Black & White Stripes & Pretty Floral, Secret Garden Wedding: Carolyn & Hid
Without a doubt this has to be my favourite wedding of the year so far! Carolyn and Hid had a super gorgeous secret garden wedding jam packed with love and the prettiest of details!
From the contrasting black and white stripes and floral theme to the subtle Japanese influences mixed with a bright, fun and slightly rustic, English garden wedding! Pure gorgeousness and perfection!
Words by Carolyn. Images by Helen Russel Photography.
We visited Crook Hall and were just blown away by how perfect a wedding venue it was and exactly what we wanted. With Hid’s parents coming all the way over from Japan we wanted a true English country garden experience and if the weather permitted everything to be outside, ceremony and alfresco dining!
I’d have married Hid in my PJs if my mam would have let me as finding my “dream” dress was the hardest part of the whole experience and not as magical as people would have me believe. I knew I wanted lace nothing too big or glitzy and I must of tried about 50/60 dresses on but in the end what I loved most about my dress was the reaction it gave my mam, she welled up and she is not an emotional lady. The fit was perfect as were the trims and details and the feeling of relief when I found it was just overwhelming but absolutely nothing like I thought I
would go for.
I don’t remember the brand for my veil but the scalloped trim sitting just around my shoulders was perfect, not too fussy and looked great together with my dress. My gorgeous shoes were blue Lulu peep toes by Rachel Simpson. I wore limited jewellery, just antique silver pearl drops that were my mam’s, my something borrowed.
I’d also bought a gorgeous Flo and Percy head piece but my hair stylist forgot to put it in and in my excitement I didn’t even notice until I was already at the venue.
My Dad walked me down the Aisle to “With or Without you” by U2 played by the string quartet. U2 are Hid’s favourite musicians so it fit perfectly, it was beautiful.
When it came to the styling of our wedding, I really liked the black and white stripe trend that was emerging with contrasting colourful flowers but also the rustic potential of the garden too.
We had paper lanterns in the trees and Japanese parasols laid around the gardens for people to use as it was a super hot day. They went down a treat! The lanterns and parasols were also a nod to Hid’s family and roots.
Our florist was “The Flower Shop” in Spennymoor. We wanted relaxed colourful flowers that would fit into the garden theme. Peachy pink peonies and daisies were the perfect balance with green chrysanthemums as a homage to my new husbands roots.
Gray Starling Designs made all of the paper products with rustic kraft card and printed flowers in colours similar to those of our bouquets.
Hid was happy for me to plan and organise most of the wedding but when he did have an idea or had seen something he wanted I did what I could to incorporate it hence the quantity of cake! We have 7 cakes all together all different flavours with different toppers. The whole cake table was incredible, one large 3 tier naked cake covered in summer fruits and daisies and 6 smaller cakes all different! It was amazing!
I sent Steven and That Cake, based in Redcar some photos of ideas for the main cake but the rest was completely left up to him and he did an immense job.
The bridesmaid dresses were total bargains in the sales from Quiz (embarrassingly). I wanted something that would suit all 3 of the girls and contrasting to the garden theme, black. They also wore silver feather hair combs from Monsoon.
Our wedding photographer Helen was just incredible throughout the whole process and especially on the day! couldn’t recommend her highly enough.
Everyone at the wedding commented on how friendly and easy going she was, she could actually have been a guest the way she interacted with our families. The photos! I can’t stop looking at them every time I do I spot something else.
She’s the perfect person to document such a special day.
If you could impart any words of wisdom to a Bride to Be planning her marriage and wedding day, what would they be?
Don’t worry if everything isn’t perfect! No one will know but you, the most important thing is that you are now married to the person you can’t imagine living your life without.
What was your most memorable moment of the day / evening?
Most memorable part of the day was marrying my soul mate. I was worried about being conscious on people watching us but during the ceremony there was just me and Hid.
What an effortlessly gorgeous day you had Carolyn and Hid! Massive congrats and I hope married life in treating you well :)) Thanks so much too to their wonderful photographer Helen Russell Photography for sharing these gorgeous images with the WTW blog
wedding credits / photographer: helen russell photography / wedding venue: crook hall / brides dress: mori lee gardner / grooms suit: t m lewin / brides shoes: rachel simpson / bridesmaid dresses: quiz / florist: the flower shop in spennymoor / wedding cake: that cake, redcar / catering: bolden farmhouse pantry in jesmond / rings: tiffany’s, the ginza, tokyo / stationery: grey starling design
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Amazing venue, looked fab!