Juliet and David's shabby chic country house wedding

How did you meet?

Through friends

Tell us about the proposal

David bought a Build a Bear teddy and added a personal message, so that when I squeezed its hand it said: "Juliet, will you marry me?". 

Juliet's 'something blue' wedding shoes

What was the theme for the day?

Rustic and shabby chic

What venue did you choose and why did you choose it?

We chose Mountains Country House, Hildenborough. It was the only one we looked at and the Welsh dresser in the hall sold it to us along with the marquee.

Mountains Country House in Hildenborough

When did you know when you’d found ‘the’ dress?

I tried around 10 dresses from three different places and when it was the one, I just knew. 

Who were the bridesmaids and what did they wear?

I had one bridesmaid, Emma, and she wore a burgundy dress. 

Juliet and her bridesmaid Emma

What did the mother of the bride wear?

My mum also wore a burgundy dress.

Where did you find your suits?

Moss Bros

David and his best man

Often the aspect that makes a wedding original to the couple is the detail – tell us about the details of the day.

• We made all the centrepieces ourselves.
• We had a car for the bride and another for the bride's mum, and a Routemaster bus for both day and evening guests to travel from Croydon to Hildenborough and back, which was stocked with drink on us.
• We had a sit down meal and evening food which included a sweet table.

The day was exactly how we wanted and planned it. We had made it not only about us but involved a lot of family members in the roles and even had pictures of passed family which should have been there.

The couple's handmade shabby chic centrepieces

How did you feel as you walked down the aisle?

Nervous, but happy.

How did you make the ceremony personal to you?

My favourite song was played by David's nephew on the keyboard and we had a reading by my niece and goddaughter. My brother and David's niece were witnesses when we signed the register. 

Juliet and David say "I do"

What was the most challenging aspect of planning this wedding?

Getting the guests to RSVP. Also, I work in a school so David had to sort most things out, such as bookings and payments. I have never organised anything before and hoped I didn't get anything wrong.

What was the most important investment for you? 

Food, making sure everyone had something to eat as there were a lot of fussy people and dietary requirements.

What did you choose for your entertainment?

A DJ, photobooth and magician. 

Magician Chris Harding entertains guests

What song did you choose for your first dance?

Christina Perry's A Thousand Years

Tell us about your wedding cake.

It was the most amazing cake I have ever seen and was better than we thought it would look. It was by Orange Rabbit Cakes.

Juliet and David's rustic wedding cake

If you could go back and change anything, what would it be?

To make the day longer.

Where did you go on honeymoon?

We went to New York a few days after the wedding. 

Do you have any advice for couples in the planning stages?

It's only one day, so do everything and have everything you want. Enjoy it to the full and do not regret not doing or having anything. It is one of the most important and memorable days of your life, so definitely hire a videographer as well as a photographer like we did. 

Get the look:

Venue: Mountains Country House
Photography: Helen England Photography 
Videography: Cut Above Productions 
Flowers: 4 Seasons Flowers  
Cake: Orange Rabbit Cakes
Cars: Steve’s Wedding Cars 
Magician: Chris Harding Magician