Don’t take negative feedback personally – you can always improve an event.

www.jimmysfarm.com