Kirstie & Toby’s intimate Autumn-inspired wedding was a heartfelt celebration filled with warmth, meaning, and thoughtful personal touches. From a beautifully arranged ceremony in the Old Dairy, where their loved ones gathered closely around them, to private vows shared in the Summerhouse after dark, their day was full of unforgettable moments that felt deeply intentional and entirely them.
With a fantasy-inspired, Autumnal colour palette, eco-conscious choices throughout, and meaningful rituals such as a handfasting ceremony (and even a surprise ring bearer!), Kirstie & Toby created a wedding day that focused on love, connection, and joy above all else.
Read on to discover all the magical details of their wedding day, their styling inspiration, eco-friendly top tips and all the special moments that made this celebration truly memorable.
Date of your wedding: 19th October 2025
Time of your ceremony: 15:00pm
Location of your ceremony: The Old Dairy
We’d love to hear how and when you first met?
We met online in 2017, and had our first date on 10th August 2017. Toby knew Kirstie was the one when she suggested meeting in a pub and ordered a pint. We became ‘official’ on 10th September when we couldn’t go more than two days without seeing each other. After the 2nd date, we booked a long weekend holiday to Cologne for the Christmas markets!
Which parts of the venue were used for your big day?
We used the Old Dairy for the ceremony, due to rain, but it worked out perfectly. We originally envisioned getting married outdoors in the Summerhouse, but the rain was a blessing. We had the U-shaped formation which felt so warm to have our friends and family surrounding us. We still got to use the Summerhouse, as we did private vows there in the dark. We used the Horse Barn for the dancing which was nice, as people who weren’t into dancing could feel included but be out of it and able to sit down and talk.
Which was your favourite spot for wedding photos?
Of course out the front of the Farmhouse, the Autumnal scenery with the yellow and blue accents made the photos so beautiful and added a nice pop of brighter colours.
Tell us about any special colour schemes you had for your wedding day and how you styled your big day?
We had a fantasy / witchy / Autumnal theme. The tables were decorated in orange Autumn leaves, wooden plates with lanterns, moss, pumpkins and candles to keep the warm Autumnal vibes.
We’d love to know if you included any eco-friendly or sustainable touches in your special day?
We bought what we could off Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, e-Bay and used small and independent sellers for most other things. Kirstie’s evening dress and veil will be donated to a charity that provides wedding dresses to people with life-threatening cancer so they can get married before they pass.
How did you first hear about South Farm and what made you choose our venue for your wedding day?
We googled local venues to us, and thought we couldn’t afford it but it would be nice to have a look round. We were quoted a grand less than what we would have paid to get married at a nice restaurant, but that was all we would get. We fell in love with South Farm and how well cared for the place was. All the staff were so friendly and happy and you get so much for the money. We also loved that it was sustainable and had great vegan options as Kirstie’s Maid of Honor and multiple close friends are vegan, and they all have horror stories of going to weddings that don’t know how to cater for dietary requirements and they either get forgotten about or a plain roasted pepper with plain rice stuffed inside and nothing else… The varied plant-based options meant that Kirstie’s sister and friends could enjoy the food just as much as everyone else.
Tell us some detail about your special day?
Speaking to friends and family after, many said they have never felt as much love in a room as they did for our wedding, I am not sure if it was ceremony layout, the hand-fasting or the beautiful poem our friend had written for us but we felt it too. We had our rings hidden in a pumpkin that was part of the aisle décor, so we had a guest at random to be our ring bearer which was really nice.
How did you feel on the day?
We were both very nervous beforehand, but felt immediate relief after the ceremony! We loved seeing everything come together on the day and it was really heart-warming to see all our friends who love us in one room. We said after we had no idea how much people loved us until that day. We both felt so good in ourselves too, no self-consciousness.
What was your most memorable moment from your wedding?
The handfasting ceremony was so beautiful and memorable, having Maple our dog come down the aisle in her dress was also a highlight as she was so cute. Seeing our cheese tower cake absolutely hacked into was also really funny!
How did you choose your ceremony & first dance music?
Ceremony music we had a bagpiper, Kirstie is Scottish and Irish and had always imagined that for the ceremony. Kirstie is also a massive fan of the show ‘Outlander’ and the theme song is ‘The Skye Boat Song’ which Kirstie always cries at so she wanted that song. The Flower of Scotland is the national anthem and Highland Cathedral is the typical wedding song so we felt we needed it.
