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Country romance

Georgina and Nick combined childhood dreams and bridal traditions in their contemporary party at Aynhoe Park

For their September wedding, Georgina and Nick chose St Mary’s Church in Adderbury, Oxfordshire. “It’s where I was christened and where we held my father’s funeral, too, so the church has significant memories for me,” says Georgina. “I wanted to share this beautiful place with our friends and families.”

Living history
For the reception, 17th-century, Grade 1-listed Aynhoe Park in the next village was top of the list. “I grew up driving past Aynhoe, so it’s always been a part of my history and, after we looked round, Nick was smitten by it, too. He loves architecture and Aynhoe has wonderful grandeur without being a museum.”
Delighted with the striking décor, the couple only needed to add a few personal touches at Aynhoe Park to make it their own. “We used large, helium-filled, pastel-coloured balloons, along with LOVE foil balloons and G&N foil balloons, then got a custom lighting display to enhance the architectural features,” says Georgina. She describes their wedding style as having a fun away-in-the-countryside feel, with soft, romantic pastel colours and wild-looking flowers, and entrusted Lara at Wild Renata Flowers with the all-important floral designs.

Say it with flowers
“I knew Lara would do an amazing job. She gave us that right balance of contemporary, fun but still with a classic country palette.
We had long, banquet-style trestle tables with sharing meat platters and Ottolenghi-style salads, so we couldn’t have flowers on the table. The hanging garlands in the marquee were Lara’s idea and they worked brilliantly.”
In place of traditional take-home favours, the couple commissioned Lamplighter London – the company that designed their wedding stationery – to hand-write each guest’s name on a navy blue envelope in beautiful calligraphy. “Inside, I put mini sparklers and diamanté stickers with a note saying ‘Sparkle the night away’. Everyone used them to decorate their faces –seeing the parents with sparkle eyebrows was great fun.
“There were so many highlights, but our oompah band, The Iron Boot Scrapers, were particularly memorable. Just before the wedding breakfast, they went around the tables playing amazing tunes, off-the-cuff, and as they came to us, they suddenly played B-52’s Love Shack. We were absolutely in the moment – celebrating together, married and singing along with our best friends and family. It was such a joyful memory.”

LITTLE WHITE BOOK
Venue aynhoepark.co.uk
Photographer caughtthelight.com
Dress temperleylondon.com
Shoes emmylondon.com
Groom’s suit gievesandhawkes.com
Bridesmaids’ dresses uk.monsoon.co.uk; houseoffraser.co.uk
Cake pompdefranc.co.uk
Flowers wildrenataflowers.com
Stationery lamplighterlondon.com
Entertainment ironbootscrapers.com (drinks reception); Family Funk from
blankcanvasentertainment.co.uk (evening party)
Hair & make-up portraitsbridalhairandmakeup.com