Put two designers together and you get a unconventional, yet creative wedding that is cool, contemporary and relaxed. Today's real wedding is right up my street and something I would just love to attend myself. Bekki and Ewan creators of Steele & Stovell designs took three days to decorate and transform Hillside Brewery into a space fit for an Italian inspired wedding. Paula Gillespie Photography was on hand to capture this very special and creative couple. This is a real treat...
Bekki and Ewan first met in uni and were assigned to work together for the end of year show. This event set the path for their lives together. Bekki fondly remembers..."Ewan and I met at uni in Cardiff, where we were both studying Illustration. We were asked to project manage the end of year exhibition, and got to know each other while planning - little did we know that that would set the tone for the rest of our lives. We left uni early - both eager to stop being poor students, and wanting to do something exciting - a little naive as we both ended up working in coffee shops (not quite what we had in mind!). "
An unexpected but lovely surprise made it very clear to them both the path in which they were to take. Bekki explains..."In 2013 we found out that we were expecting our daughter, and that news (which was quite a surprise!) was the catalyst - it was time to do something more. By the time Alex was born we had set up our design business, Steele & Stovell, and also bought a cottage in need of a mountain of restoration. Since then it has been an absolute whirlwind, and although it had always been our plan to get married, we just never got round to it."
Bekki and Ewan always knew they would spend the rest of their lives together but a proposal and a wedding kept taking a back seat. It wasn't until the couple received some bad news about a family member that they really got things in motion, they knew that having all their family and friend at their wedding day meant everything in the world to them the both. The couple explain..."Last year we found out that a member of the family was really unwell and we decided that it was really important to us to get married while they were here to be part of our day. We got engaged in the summer, and Ewan gave me the most beautiful vintage engagement ring, which has been in their family since 1905. There was no grand proposal, instead he asked me to marry him while Alex slept - it was very emotional and really made us think about what the wedding should be about: family, friends, and happiness."
Bekki and Ewan are both really creative and their love of music and art is evident throughout their lives. They always knew their wedding would be an unconventional affair and they wanted their main focus to be on their family and friends, ensuring they all had and amazing time. When they were choosing a venue they wanted something that had the space to create a wedding of their dreams. The couple remember the moment..."We booked an awesome venue in Gloucestershire, Hillside Brewery, where they had just built a brand new agricultural barn. It was MASSIVE, and a completely blank canvas. Just grey corrugated walls, concrete floors, and lots of awesome industrial details. This was the inspiration for the decor, which was very natural - tonnes of greenery, with just a few flowers, and a really limited colour palette. It took us three days to decorate the barn, and it was SO worth it!"
Bekki had a terrible experience when looking for a wedding dresses and felt the boutiques and shops she looked at didn't tailor to her style and budget. Thankfully she visited Miss Bush were she chose a stunning Londyn by Maggie Sottero gown with a blush slip.
Their adorable daughter Alex wore a custom design print by Peaceful Progress designed by the couple's graffiti artist Bryce, fashionista in the making...
How did they transform this industrial space into something so magical? It's perfect! I suppose two designers and three days of prep work will do it.
All of the hand made details made this wedding even more perfect and personal. Family and friends helped the couple pull this very special day off!
They took inspiration from the Italian's and wanted to create a relaxed yet fun atmosphere where friends and family shared food and wine and just felt at ease. Bekki explains their theme for the day..."We both love Italian food, and the Italian wedding culture, so we took that as our starting point - sophisticated but relaxed. Music would play a big part - jazz, soul, and hip hop. And definitely food - pizza, antipasti, and burgers."
Looking to pull a similarly stunning wedding off? The couple give some friendly advice..."The biggest thing I learnt when planning the wedding was to stick to my gut feeling. I knew what I did and didn't want, and there were plenty of times I could have given in because someone else didn't agree. It was so important to us to stay true to what we wanted, and we both felt like it really paid off. "
A huge congratulations to you both, and thanks so much for sharing such a creative wedding day with us all! A big thank you also to Paula Gillespie Photography for sharing her work with us. To see more from Paula Gillespie Photography visit paulagillespie.com
The Wedding details
- Ceremony: Hillside Brewery, Gloucestershire
- Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero at Miss Bush
- Bridesmaids dresses: ASOS
- Flowergirl: Dress via Monsoon , Denim Jacket via Zara customized by Peaceful Progress
- Shoes: Dune London
- Flowers: The Florist On The Corner and The Flowermonger
- Grooms suit: Moss Bros. Tailor Me
- Accessories: Jewellery via H&M, Veil via Britten , Jacket - ASOS
- Cake: Made by my friend Ali, and iced by Ewan
- Stationery: Designed by couple, screen printed via GF Smith paper
- Make Up & Hair: Bridal - Natalie Jane Beauty, Bridesmaids - Niamh Compton
- Wedding Bands: Argos
- Ceremony/Reception Music: Gypsy Jazz via The Remi Harris Duo , Acoustic Soul via Jenny & Oli Frost
- Photographer: Paula Gillespie Photography
- Food: Burgers via The Beefy Boys , Pizza via Ffwrness
- Accessories: Alternative Events
- Crockery: Classic Crockery
