Bohemian Charm

Jenny and Bob's relaxed and fun day was the picture of perfection

Click on any of the images below to view a larger version

Early days…

Jenny and Bob met 10 years ago at a sailing event on Mersea Island. "Coincidently, we would've met two weeks later at my 21st birthday party," says Jenny. "It turned out that my brother had invited him, as he knew him through university. I realised we were meant to be when it suddenly occurred to me that Bob was simply the best person I knew."

The proposal…

"There were two proposals," says Jenny. "The first was very dramatic. Bob had crept out in the middle of the night and climbed up to our favourite place - Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight, where we live. It's a peninsula overlooking The Needles and Hurst Castle. He put a banner up in a tree saying, "marry me", and took me there the following day. At first, I thought somebody had caught their kite up in the tree, but when I turned back to Bob he was down on one knee."

The couple decided against planning the wedding straight away. Two years passed, and a second proposal - this time from Jenny - spurred them on to setting a date. "We were out for a walk in Goldhanger on Boxing Day, when I turned to Bob and said, "I think we should get married". He said, "I do, too", and so we set the date," remembers Jenny.

The venues…

The ceremony was held at St Nicholas' Church in Little Braxted, near Witham. "Having just visited a nearby church, where we were put off by the vicar, I decided to take Bob through Little Braxted to see what he thought," says Jenny. "He immediately fell in love with it and declared that this was the right place for us to get married. It is a very special church: tiny and beautiful, which made for an intimate atmosphere on the day."

The reception was held in a marquee at the bride's parents' home in Wickham Bishops. "We wanted to be in an environment that was familiar to us," says Jenny. "The marquee we chose was quite something. It was a giant Mongolian yurt - a traditional circular tent - with a dance floor in the centre and tables around the edge. We also had a smaller yurt attached to the side, which served as a bar and lounge area. It was fantastic; I wanted to live in it!"

The dress…

Jenny wore a dress by Suzanne Neville, which she bought from the designer's own boutique in Beauchamp Place, London. It was an ivory fishtail-style gown with asymmetric ruching on the bodice and hips. She accessorised her outfit with a lace bolero jacket and a hip-length veil.

Bob wore a vintage mod-style suit that he found on eBay, which he teamed with ivory Paul Smith shoes embroidered with flowers, and a floral shirt and coordinating tie from Marc Wallace.

The two bridesmaids, both friends of the bride, wore deep pink and ivory floral print dresses from Monsoon.

The decorative touches…

Jenny and Bob chose to have a relaxed, country-themed wedding. "We wanted a theme that would reflect our personalities and carefree outlook on life," explains Jenny. "We wanted our guests to feel welcome in a friendly environment, so we tried to create an informal vibe."

Because it was harvest festival, the couple put out a fruit and veg basket at the church and asked people to bring along edible donations. The striking bouquets and floral arrangements at the church were created by a family friend.

The bride designed and made their stationery herself, including the table names and seating plan. "We named our tables after a selection of places, people and things that have been and still are important to us both. We also wrote a short explanation beneath each one so that our guests would have good talking points."

The food was handled by Talbooth Catering. "It was delicious, and many guests commented that it was the best wedding food they'd ever had," says Jenny. "The main course was duck, which is not only our favourite food but apparently lucky to eat at a wedding!"

The wedding cake was made by a family friend, and consisted of 100 fairy cakes in a variety of colours, topped with large white sugar daisies.

The best bits…

The bride arrived at the church in a blue vintage Rolls-Royce, owned and driven by a friend of the couple. "I was late, but then I always am!" says Jenny. "We lost one of the wedding cars on the way to the church, so we had to stand outside for 10 minutes, waiting for it to arrive. We also completely forgot to choose our witnesses, and had to make a quick decision at the altar!"

"Saying our vows in the church was the highlight for me. It was a really special moment, in such a beautiful building. I wish we could do it all over again."

"After a few issues with the lighting, the reception went really smoothly, aided by a rather large consumption of rum at the end of the night!"

"I really enjoyed the planning," says Jenny. "I think the key is to work out what you both want and not to be bullied into taking other people's advice. My parents were fantastic; they really supported us in our decisions and made a huge effort in helping with the organising. Plus, they didn't mind their house being turned into a circus for a week or two. Dad even paved over the vegetable patch to accommodate the tent!"

"The greatest compliment came from a guest who didn't know many people at the reception, but said that the minute she walked in, she felt at home."

The honeymoon…

Bob arranged the honeymoon as a complete surprise for Jenny. "I opened a sealed envelope with our itinerary in when we arrived at the airport the day after the wedding," she says. "We went to Singapore and Bali for two weeks. It was so exciting to be sitting on the plane, realising we were going somewhere completely different."

Useful Contacts: