Real Life Wedding

Nikki & Chris’s Blush Pink Summer Wedding

Following Chris’s romantic proposal in the gardens of one of Nikki’s favourite restaurants, the couple began planning their wedding. Luckily, Nikki had her wedding Pinterest board prepared to help the couple get a head start on their plans!

Finding ‘the one’

Keen to book their wedding venue and confirm their wedding date, Nikki and Chris set out to find the perfect location. They knew they wanted a barn venue, but one of their main priorities was to find somewhere with fabulous inside and outside areas. Luckily, Upwaltham Barns popped up on Nikki’s Facebook feed.

“So many venues we saw had beautiful grounds, but with the English weather being so unpredictable, we wanted to make sure we had a venue that we would love, even if we couldn’t spend any time outside. Upwaltham had it all, a stunning courtyard, with beautiful barn interiors that didn’t even need much adding in terms of decor.”

“We first saw Upwaltham on a rainy October day, and we loved it from the moment we set eyes on the barns. We were made to feel so important and special, not just another couple viewing the venue. Tim and Nicola’s pride and attention to detail really came across, and we were made to feel so welcome. I remember dreaming the night after seeing Upwaltham that the date we wanted got snapped up, so I woke up the next morning and booked it immediately!”

Styling Upwaltham Barns

To make the barns their own for their big day, Nikki and Chris added carefully chosen details that worked with their personalities. In the East Barn, Rose Cottage Flowers lined the aisle with petal-filled lanterns, and a stunning floral arch sat above the barn doors. This looked amazing in the confetti-filled photos!

The courtyard was decorated with a handmade signpost, made by Chris’s father and painted by Chris’s brother. Love With Letters provided floral LOVE letters and these worked wonderfully with the courtyard flower beds.

“In the South Barn, our centrepieces were flower filled jam jars and log slices. Our place names were hand-calligraphed by Victoria Blum, and my sister-in-law helped me brew our own pink limoncello for favours.”

“Our table plan was hand-painted by Amy from Romsey Vintage Hire and was framed by more blooms. For our table names, we went with the theme of our two favourite sports, golf and cricket. Each table was named after either a cricket ground or golf course, with the top table being named after Gleneagles, the golf course my Dad played the morning before his wedding.”

Dressing for the occasion

Nikki found her dress in a happy accident after stumbling across it in Proposals in Chichester while shopping for Mother of the Bride outfits with her mum!

“My dress was a lace gown by Maggie Sottero and I loved the way it felt as soon as I put it on. It was an A-line silhouette with a full skirt and long train, and after some alterations by the wonderful ladies at Proposals, my dress was truly one-of-a-kind.”

Nikki completed her look with a bespoke blush and ivory pearl hair comb made by Tracey of White Designs Bridal and shoes from Dune.

Nikki’s three bridesmaids wore beautiful blush pink chiffon dresses from To Have & To Hold and matched with the couple’s colour scheme perfectly.

“Chris bought his suit from Astares and it was a French blue, slim fit Herbie Frogg three-piece design. We also hired the groomsmen’s suits, along with suits for our fathers, from Astares and the team there were so knowledgeable and helpful throughout the process.”

The wedding day

Nikki and Chris’s ceremony in the East Barn was perfect and had two readings, one of which was written specially for the couple by Nikki’s best friend, Becca. Following the beautiful ceremony, Nikki, Chris and their guests enjoyed a drinks reception in the courtyard with entertainment by guitarist James McLean. The delicious canapes that guests enjoyed took the place of a starter and guests enjoyed the opportunity to chat and relax.

“For our wedding breakfast in the South Barn, we opted for roast lamb with sticky toffee pudding for dessert. All of our guests were so impressed with the food, and we still get comments saying how good it was and how generous the portions were!”

After three fantastic speeches by the groom, father of the bride and best man, it was time to start the evening party, and Nikki and Chris took to the dance floor to Elton John’s ‘Your Song’. It’s true to say that there was a LOT of dancing all night long, thanks to the skills of Doug from Toast DJs.

To make the goodbyes the day after the wedding a little easier, Nikki and Chris hosted a BBQ at Nikki’s parent’s house to bring this beautiful occasion to an end.

Wedding tips and advice

“If we could do it all again, we’d do exactly the same! I would say to couples planning – enjoy the planning process because you’ll miss it when it’s all over!”

“Definitely look at suppliers who’ve worked at your venue before because they have so much knowledge and expertise when it comes to knowing what works well. Finally, do whatever you want to do as a couple and don’t make decisions in order to keep your guests happy.”

Images courtesy © of Ali Paul Photography