Emma & William – Back to the Country
When Emma and William tied the knot in August 2016, they chose Sandhole Oak Barn for their beautiful country themed wedding.
The Perfect Venue
Having looked around numerous country venues, the happy couple felt that Sandhole Oak Barn had everything they were looking for… and more! ‘The barn is spectacular’ says Emma. ‘The setting is beautiful; the staff were amazing and the gorgeous Granary was a lovely place to get ready for the day ahead.’
Theme of the Day
With a summer, country theme, vibrant shades of orange, green and yellow were introduced to Sandhole Oak Barn using wonderful sunflowers and orange gerberas. Emma put her creative hat on and made all the table decorations herself. ‘As an alternative to flowers, we used fresh herbs, planted in pots that I decorated myself’ explains Emma. ‘Pheasant feathers and cinnamon sticks adorned the candles in the centerpieces.’
All About the Dresses
Moving away from traditional ivory and white, Emma wore a beautiful gown with a tartan bodice in shades of orange and mustard yellow with a handkerchief hem and silk skirt. ‘My shoes were hand-painted by my daughter and her boyfriend,’ smiles Emma. ‘They said ‘Mr & Mrs Stout’ down one side and ‘Let’s do this thing’ down the other. Absolutely gorgeous!’
Emma had one adult bridesmaid and one flower girl. ‘They wore muted tones of mustard yellow,’ she explains ‘accented with some of the tweed from my dress, dried flower crowns and Converse All Star trainers!’ Emma’s page boy wore a brown tweed suit and blue shirt, the suit being specially personalised with sunflower buttons and a sunflower bow tie.
As for the Groom…
William looked the part in brown tweed jacket and waistcoat with a blue shirt. He accessorised with blue shoes, and his buttonhole was a gerbera sitting inside a yellow cartridge case.
The Wedding Breakfast
Following a classic, elegant Champagne reception, guests were invited through to The Oak Barn to begin the wedding breakfast. Asparagus was served to start, followed by duck and a trio of desserts – Chardonnay jelly, lemon tart and crème brulée. Delicious!
Evening Celebrations
As day turned to evening, Emma’s parents took to the floor for the first dance, in place of the bride and groom, dancing to ‘Hello Dolly’ by Louis Armstrong. Guests enjoyed fish and chips, served in newspaper of course, and the band got the party started.
Emma’s Thoughts
‘The wedding exceeded all our expectations. Sandhole was amazing with brilliant staff and food. The only disappointing element was the weather – I would have loved an outdoor ceremony overlooking the lake!’
Photography courtesy of © Matthew Holland LBPPA
