Relaxed Elegant Country Wedding Complete with Outdoor Cinema & Duck Race

Relaxed Elegant Country Wedding Complete with Outdoor Cinema & Duck Race

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Yes you read it right, a cinema and a duck race! Amaze.

Duncan and Natalie were married on the 23rd August 2014 at Nettlestead Place followed by a reception in their back garden. They hoped to have a relaxed, country and elegant celebration.

I adore the abundance of florals including the cascading bouquet, the naked sponge cake and pretty festoon lights.

Natalie looked incredible in Martina Liana while Duncan donned Dolce and Gabanna. So much style.

Huge thanks to Divine Day Photography for sharing the wonderful photographs today.

THE PROPOSAL | Surprise trip to New York, helicopter ride in the morning and stroll through Central Park. Down on one knee in a secluded spot with a beautiful Ashoka cut diamond all chosen by Duncan. 4 days in New York, flew back on Christmas Eve.

THE VISION | Relaxed, country, elegance.

THE PLANNING PROCESS | All done together with Duncan's spreadsheets and planning and Natalie's creative design.

BUDGET | Came in under £15k, with no budget set.

THE VENUE | For the ceremony we wanted the beautiful building with enough gravitas for the marriage, but are not religious so didn't want a church. Nettlestead Place was perfect and had beautiful grounds for guests to wander through and photographs.

We wanted a unique, comfortable, relaxed feel so our home felt perfect for the reception.

THE DRESS & ACCESSORIES | Martina Liana 2014 illusion cap sleeve wedding dress style 519 from Isabella Grace, Tunbridge Wells. Shoes - Debenhams. Hair - flowers . Earrings - Octavia Pearl and crystal earrings from Chez Bec.

FINDING THE DRESS | Isabella Grace, Tunbridge Wells - sample sale , 1st shop visited.

GROOM'S ATTIRE | Dolce & Gabbana - Navy Martini Slim fit suit . Dolce & Gabbana - Shirt. Saint Laurent - Patent-Leather Oxford Shoes . Pantherella - Ribbed Sea Island Cotton-Blend Socks.

THE READINGS & MUSIC | Pianist - Beyonce Halo, Michael Jackson - Man in the mirror, Les Mis - One Day More, Sigma - Nobody to Love.

Reading - The art of marriage, with amendments for personalisation, read by friend Alexander.

BEAUTIFUL BRIDESMAIDS | My two big sisters in dresses from House of Fraser and wrist corsages.

THE FLOWERS | Bouquet, buttonholes, wrist corsages - Flowers by Arrangement and with her help on design and ordering we did all the other flowers ourselves with a team of amazing helpers.

THE CAKE | Made by Natalie's Mum - Jane . A naked, layered, Victoria sponge decorated with flowers. Desert - Rocky road made by Natalie's sister Sarah.

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER | Sandra von Riekhoff

THE DETAILS & DÉCOR | Invitations designed and made ourselves - GF smith paper. Wooden signs and menu hand painted.

Pimms, evian and San Pellegrino drinks after ceremony - Served in wooden crates, striped straws and jugs. Cocktails at arrival of the house - Nibbles - Popcorn and crisps in crates with scoops and takeaway pots. Cocktails - Stirrers with tags made ourselves, champagne saucers and cocktail slim glasses. Galvanised buckets and water troughs for holding drinks, ice and empties.

Duck race - Weighted ducks so they stay upright. Croquet.

Festoon Lighting. Cinema - Projector, hay bales for seating from local farmer and covered.

Toasted Marshmallows - Fire pit borrowed, marshmallows on kebab sticks.

Tables - White linen with homemade table runners made from Ikea curtains, vases with candles from Ikea.

THE HONEYMOON | Italy - Amalfi Coast, Capri, Tuscany and Venice.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS | Ceremony, duck race, cocktails, marshmallows, cinema, first dance. Everything!

ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES |Do it all together, makes it much less stressful . Schedule out time - we had a big wall calendar and post its for jobs as there's so much to do it's very rewarding seeing them ticked off. All bridal shops when we looked for mine and my sisters wedding dresses had sample sales so you possibly don't need to feel too pressured.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE |

Photography | Divine Day Photography

Marquee | BSW Marquees - Traditional tent pole marquee, tables, chairs & pads, chandleir, festoon lighting

Pimms, evian and San pellergrino drinks after ceremony.

Glasses hired for free | Waitrose

Stirrers | eBay (tags made ourselves)

Mixologist | Passion for Cocktails

Glass Hire Champagne Saucer & cocktail slim glass | Cameo Catering

All drinks | Sainsbury's

BBQ | Zest Creative Catering - Table linen, crockery and cutlery

Duck race - Weighted ducks so they stay upright | Just Ducks

Croquet | Marks & Spencer

Festoon Lighting | IA Sound and Light

Cinema | Projector, hay bales for seating from local farmer and covered

Toasted Marshmallows | Fire pit borrowed, marshmallows on kebab sticks

Evening Food | Chilli and jacket potatoes (made by family)

Disposable palm leaf rectangular plates, wooden knife, forks and spoons, Take away cake boxes | Party Plastics

Flowers | Flowers by Arrangement

Absolutely gorgeous!

Thanks so much to Duncan and Natalie for sharing their lovely story today XOXO Lou

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