Ed Peers captures moments so beautifully – Ross and Aimee’s sweet wedding is chock-full of frame-worthy shots that you’re going to love…

Aimee and Ross left the church to All You Need Is Love by the Beatles.

Says Aimee, “There were large, yellow helium balloons for each of the children which not only came in handy for photos but also kept the children happy all day. They were probably the hit of the event!”

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  St. James is my local family church, and a place where we celebrate christenings and Christmas and so on, so really it was the only choice for us that would allow me to follow the tradition of getting married near my family home. For the reception, we fell for The Olde Bell when we first visited long before we were engaged. We loved the intimate feeling of having a celebration at home, with lots of rooms and space for people to find a nook to enjoy the day at their own volume. Plus, the food is always wonderful; and we knew that if the food was good and the momentum of the day flowed naturally, then we’d have happy guests.

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?  We looked at wedding blogs to get ideas, but quickly got overwhelmed and decided to stick to our own ideas and be inspired by classic British garden parties, fitting for our venue by the River Thames in an area famous for regattas. We wanted to create a day that flowed naturally and would be a comfortable experience for our guests from beginning to end, making them feel welcome, loved, spoiled. We aimed for a classic feel, rather than a nostalgic feel. I don’t think we set out to make a day that reflected us and our personalities, but looking back now, by sticking to things that we loved and not trying too hard to be different or quirky it couldn’t have been any more us.

Do you have any budget tips for other brides?  Make sure your outfit and your groom’s outfit make you both feel wonderful. You are the center of attention the whole day, so whatever your budget, make sure you feel amazing!

What was your favorite moment or part of the day?  From Aimee: “Gosh, there are too many! Saying our vows and coming out to bright blue sky and the church bells ringing. Seeing our flowergirls together with their yellow balloons in the garden like a Lewis Carroll storybook. Knowing that my elderly grandfather had made it to the church. Walking into the venue and seeing the flowers for the first time and the tables set-up. The beautiful speeches from our friends and family. The band playing and promenading through the dance floor. Getting my dad on the dancefloor! Looking around and seeing all the people we love happy.”

From Ross: “Getting a glimpse of Aimee in the vestry with her Dad, my family cracking jokes in the church to keep me calm, and walking out of the church with the bells ringing and our family and friends around us. All the quiet moments we got to share with one another during the day. The father of the bride and the best mans’ speeches. Definitely the food and the drink. Every time someone told us how much they were enjoying themselves and how welcome they felt. And our first dance. Something we were not going to do, but eventually we snuck onto the dance floor and the band seamlessly worked a first dance into their set.”

What was the best advice you received as a bride?  Everyone follow your lead on the day: if you smile they will smile, if you dance then they will dance. So if you are happy and smiling you will have a room full of happy smiling guests. Also, have a great team of friends and ushers around you, buy them dinner, give them detailed lists and jobs to do and then trust that everything will be fine. We had a brilliant group of friends and family and the day couldn’t have worked without their hard work around the edges.

What advice do you have for other brides?  Try and build some time into the day to be on your own with your new husband or to sit back and take in the party. You won’t have time to speak to everyone, best to accept this and catch up with people afterwards, but it is worth just standing back and taking a mental snapshot of your friends and family before it all rushes past. Also, choose a photographer you love!

Vendors

Photography: Ed Peers / Church: St. James Church, Finchampstead / Reception venue: The Olde Bell in Hurley / Bride’s dress: Suzanne Neville / Hair, makeup: Sarah-Kate Thorne / Groom’s attire: Cad and the Dandy / Flowers: Scarlet & Violet / Guest transportation: Stewart’s Coaches / Vintage wedding car: Berkshire Classic Cars / Swing jazz band: The Shirt Tail Stompers