From a chance meeting at the gym to a beautiful autumn wedding surrounded by love, laughter and the warm glow of November… Laura & Ben’s day at South Farm is the perfect example of how simple, thoughtful touches can create something truly magical.
With a heartfelt ceremony in the light-filled Dairy Barn, delicious & seasonal food, and a celebration that carried on into the night, their day was filled with joy from beginning to end. Read on to discover all the special moments, personal touches and memories that made their farm wedding in Hertfordshire so unforgettable…
Date of your wedding: 7th November 2025
Time of your ceremony: 14:00
Location of your ceremony: The Old Dairy
We’d love to hear your first date stories or tell us how and when you first met?
Ben and I first met at the gym, we both attended a gym class called ‘storm’. It was during a gym boat race in the spring of 2014 when we were sitting next to each other that we started talking to each more and the rest is history!
Which parts of the venue did you use for your big day?
Our ceremony was in the wonderful Old Dairy, our amazing wedding breakfast was in the Tudor Barn and we danced the night away in the Horse Barn.
Which was your favourite spot for wedding photos?
The amazing fairy-lit driveway shining on my sparkly wedding dress was our favorite spot.
Tell us about any special colour schemes you had for your wedding day or how you styled your big day?
Burnt orange was our colour theme, which looked amazing against the Autumn hues of the trees and the blue of the Farmhouse blue door and the Drawing Room. We kept our themes simple with a burnt orange runner, flowers in gin bottles and photos of us over the last 11 years on the tables. Laura had saved the gin bottles for the last 11 years, with a vision of using them at our wedding, finally they had a use! Ben was extremely relieved we know longer have boxes of empty gin bottles in our shed!
We’d love to know if you included any eco-friendly or sustainable touches in your special day?
Re-using the gin bottles for table decorations and for the table plan, along with dried lavender for place names.
How did you first hear about South Farm and what made you choose our venue for your wedding day?
When Ben finally agreed we could get married after 11 years together, South Farm was the first venue I found. I fell in love with the venue and we looked at nowhere else. After looking round in March 2025, we booked our wedding for six months later and we are so glad we chose South Farm.
Tell us some detail about your special day?
We kept our day simple, simple table decorations, a homemade card post box and homemade welcome signs. We wanted the day to be filled with love, laughter, great food and everyone having a good time. South Farm did not disappoint!
We had the ceremony in the Old Dairy, followed by a blessing from Laura’s step grandparents. Onto drinks, mouth-watering and seasonal canapes in the Old Dairy. We then had the most amazing food, an Asian Fusion Feast for our wedding breakfast. We are massive foodies and South Farm provided the best food we could have ever wished for! After the speeches, cutting the cake and welcoming our evening guests, we danced the night away in the Horse Barn with an amazing band.
How did you feel on the day?
We felt relaxed and excited.
What was your most memorable moment from your wedding?
Walking up the aisle with my dad, seeing Ben at the alter realizing this was really happening, a day I had dreamt about for 11 years.
How did you choose your ceremony & first dance music?
I walked down the aisle to ‘Hear come the sun’ by the Beatles. My dad is a massive Beatles fan and when we listen to the song at home many months before, it just felt like the one. We struggled to find a first dance song, but after playing many songs on our Alexa in our kitchen, it was when we played, ‘Accidentally in love’ that our two year old started dancing and we knew this was the one.
How many Bridesmaids did you have and how did you ask them to be your Bridesmaids?
We had three Bridesmaids, Laura’s step-sister, Ben’s sister and Laura’s best friend. I knew I couldn’t get married without the three of them by my side. I think they had a feeling I would ask them, but I surprised them all with a card asking them to be my Bridesmaid in the summer of 2025.
How did you pick your Best Men and Ushers?
Ben’s Best Man was his brother. His brother lives in New Zealand, so we face- timed him to ask him. He agreed but stated – he is not funny and is rubbish at speeches. That is when we decided it would be nice for Ben’s two best friends from school, who have done a few wedding speeches in the past, to do the best man speech together. Ben’s brother did surprise us with a small speech on the day!
How many speeches did you have and do you have any advice for anyone giving a speech?
We had four speeches, Laura gave a speech instead of the traditional Groom speech, she is a lot more comfortable speaking in front of people, its getting her to stop that is the hardest part! Laura’s dad gave an emotional father of the bride speech, followed by a short speech from Ben’s brother then his two best friends.
What did you wear?
Laura wore a sparkly dress from Dolly’s boutique and Ben wore a Navy suit and waist coat.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
Nothing, it was perfect!
What are your top tips for other couples?
Keep it simple, stay calm and enjoy the moment it goes so fast!
Where do you plan to go on honeymoon?
We have booked a trip across the world with our daughter Olivia, first stop Singapore, then onto Sydney to see some family. We are then spending 10 days in New Zealand stopping with Ben’s brother. Finally stopping in New York for a few days on our way home. We are very excited!!
Suppliers
Photographer: Two D Photography , Bedford, Bedfordshire
Dress: Madi Lane from Dolly’s Bridal, Chicksands, Bedfordshire
Grooms & Groomsmen outfits: Suits from Moss Bros
Bridesmaid Dresses: Ever Pretty
Cake: Amy’s Bakes
Hair: Olivia Franklin Makeup, Sandy, Bedfordshire
Makeup: Laura’s Cousin
Flowers: Sticks and Stems
Entertainment: Groove Habit
A day filled with love, laughter and so many meaningful moments, Laura & Ben’s wedding was everything they had hoped for and more. From their relaxed approach to planning, to their beautiful autumn styling and incredible honeymoon adventure ahead, their story is a wonderful reminder to keep things simple and soak up every second.
Feeling inspired? We’d love to help you create your own unforgettable day at our eco-conscious wedding venue…
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 dream wedding day runs perfectly to plan in our beautiful barn wedding venue.
