“We couldn’t have asked for any more!! We all laughed and smiled ALL DAY LONG!!”
Tom & Amy’s wedding was an absolute blast! From their bright and joyful outdoor garden ceremony in the Summer House to our charming barns sparkling with glitzy disco balls, every detail was pure magic. Their guests had a blast with bubble-inspired group photos, and just when you thought the night couldn’t get any more spectacular, the sky lit up with a breath-taking Northern Lights display!
Read all about their dreamy details in the full wedding scoop below…
Date of your wedding: 10th May 2024
Time of your ceremony: 2:00pm
Location of your ceremony: The Summer House
We’d love to hear your first date stories or tell us how and when you first met?
Tom and I met online (Bumble) at the end of March 2021 during the third Covid lockdown… we chatted for a while and then met up for a walk as that was all that the restrictions of that time allowed us to do!! After a few times meeting up, the restrictions were lifted and we made the most of actually being able to go out for proper dates, meals and yummy cocktails!!
Which parts of the venue did you use for your big day?
Our ceremony took place in the beautiful Summer House located in the gardens by the pond, we had our reception in the Tudor Barn and then dancing in the Horse Barn (which is just absolutely amazing!!). We used the Old Dairy for our guest book area and displaying photos of our loved ones who are no longer with us. It was a beautiful day so our guests were lucky enough to explore the stunning gardens and make the most of the grounds. We used all the accommodation for our guests, including Fen Bridge Farm B&B just down the road…. all were absolutely beautiful and everyone was very happy with where they were staying (people especially loved the caravans!!). I got ready in the Coach House Suite along with my Bridesmaids!! We were extremely lucky that there wasn’t a wedding the day before ours so we made the most of our time with you and stayed the night before our special day too!
Which was your favourite spot for wedding photos?
All of them!! There isn’t a spot that I didn’t like, they are all just so perfect!! Our photographer, Daniel Ackerley, is a frequent visitor to South Farm and knew the best spots to take us to at different times of the day!
Tell us about how you styled your big day?
We went bold and bright with our colours using oranges, pinks and purples!! We had disco balls to bring a touch of quirkiness to our theme using these as table decorations with our stunning flower displays by Sam at Violets and Velvet.
How did you first hear about South Farm and what made you choose our venue for your wedding day?
My sister had been to a wedding at South Farm before and recommended that we come for a visit… it was the only venue that we actually looked at as we both just fell in love with it completely!! I actually cried when seeing the ladies’ toilets as we completed our tour hahahaha!!
Tell us some detail about your special day?
We had the best time at the food tasting event and loved choosing the drinks, canapes and meals that we wanted for our big day. We chose to have the chicken parfait for starters, lamb with dauphinoise potatoes for main and the white chocolate ganache with shortbread for pudding!! It was absolutely stunning!! We loved that we were able to have Greek kebabs for our evening food as Tom proposed in Rhodes whilst we were on holiday so that was perfect for us!! Each of our Bridesmaids were wearing unique dresses that reflected their personalities, sequins and all!!
We were even lucky enough to see the Northern Lights in the evening, I don’t think any of us were expecting that!! It just made the whole day even more magical!!
How did you feel on the day?
Absolutely incredible!! We couldn’t have asked for any more!! We all laughed and smiled ALL DAY LONG!!
What was your most memorable moment from your wedding?
There are so many, it is hard to pick just one… every single moment was just so special!! The day was just perfect from start to finish, from getting ready in the Coach House Suite to dancing our first dance in the Horse Barn, we just can’t pick one moment that was better than another!!
How did you choose your ceremony and first dance music?
We wrote our own vows and selected the most fitting legal ones that felt best for us following the guidelines from Cambridge Registry office… the registrar who came to South Farm was a lovely lady (however I think she was a bit taken aback when Tom accidently swore with his nerves).
Our first dance music was one of our favourite cover versions of “Stuck on You” sung by Dave Fenley…. it’s such a beautiful version and was enjoyed by everyone!!
How many Bridesmaids did you have and how did you ask them to be your Bridesmaids?
I had seven Bridesmaids and I asked them by gifting them a crystal bracelet which had “Bridesmaid” spelt out in the beads. They were made up from our two sisters, two nieces, Tom’s two god-daughters and my best friend/business partner.
How did you pick your Best Men and Ushers?
Tom chose his closest friends, our two brothers-in-law and our nephews to be the Groomsmen/Best Men.
How many speeches did you have and do you have any advice for anyone giving a speech?
We had four speeches (FOB, Groom and two Best Men) and chose to have them before the meal just after we had our grand entrance as a married couple!! We chose to have them before our meal so that everyone making a speech could relax and enjoy their meal afterwards… Tom was especially nervous and we knew that they would be emotional so this suited everyone best.
What did you wear?
My gown was called Jordy and I purchased it from Heritage Brides at Hatfield House…. another magical Tudor setting!!
Tom and the Groomsmen had navy suits with burnt orange details from Suit Culture.
What are your top tips for other couples?
Use the recommended suppliers that are on your website… this was amazing as I didn’t have to worry about people not finding the venue or not knowing where to put things. Daniel Ackerley and Mark from White in Motion films (Videographer) already knew the best spots to take us to get the best photos so we weren’t being dragged around to lots of different spots. Our florist was also able to make contingency plans in case the weather was not good enough for us to use the Summer House and showed us examples of work that she had created that would be replacements for our ‘Plan A’ arrangements.
Where did you go on honeymoon?
We went to Antalya in Turkey for 10 days in September… it was fab!!
Suppliers |
Photographer: Daniel Ackerley
Videographer: Mark Asplin of White in Motion
Dress: ‘Jordy’ by Wtoo from Heritage Brides at Hatfield House
Grooms & Groomsmen outfits: ‘New York’ by Suit Culture
Bridesmaid Dresses: all from different suppliers!!
Cake: CAKE by Alex, St. Albans
Hair: Helen & team at Alexander Wedding Belles
Makeup: Helen & team at Alexander Wedding Belles
Flowers: by Sam at Violets & Velvet
Entertainment: Band ‘Waverley’ booked through Entertainment Nation
We had an absolute blast catching up with Amy & Tom and reliving all the incredible moments from their EPIC wedding day with us! Hearing how every single detail was perfect from start to finish filled us with so much joy. Your stunning wedding photos instantly transported us back to your magical day! It was an absolute pleasure for our team to host your fabulous celebration at our barn wedding venue, and we wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness!
If you are looking to book your dream Hertfordshire garden wedding venue for your wedding day please get in touch. We’d love to hear all about your wedding plans and to show you around our countryside wedding venue, rustic wedding barns and stunning gardens. Our fantastic choice of ceremony and reception spaces is perfect for weddings all year round. There are so many gorgeous spaces to choose from and we offer exclusive use for your wedding day, guaranteeing you total privacy on your special day. What’s more, our friendly, experienced team will make sure your perfect wedding day runs exactly to plan in our beautiful barn wedding venue.