Gary popped the question to Kirsty in Ibiza, during the couple’s fourth visit to the Island – and when the couple arrived home, the planning began! With a relaxed and fun wedding in mind, the couple set upon finding the perfect venue to celebrate in and have a good time…

Finding ‘the one’

Kirsty and Gary knew they wanted to get married in a barn venue – so it wasn’t long before they came across Upwaltham Barns. Keen to see the venue for themselves, the couple planned a visit to take a look around.

“When we were looking around Upwaltham Barns, we could picture all our guests in the different areas of the venue – from the cosy bar area to the cute Moroccan snug outside.” – Kirsty

The couple also loved the warm and rustic feel of the Barn, with its wooden beams, flint brick walls, and pretty twinkle lights.

“It had the rustic feel we were after. The wedding team were so friendly and welcoming too.” – Kirsty

Styling Upwaltham Barns

Kirsty and Gary’s late October wedding day was inspired by the season and full of rustic touches. Kirsty styled the chairs with burlap bows and burnt orange gerberas and opted for rustic, tailor-made centrepieces.

“One of our family friends, who is a blacksmith, made wrought iron lanterns for our table centrepieces. Our florist decorated these with ivy, autumn leaves and burnt orange flowers.” – Kirsty

Kirsty’s uncle helped out with the wedding details too and made the couple’s wedding cake. The four-tier fruitcake was decorated with burlap ribbon and featured a small, autumnal-inspired arrangement on top of each cake.

Dressing for the occasion

When it came to her wedding dress, Kirsty knew exactly what she wanted. She’d always dreamt of a lace, fitted gown with a keyhole back design, and ended up purchasing something very similar.

“The dress was just like I thought it would be but had V shape back, rather than keyhole detail. I knew it was ‘the one’ as I didn’t want to take it off!” – Kirsty

Keen to make sure Gary looked his best for the occasion, Kirsty helped him choose his suit. The groom’s party wore navy morning suits with ivory waistcoats – for the classic wedding look.

“Gary looked so handsome.” – Kirsty

The wedding day

Kirsty and Gary said ‘I do’ at a nearby church, before heading to Upwaltham Barns for their wedding reception.

Their celebrations began with prosecco, pink lemonade, and canapés, followed by a delicious wedding breakfast. The couple opted for a rustic starter of olives, bread, mozzarella, local chutney and farmhouse pate, and a main of beef. For pudding, they enjoyed a trio of desserts including warm chocolate brownies, lemon posset, and coconut ice cream.

“Good food was really important to us as it’s always what people remember at a wedding.” – Kirsty

While the speeches were perhaps one of the most memorable bits of the day featuring stories of Kirsty’s childhood and pictures of Gary naked! The evening was enjoyed by all too. The couple hired a DJ for the night and spent the final hours of their big day dancing with friends.

“There’s absolutely nothing we’d change about the day. We loved every minute of it!” – Kirsty

Wedding tips and advice:

1. Set a budget and add on 10% just in case. It’s best to be prepared!
2. Create a day to reflect your wants and wishes. Although advice from others can be useful, don’t do things to please others if you’re not happy with it.
3. When it comes to your wedding suppliers, get recommendations from friends, family and people you can trust.

Photography by Kelly Hearn Photography