For the first dance there were many iterations, some strong contenders but we struggled to make a dance for it. ‘Arctic Monkeys’ is one of Toby’s favourite bands and Kirstie really loved ‘Baby, I’m Yours’. Kirstie then convinced Toby it was a good choice and choreographed a short dance and Toby agreed it was perfect. We didn’t want it to be too cheesy though so thought following it up with ‘I’m On My Way’ by The Proclaimers was a great choice to get people in the dancing mood.
How many Bridesmaids did you have and how did you ask them to be your Bridesmaids?
I had seven Bridesmaids, I made a little bag that was personalised to each of them. They all got a pack of Hotel Chocolat, whatever reminded Kirstie of her Bridesmaids (one loves espresso martinis so she got salted caramel espresso martini chocs etc), a mug they would like, coffee or tea they liked, a small prosecco / wine bottle and another small trinket. I worked out who was important to me, who would do well in Bridesmaid duties and who wouldn’t cause drama!
How did you pick your Best Men and Ushers?
Toby basically picked all his school friends and others that he is close friends with. He had nine in total! Best Man was Toby’s closest friend who is always there for him and would look after Toby on the day.
How many speeches did you have and do you have any advice for anyone giving a speech?
We had four speeches, Father of the Bride, Best Man, Bride and Groom. We gave no direction and said to say what they wanted to!
What did you wear?
Kirstie wore a wedding dress from Maddison James called Ireland – which was perfect as she chose that dress and saw it was called Ireland as they were paying. Kirstie’s Granny paid for her dress and is from Ireland, so it felt right. Her accessories were in relation to witchcraft – a necklace of Hecate, bird skull in her hair, and some snake bone earrings.
Toby got a kilt made using the Clan Ross colours which is the clan the Duthie family is from. We went with Toby’s Mum to get him measured and pick out all his accessories.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
No we think it went perfectly!
What are your top tips for other couples?
Do all the big things early but don’t rush into picking suppliers. Leave the week before the wedding for little finalising details and glam appointments.
Guests wise – if you have any sort of feeling about not inviting someone – don’t invite them!! Those we said we weren’t sure about coming either dropped out or we fell out with.
Where did you go/where do you plan to go on honeymoon?
We went on a mini-moon to Aldeburgh where we got engaged, which was nice as we had some of our left over cheese and got some local cured meats and bread. We then sat enjoying our cheese and wine and opened our cards and gifts together. We will be going to Perth, Western Australia in September / October 2026. We will stay with some of Toby’s family and rent an RV for a few weeks and do a road trip around the coast and attempt to do some fishing. We have a friend in WA who knows someone that runs whale-watching charter boats, so we’ll be heading out to do that as well!
Suppliers |
Photographer: Marcus Clarke Photography
Videographer: Marcus Clarke Photography (hybrid package)
Dress: Shades of White, St Ives (purchase location) dress was Ireland by Maddison James
Grooms & Groomsmen outfits: Rented from various places. Toby’s kilt was purchased from Georgian Kilt Hire in Aberdeen
Bridesmaid Dresses: Various shops
Cake: The Cracked Nut Deli, Long Melford
Hair: Cambridge Hair Girl (Coral)
Makeup: B.Mills MUA (Beth)
Flowers: Bloom, Royston
Entertainment: DJ Gary
A huge thank you to Toby & Kirstie for sharing not only the story of their beautiful day, but also their wonderful eco-friendly tips and thoughtful advice for other couples planning their wedding at our eco-conscious wedding venue. From sourcing sustainable décor and second-hand treasures to donating Kirstie’s evening dress and veil to charity, they’ve shown that creating a meaningful, personal celebration can also be kind to the planet.
We’re so grateful to have been part of your beautiful wedding, and we hope your insights inspire future couples to plan a day that’s both magical and mindful. Here’s to love, laughter, and sustainable celebrations!
If you are looking to book your dream intimate wedding venue in Hertfordshire for your wedding day please get in touch. We’d love to hear all about your wedding plans and to show you around our Cambridgeshire wedding venue, rustic wedding barns and stunning gardens. Our fantastic choice of ceremony and reception spaces is perfect for intimate weddings or larger guest numbers. There are so many gorgeous spaces to choose from and we offer exclusive use for your wedding day. What’s more, our friendly, experienced team will make sure your perfect wedding day runs perfectly to plan in our wedding venue near Bedfordshire.
