Nicola and Chris chose to host their September wedding at The Tithe Barn in Petersfield amongst 95 of their closest friends and family members. The building rang out with the sound of exquisite harp music from Kate Hartley and the soundtrack from the Olympics in homage to the moment the couple had got engaged during the 2012 closing ceremony.
“Chris and I have always wanted to marry (and party) in a converted barn,” Nicola explained. “We love the church feel of the Tithe Barn without having all the religious bits in the service. The Barn is beautiful and requires little decoration although I enjoyed adding little touches to personalise it.”
Those little touches included a parade of topiary trees bedecked in fairy lights along the aisle, pretty bunting, romantic flickering candles and wooden table numbers, which all added a little personality and warmth to the surroundings.
“We were fortunate with the weather and had a beautiful sunny day,” Nicola recalled. “It was perfect, just as I’d dreamed and wished. We had an amazing time, our guests had an amazing time and I wouldn’t change anything.”
Having said their vows and revelled in a couple of emotional readings from the groom’s sister and uncle, Chris and Nicola delighted their guests with a veritable spread of canapés including:
Beer Battered Cod with Crème fraiche tartare and mushy peas
Asian Crispy Duck Spring Roll with a cucumber and ho-sin sauce
Mini Cumberland Sausages with honey & seasame seeds
Scallop and Pancetta with roast garlic pea puree and deep-fried sage
Smoked Salmon on buck wheat blini, with sour cream and lumpfish caviar
Seared Beef fillet with with slow-roast tomato and pesto on crostini
“We have had so many compliments about the delicious food!” Nicola said. “Many have also mentioned the outstanding service from the waiting staff as well. I would recommend Jacaranda in a heartbeat.”
For their wedding breakfast, the newlyweds chose a menu consisting of:
~Starter ~
Fillet of bass with fennel puree, sauce vierge and fennel cress
~ Main ~
Whole West Country Beef Sirloin cooked on the BBQ with watercress and horseradish aioli, beef jus & Potato Gallette
~ Dessert ~
Individual white and dark chocolate torte with summer berries, raspberry coulis and shards of chocolate
OR
Vanilla bean crème brulee, with summer berries and shortbread
“From start to finish Jacaranda were amazing, words cannot describe how grateful I am for everything that was done to make our wedding run smoothly,” Nicola said. “JJ, our Event Manager was simply outstanding, I couldn’t have asked or wished for anyone better.”
To round the day off with a suitably memorable bang, Nicola had choreographed a first dance to the One Direction song ‘Kiss You’ which, although being one of her favourite moments of the day she concedes may not have been as enjoyable for Chris! Either way, it was a truly brilliant moment that their wedding guests absolutely loved.
Credits
Photographer: Carey Sheffield
Florist: Bonica
Entertainment: DisCovered
Cake: Marks & Spencer
Stationery: Homemade by Mother of the Bride
Hair: Sophia Wyatt
Furniture rentals: Fordhams
Props: Wedding postbox & wooden table names made by Father of the Groom
Transportation: Country Style Wedding Cars
Bride’s outfit: Bronwyn by Maggie Sotterro from Miss Bush, Ripley
Bridesmaids’ outfits: Homemade by Mother of the Bride
Groom & ushers’ outfits: Moss Bros
Photobooth: Pictureblast
Confetti: Shropshire Petals