This real wedding is brought to you from the heart of Cotswolds, a UK region filled with idyllic rolling hills and endless dreamy meadows. Filled with plentiful country-chic inspiration, an emerald green bridal party, and a mouthwatering wedding cake from pastry paradise! Emily and Alex, who are currently living in London, managed to plan this classy, rustic barn wedding in only three months - yes you heard that right! Divine Day Photography ensured every detail was captured, lucky us, as we have all the beautiful photos below!
It's true what they say, sports bring people together, and that is exactly what it did for newlyweds, Emily and Alex, who met in university during their first year. They both shared a common interest in sports, and because of this, the two met at the sports social on Wednesday evenings. A touchdown for them both!
On the day of their engagement, Alex took Emily to the Cotswolds and proposed at the viewing point on Broadway hill. Norton Grounds in Cotswolds is the venue where they chose to celebrate their wedding reception - how special! Alex and his groomsmen are styled to perfection, in dark suits paired with champagne ties. Soft and subtle!
Emily's Alexander Grecco wedding dress is simply breathtaking. A delicate A-line with intricate floral and petal embellishments draped beautifully. She paired it with a simple floor-length veil and gold pearl drop earrings. Her bridesmaids dazzled in emerald green, a popular shade for 2022. The silhouettes lead to a mermaid skirt allowing their dainty sandals to peep through.
Their ceremony took place in St Peter's Church in Willersey, UK. Gypsophila aka baby's breath, paved the way up the aisle on each pew end. Two breathtaking floral arrangements, in the same style as the bouquets, stood tall alongside the altar creating a rich romantic ambiance and backdrop.
Swept away in style! As the newlyweds were greeted with a confetti celebration, a swanky vintage wedding car was awaiting to bring them back to the venue where it all began. Emily explains what made the venue the one for her beautiful rustic wedding: "By chance it was available last minute (three months away from our wedding date) after our venue in Florence canceled. We spoke to Andy the owner on the phone and three days prior he had had a cancellation. We drove up the next day and met Anna and fell in love with everything about it."
The beautiful venue of Norton Grounds offers full exclusivity and a choice between a romantic rustic barn or an elegant bright marquee. Set in the heart of the countryside, the spring sunshine shone as the guests enjoyed photos and a drinks reception al fresco. Chilled Aperol Spritz and delicious hors d'oeuvres awaited the guests as they arrived at the idyllic venue.
Oooh was that a vinyl guestbook we see? How creative! The wedding day was described as 'full of happiness and love, relaxed, romantic and full of laughter and tears!' Having family and friends surround them on their wedding day was what made the day so personal and special to the newlyweds.
The reception room décor gives serious rustic-chic vibes! The wooden beams, panelled walls, and cross-back chairs gelled with decorated crisp linen table-scapes, tall earthy floral centrepieces, and modern minimal table names and menus. Emily and Alex chose an oval top table, an intimate and less-formal choice that is perfect for allowing everyone to see and chat with one another. Moody and oh-so-classy!
Behold, the drool-worthy croquembouche wedding cake! For those who may be witnessing this sweet delicacy for the first time, let us explain to you what it is. French-inspired, the cake is made up of several choux pastries filled with crème pâtissière and generously drizzled with hot caramel to hold it all together. We can see the couple added some macarons also - magnifique!
When asked what advice they'd give, their answer was short, sweet, and very true: "Savour every second of the day- it truly is the best day of your life!" The couple jetted off on their honeymoon to South Africa for a safari and finished their action-packed trip in the Seychelles for full beach relaxation - bliss!
Thank you to the lovely couple for sharing their very special rustic barn wedding day with us. A second thank you to Divine Day Photography for capturing such beautiful images that have certainly left us feeling inspired. There are more images to enjoy in the gallery below:
Looking for more rustic barn weddings? Check out our list of 28 Brilliant Irish Barn Wedding Venues!