16th May 2021

Sarah and Owen’s Eco-friendly Autumn Barn Wedding

Photo by Bethany Clarke Wedding Photography
South Farm > News > News & Blog > Sarah and Owen’s Eco-friendly Autumn Barn Wedding

Sarah and Owen planned an eco-friendly wedding with a natural, autumnal vibe and South Farm felt like the perfect wedding venue for them. Although they had originally envisaged a large wedding due to changing Government guidelines their October 2020 wedding was an intimate and very magical day – ‘a rare moment of calm and joy in an uncertain time’.  
We loved catching up with them to hear all about their very special, very happy day!

Date of wedding: 4 October 2020          Time of ceremony: 3pm

How and when did you meet?
We are high school sweethearts – we met in a sixth form German class and had been together for 11 and a half years when we got married.

The areas of South Farm that you used for your big day:
The bridal party used the Bridal Suite to get ready which was perfectly set up for hair, makeup and celebrations! We had our ‘first look’ in the Drawing Room. Due to the pandemic, we decided to walk down the aisle together so having this moment together before we said our vows was very special to us. We got married in the beautiful Tudor Barn and had our drinks reception in the Old Dairy. After a few photos outside by the lake and in the Herb Garden, we moved back to the Tudor Barn for the cake cutting, speeches and our evening meal.

Were there any colours or themes to your day?
The theme was eco-friendly, natural and autumnal. The two key colours which featured throughout (dresses, flowers, suits, ties etc.) were deep green and burgundy.

How did you choose the venue?
We chose South Fam as it is a beautiful venue with brilliant eco credentials! We loved all the home grown, fresh produce and the homely vibe of each space. The enchanting gardens, vegetable plot and lake were also especially beautiful in autumn.

How did you feel on the day?
The happiest we had ever felt! We couldn’t believe that South Farm were still able to provide us with a completely magical day during a global pandemic. The day went by so quickly but spending it with some of our closest loved ones meant the world to us. Our wedding was a rare moment of calm and joy in an uncertain time. The day was filled with laughter and happiness – you couldn’t help but smile.

Tell us about your special day:
Originally, we had planned for 80 guests, however, in September 2020 the number was reduced to 30. Only two weeks before the wedding, the government restrictions meant we had to reduce to 15. Nevertheless, it made for a very intimate and special day with our closest family, best man and bridesmaids. We had a year of planning, but all the last-minute changes meant that the slate was practically wiped clean two weeks before. Our suppliers were amazing at adapting though!

Was there one particular moment that stood out for you?
Owen –
When Sarah and I said our personal vows to one another, the importance of that moment really hit home – I couldn’t stop smiling.
Sarah – I have two: first in the Bridal Suite when my bridesmaids and mum gifted us a Wedding Book from everyone who couldn’t make it on the day, it was so lovely that they had put it together. Secondly, walking into the ceremony and seeing all our guests gathered to share our big moment.

How did you choose your bridesmaids?
I chose my little sister, Rachel, my Cousin, Livia, and my closest friend from my childhood, Tilly, as my Bridesmaids. They all know me so well so were the perfect bridesmaids!

How did you pick your best man?
Dave is my oldest friend – we’ve known each other since our first day of high school – and he’s always been there for me. We had such a laugh on the day.

What did you wear?
Sarah –
My dress was by Pronovias. I had so many compliments on how different it was to other dresses, so I’m pleased I found it. My shoes were by Rachel Simpson – I couldn’t resist the glitter.
Owen – I wanted my suit to stand out, so chose an autumnal burgundy French Connection suit with a Fox & Chave Gustav Klimt tie and pocket square.

What are your top tips for other couples?

  • The day will fly by – relax and savour every moment!
  • Your suppliers are experts in their field and will guide you along the way. Listen to them and be prepared to experiment with ideas you hadn’t considered…
  • The day is about your love for each other, so don’t get too hung up on the small details.

Where did you go on honeymoon?

We travelled down to Cornwall and enjoyed a couple of weeks relaxing by the sea. On the journey down, we also stopped at The Pig at Coombe, which was a real highlight.

