Slaughters Manor House was covered in scaffolding for a refurbishment when Hannah and Nick first visited. ‘We couldn’t go inside and were just given some floor/design plans of what it would look like, but we knew it was the venue for us,’ says Hannah. ‘It’s a beautiful house, in a peaceful village setting, with lovely gardens. It was a bit of a risk as we stopped searching after that, but it worked out brilliantly in the end. We hired the house exclusively for the weekend, which made it feel really intimate. We had a BBQ the night before the wedding and our families and bridal party/ushers stayed over on the day.’

When it came to outfits, Nick chose a morning suit from Neal & Palmer with a Thomas Pink shirt, and dressed his ushers in the same styles, each with their initials in the cuffs.

Hannah went similarly classic with a made-to-measure gown from designer Sassi Holford. ‘It was in duchess satin, with French lace sewn onto the corset and a small sleeve to cover the top of the shoulders. I met Sassi at my first fitting, explained my vision, and she put it all together perfectly.’

Keeping it Classic

The couple’s overall theme was English country style with pale neutral colours. ‘We were going for timeless elegance – nothing too fashionable or on trend – to stand the test of time,’ says Hannah. After a traditional Catholic ceremony at St Mary’s in Chipping Campden, the couple travelled back to Slaughters Manor House for a Champagne reception.

A four-piece jazz band, The Quartones, played on the lawn as 125 guests enjoyed classic canapés such as smoked salmon en croute with caviar, mushroom vol au vents and mini prawn cocktails. This was followed by a wedding breakfast in the marquee – sesame crusted tuna, beef wellington and caramel creme brûlée – plus a 9pm buffet in the games room for anyone with any room left!

Fabulously Floral

Dusky pink and white peonies and quicksand roses with eucalyptus foliage mirrored the soft, neutral colour palette of the day.

Nice Slice

Our ivory wedding cake was decorated with satin ribbon and featured four different flavours – raspberry and vanilla, banana, lemon, and a tier of fruit cake, which is currently in our freezer,’ says Hannah.

Fun and Games

‘Watching people playing cricket on the lawn after dinner and seeing everyone in such good spirits was a real treat,’ says Hannah. ‘I know it is a cliché, but my advice is to enjoy every moment and take a breather every once in a while to look around and take it all in – the day passes so quickly. Having a videographer on the day was really worth the investment, so we can relive the memories of our fabulous day in years to come.’

Top Tip

‘Spend time researching your suppliers to find the most reasonable prices and best fit for you – it’s time consuming, but so worth it!’ says Hannah.

LITTLE WHITE BOOK

Photography weddingsbynicolaandglen.com
Venue slaughtersmanor.co.uk
Bride’s dress sassiholford.com
Groom’s outfit nealandpalmer.com
Bridesmaids’ dresses maidstomeasure.com
Marquee houseofhud.com
Flowers broadway-florist.com
Cake thecakeparlour.com
Hair & Make-up gemmasutton.com
Stationery emilyandjo.co.uk
Videographer raymcshanefilms.com