I met Jason and Laura at one of the awesome wedding fairs put on by What Peggy Did Next. Those ladies always put together the most creative wedding shows with bags of inspiration so it shouldn’t be any surprise that they’d taken all that inspiration and channelled it into their incredible wedding, the attention to detail in every element of this wedding was absolutely amazing. I was also immediately excited for the wedding as they explained their beloved dogs would be attending and not only that but that after the church ceremony, they wanted to take a detour to see Laura’s horse and have a few photos before arriving at the reception. And then Laura secretly told me she was going to be wearing blue! Whhhaaaaaa?!

When the day arrived the weather was rainy and dull. I won’t lie I was a bit gutted as I knew there’d be so many epic moments and details to capture and I didn’t want rain (and howling gales!) to dampen anything. As soon as I arrived for bridal prep and saw the incredible Leanne Marshall two piece gown I realised that it didn’t matter. The silk skirt of the dress was hand painted and happened to match the dramatic sky that day. Aside from THAT incredible dress which Laura travelled to Essex to get from the fabulous people at Rock the Frock, she looked amazing with her curls expertly quaffed by lovely Tori from Riot Hairdressing and glittering shoes by Rachel Simpson. And then the bouquet turned up, and somehow things got even more exciting. Jenni Bloom is up there amongst my most favourite florists in the industry, her wild inimitable style is so dreamy and she makes the most incredible sprawling bouquets. Laura’s was hand tied with silk ribbon which went perfectly with her dress and blew in the wind with her veil all day. I was very, very snap happy, sorry (not sorry) in advance for the MILLION photos of the flowers that feature in this post.

The Barn at Avington is the perfect blank canvas for any couple who want a space to bring their own vision to life. It’s available to couples for a whole week with the super lovely Beth on hand (who obviously cares so much about each couple) and it was clear when we arrived at the reception how much time and effort had gone in in advance to making the space look beautiful. The entire back wall had been decorated with dried hydrangea and hanging hoops, and the tables looked beautiful, with rustic trestles and beautiful cross back chairs from Purple Door Props embellished with simple fabric runners and gorgeous glass wear from Crystal Hire, striking the perfect balance between rustic and elegant. They’d also made a nod to Jason’s love of cricket by making the table plan from vintage bats and carefully altering an old cricket ball to hold the wedding rings, which were made bespoke by Anais Jewellery Design who also made Laura’s beautiful engagement ring.

During the drinks reception we did have to pop in and out of the barn due to the rain but thankfully it held off long enough to get the group photos done, as well as sneaking the bride and groom away just before dinner which was masterfully created by the wonderful team at Smallpiece catering. After dinner the sun finally made an appearance and Jason and Laura bundled into my car and we drove up to ‘The Glade’, which is the beautiful private glamping site reserved for the bride and groom the night of their wedding. Aside from the super cool A frame tent, there is a little kitchenette and bathroom up there, with a deck and fire, and it’s surrounded by beautiful fields. We made the most of taking some time alone and Jason and Laura were amazing, just up for anything I suggested to capture some of my favourite images of all time. Thank you both so much for wading through overgrown pathways and muddy patches to make these photos guys. You’re the best. We came back to the barn just in time for the first dance and the excellent John Adams band got everyone up and partying for the night. What a day.

A final photo of me with the happy couple and Beth from The Barn at Avington