Donna & Jay’s Beautiful July Wedding

Date of your Wedding: 17th July 2022

Time of your ceremony: 2pm

Location of your ceremony: An outdoor ceremony in the garden Summerhouse 

How did you first meet? 

We met on a dating website (Plenty of Fish) but we had seen each other in the gym previously. Jay was training with his sister (at this point I did not know she was his sister!) He was being really snappy with her and pushing her (in my opinion) too hard! I thought he was a miserable husband forcing his wife to work out when she didn’t want to!!

Which parts of South Farm you used for your big day?

Ceremony – South Farm’s garden Summerhouse – which is exactly where we wanted our ceremony to be

Drinks Reception – in the garden – we had the outside bar open and the ice cream bike

Evening Reception – in the Tudor Barn with the Horse Barn used for the disco

Which was your favourite spot for wedding photos?

It has to be the garden bridge – although a challenge in heels! We love the photos that we had seen so far taken on there

Tell us about any special colour schemes / themes you had for your wedding day or how you styled your big day?

We had sage green and ballet pink for our colour theme and kept to those colours throughout. 
Our bridesmaids were in a mixture of the two colours and there were pink sashes on the chairs in the Tudor Barn tied with a pink ribbon.The table plan was made by the Bride and Maid of Honour to incorporate our colours. The Groom and Groomsmen had ties and pocket squares to match the ballet pink dresses. We wanted to keep in line with the rustic farm style theme so chose our stationery to match too! 

How did you first hear about South Farm and what made you choose our venue for your wedding day?

South Farm was the first venue we visited and I think we found it through Hitched or from googling wedding venues in Hertfordshire. It was the first of 10 venues we visited and nothing else compared – the only one that we considered as another possible option was Fanhams Hall (a very different venue), but we kept coming back to South Farm time and time again!

Tell us some detail about your special day?

It was a really lovely day weather wise – it was meant to be hotter and we were a little worried about the forecast but in the end it all was ok.

I was worried about having enough time to set up and everything coming together but it somehow just happens all around you without you needing to do to much. However I did have my amazing daughter and Maid of Honour, Chantelle who took control and also Emily our South Farm wedding co-ordinator who just made stuff happen with a wave of her wand!

The day went well and everyone has said how much they loved the venue and that they had the best time. I have personally struggled to remember massive chunks of the day (and this is not because I was drunk) which I found hard to come to terms with. 
I loved finding the wedding cake in the bridal suite when we got back that night – although I don’t think I really saw it and took it in properly until the next morning!

How did you feel on the day?

Nervous – a little, excited – a little, a bit of disbelief that the day was finally here after two years of planning
Jay says he was as cool as a cucumber but let’s not believe that – Bravado!! ????

What was your most memorable moment from your wedding?

I think probably the Ceremony in the garden Summer house as I can remember this so well whereas a lot of the rest of the day my memories are more patchy. 

How did you choose your ceremony / first dance music?

We shortlisted it down to a few songs and then I asked Jay to listen to them – he didn’t want to have anything too fast as he didn’t want to do a routine – despite the fact we had access to a trained dance teacher in my daughter!

In the end we went for ‘Earned It’ by Weeknd as we had gone to the cinema to watch all of the Fifty Shades of Grey films whilst we were dating – and this was the only one we could agree on – I wanted ‘Wifey’ by Next but Jay was mortified at how fast that beat was!!! Ha ha ????

How many Bridesmaids did you have and how did you ask them to be your Bridesmaids?

We had my daughter as our Maid of Honour, one Chief Bridesmaid who was my sister who came over from Oz, three Bridesmaids (Jay’s daughter Ruby, and his two nieces) and one Flower Girl (Jay’s youngest niece).

We asked them to be our Bridesmaids by giving them all with boxes which we had filled with nice treats which said ‘Will you be my…..?’ – my sister obviously had to wait for hers to arrive in Australia and clear customs so hers was at a different time to everyone else.

How did you pick your best men and ushers?

Jay had said right from the beginning that he wanted his dad to be his Best Man and his dad was so touched at being asked.

The Groomsman were Jay’s brother in law and two of his close friends (both gym buddies) – All lovely guys and funny too!

How many speeches did you have and do you have any advice for anyone giving a speech?

Four in total – a reading, a mother of the bride speech, the groom speech and the best man speech. 

Our advice would be to write it down – Jay didn’t and missed bits out – he was told it would be a good idea but he still thought he knew best! Clearly my nine years of training him have not been intense enough! He says on reflection he should have made clear, concise notes!!

What did you wear?

A gorgeous bridal gown I had seen in a florist window about five years ago. It was Paul Zeni and had a blush pink underlayer so was just a little bit different which is why I loved it.

I felt like a princess in it all day. It went to the cleaners the next day and I am now trying to think of where I could wear it if I have it shortened into a skater style – obviously not at someone else’s wedding!!! ????

 Is there anything you would have done differently?

I don’t think so but I do feel like I didn’t have time to go round and look at anything before it was time to walk down the aisle – on reflection I would have liked to have seen all of my hard work there and in place before any guests arrived!! Oh and a few extra signs for the evening guests when they arrive is a good tip!

What are your top tips for other couples?

Be prepared for the wedding blues after – I felt so sad and teary and then felt guilty for feeling like that! It is a real thing and planning to make the perfect day has consumed so much of your life.

In some ways accept that everyone is going to enjoy your day more than you – we had been to my cousins wedding on 11^th June and I had a fab time all day and night and can remember it clearly, when I spoke to her after mine she said oh I have had the best day here, so much better than at my own wedding – I think you focus so much on making sure everything is perfect that you forget about yourselves!

Where did you go/where do you plan to go on honeymoon?

We went to Paphos in Cyprus straight after for a mini moon and will be going to The Maldives for our proper big honeymoon next year.

Suppliers – Who did you use?

Photographer: Photography by Bea

Videographer: Tim Spatz

Dress: Chloe Dress by Paul Zeni

Grooms & Groomsmen outfits: Next and ebay for ties and pocket squares – only place we could match to Ballet Pink exactly!

Bridesmaid dresses: David’s Bridal

Cake:  Centerpiece Cakes by Kerry

Hair: Belles Beauty Mua for Bride (Leah Stocker) for the Bride and Emma Day and Jo Dickinson for rest of Bridal party

Makeup: Belles Beauty Mua for Bride (Leah Stocker) and Make Up By Jenna for rest of Bridal Party (Jenna Hickey)

Flowers: Flowers By Louise

Transport: Butler Meltax – details were given to all guests who were responsible for arranging their own taxis

Entertainment: DJ Gary