Suppliers – who did you use?

Venue and catering:
Of course, the wonderful South Farm. The events management at the venue was perfect from start to finish and the team was so professional and helpful. The organic and fresh food and drinks that were served on the day were spot on and delicious! We had quite a few dietary requirements in our group, including a vegan and dairy free meal – nothing was too much trouble and so much love and attention was added to each dish.

The starter was based around seasonal ingredients, a delicious Red Kuri Squash Ravioli, the main was Roast Rump of Lamb or a Halloumi parcel for our vegetarian guests. The dessert options were Lemon Slice or Pear Bakewell. We couldn’t have been happier with the food, all so fresh and tasty!

Photographer:
Bethany Lloyd Clarke Wedding Photography – Beth was recommended to us by our friend, Dom. One of the best recommendations we have ever received! Beth’s work is so natural and her award-winning photo-journalistic background meant that she captured each moment beautifully. We will treasure our wedding photos forever.

Videographer:
Dom Romney Photography – Our friend, Dom! He live-streamed our ceremony for our guests who couldn’t make it and captured the speeches so we could watch them back.

Dress:
Pronovias, from the bridal shop House of Snow in Bury St Edmunds, they are a very talented and special team.

Grooms & Best Man outfits:
Owen wore a Burgandy French Connection suit with a Fox & Chave Gustav Klimt tie and pocket square. Dave wore a Moss Bros suit in a complimentary shade. Both had buttonholes to match the bouquets.

Bridesmaid dresses:
The bridesmaids wore a beautiful, deep green multiway dress from Lipsy which complimented each of their hair colours and skin tones.

Cake:
Was made locally by Bitesize Bakehouse. We had two tiers: the top was lemon and the bottom ginger cake with apple, and both were delicious. Nothing was too much hassle for Jade, we had vegan guests and she made them special raspberry vegan brownies (feedback for these was also extremely positive!!). The topper was two polaroids from our engagement photo shoot with Beth the year before.

Hair:
Bex Johanssen Hairdressing. Bex did an amazing job of styling our hair and it lasted all day! We couldn’t have been happier with the result.

Makeup:
The Cambridge Makeup Artist – Kerry made us all feel so beautiful! We asked for subtle and natural makeup so that we felt like ourselves on the day. The result was flawless.

Flowers:
Our bouquets, buttonholes and corsages were designed, home grown and arranged in Cambridgeshire by the very talented Rosanna at Wild Florals. The autumnal colours and florals were stunning, with dahlias, hydrangea, copper beech and hand-dyed ribbon all matching our theme perfectly. All of the flowers were wild and breathtakingly beautiful.

Rings:
Our bespoke wedding bands were handmade by William Lander Jewellery. Will made our beautiful white gold and rose gold rings. They are white gold outside with a secret rose gold feature inside. Sarah’s also included a delicate vine and leaf engraving.

Decoration:
Handwritten place cards by Fawkes Quill Calligraphy, postcards by Cambridge Imprint, bottle vases from Etsy, dahlias from the garden, photos from our younger years and a selection of gorgeous metallic LSA tealights. All things that we could use again in our future home and they made for a homely feel.

We loved hearing all about how, despite changing government guidance, Sarah and Owen embraced their dream wedding day and chose to go with the flow. It is clear from their words and their wonderful photos how happy and relaxed they both were on their wedding day and it is a real delight to see how their eco friendly theme fitted perfectly with our ethos at South Farm. 

If you are looking to book your dream wedding please get in touch. We’d love to hear all about your wedding day plans and to show you around our barn wedding venue and stunning gardens. We have a fantastic choice of ceremony and reception spaces whether you are looking for a large or small wedding day. We offer exclusive use for your wedding day and our flexible, professional team will make sure your perfect wedding day runs exactly to plan in your dream UK wedding venue.

 

 

 

The venue is amazing and the staff from the start of our process, up to and including our big day were faultless. First class all the way!

Aysen Mehmet & Rob Luker READ MORE

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