I first met Kate and Rich back in August 2016 after they’d booked Barmbyfield Barns for their wedding on the 17th December 2016 and wanted me to co-ordinate their day.

We talked through their plans for the day which already included a fantastic Routemaster bus to bring all the guests, illuminated lettering, lots of festoon lighting and balloon installations courtesy of Kate’s sister who owns Bonbon balloons – I was hooked instantly.

We talked through ideas for the day and then I went away and wrote a suggested timeline to work with for the day.

Often when I’m booked to co-ordinate people’s wedding, it isn’t until the big day that I get to see their ideas come to life too so when I arrived on the morning of the 17th, I was just as excited as their guests were going to be, about the amazing styling touches the couple had put together.

Kate’s aunt had done all the florals exactly to specification and amazingly at that! Whilst Christmas was approaching, Kate was keen for this not to be the theme so there was sympathetic focus on dark greenery but without any need for pine trees! There were beautiful leafed, suspended wheels, which initially hung from the ceremony room beams but were later moved to the reception room to hang above the guest’s tables. Tables, beams and other significant areas of the barn were also adorned with leafy greens…. it’s like Kate and Rich set the trend for the 2017 Pantone colour!

Brighter accents were then brought into the room via personalised, hand made napkins, stylish illuminated letters and of course the amazing huge balloons dotted around the venue.

I am always an emotional one for ceremonies and I am a big fan of humanist and celebrant led ones but what was even more exciting is that Kate and Rich had decided to surprise all their guests by adding on a naming ceremony for their little boy Seth, after their blessing. As amazing as their ceremony was, I have to say that Seth totally stole the show at his part through his singing, laughing and clapping entirely voluntarily but totally on cue!

After the ceremony, guests were treated to canapés and fizz whilst Kate’s cousin wowed with his acoustic act. Speeches were split pre and post meal which was an amazing wedding breakfast by Baba Ganoush and then it was onto cake cutting, which was made by a very talented friend, and straight into the first dance.

This and the rest of the music was provided by Four Shadows who I’ve had the pleasure of working many an event with and they never fail to get the dance floor filled.

Baba Ganoush were onto feeding the guests a delicious evening meal when it was time for me to bid goodbye but not before I managed to observe We Heart Pictures in action, taking some last couples shots of Kate and Rich. You can see examples of their work below – with thank you to them to allowing me to use these images.