Ladies, lovelies, and those beyond the binary, do we have SUCH a treat for you today. Rachael and Marc’s wedding last August was a gorgeous sunny day full of teary happy moments, laid back bohemian vibes and some serious style. And a surprise gospel choir! A recipe for success if ever I’ve heard one…
“We live in an 18th century country farmhouse in a small village outside of Leeds, and as I am a boho girl at heart we knew that our venue would have to be something stunning but with a relaxed feel to it. My mum recommended East Riddlesden Hall to us, and when we went to view it we were blown away. It had such a lovely feel, but was also the perfect blank canvas. We knew then and there that it was perfect for what we wanted – I think we called the next day to book it!”
It was imperative that the pared-back dreamy bohemian feel came through in the styling, too. With a background in events, Rachael had moodboards and Pinterest boards ‘coming out of her ears’. She planned it all as it was very specific to what she wanted to create, which was completely special to them:
“We had many themes (boho, tattoos, Portuguese), but somehow they all pulled together and really worked and complemented each other. I am half Portuguese and had family flying over for the wedding, so all the menus and signs were in Portuguese – which meant all the other guests had to use the internet to find out what they were eating! Of course, our BBQ included Peri Peri Chicken…
“It was all personal to our story, too – one of our tables was even named after Plenty of Fish, where Marc and I met. It was where we put all the lads – Marc hates that I tell everyone that story!
“To fulfil the boho brief, we had a mini teepee, dream catchers, rugs down the aisle, and large vases full of wild flowers. I DIYed all the décor, the trinkets and the tealights and such, with the help of my amazing friends. My sister-in-law is a florist, so I was lucky enough to have her do the flowers, and what an amazing job she did. The top table made my mum cry when it was all finished with the flowers! The lighting, supplied by Typical Type, was the icing on the cake and really set the mood of the barn and the theme.”
…can we all just pause and take a moment to appreciate that incredibly gorgeous suspended Edison lighting from Typical Type? Swooooooon.
Marc and Rachael really wanted the day to be all about their personal love story, and what they and their friends would really enjoy. They wanted a fun, relaxed but jam packed wedding day where no one felt like there was that typical wedding lull in the afternoon. There are SO many fun elements to this wedding, I think they totally aced it! And here, handily, an example…
As a tattooist by trade, but having previously studied graphic design, Marc designed all of the wedding invitations and favours. Each guest received a sheet of temporary tattoos he’d designed, which could be applied at their tattoo stand.
“It was so funny to see my 85-year-old grandma walking around with a temporary tattoo of a butterfly on her chest! The kids all loved it.
“Another thing we both absolutely love is a drink. My husband is a huge rum fan and I love having a cocktail in hand, so we hired a cocktail bar from Cocktails and Cream for the evening. The guests absolutely LOVED it – all the kids were walking around with blue tongues for the evening from the slushies!”
And let’s just appreciate the dreamy wedding tribe, too. Rachael’s dress was from Caroline Castigliano and Marc’s suit was from Ted Baker. All the bridesmaids and Rachael’s mum wore ivory maxi dresses from Marks & Spencer. The page boys were Rachael’s nephews and Marc’s best man was his gorgeous little son – and they all looked so dapper alongside the groomsmen, who wore burgundy braces with PlayBoy pin badges, royal blue trousers, white shirts and burgundy dickie bows.
And now – are you ready for the best bit? I know, I know, you didn’t think it could get any better. Well, keep those horses held:
“When I was a young girl watching Love Actually, I once said to my mum that I wanted a gospel choir to sing at my wedding like they did in the film – and then, I totally forgot about it. Well lo and behold, my mum had planned a little surprise for me, and after our meal this gospel choir started singing from behind the curtains… I was so shocked. It was amazing, and the best surprise ever – it was my favourite moment of the wedding day.”
Rachael and Marc’s day looks so dreamy – just an amazing day where nobody stopped smiling (apart from Rachael, who may have spent most of it crying.) The photos, captured by Melia Melia, are absolutely stunning – super moody and ethereal and just gorgeous! In fact, this was the most important part for Rachael, whose advice for brides- and grooms- to be is:
“ALWAYS invest money on your wedding photographer, and if your budget allows it have a videographer. On our anniversary we watched our video in bed with a cuppa! It was perfect reliving it all, and it was like we were right back there.”
And then if you ever get bored of that, you could of course pore over your wedding photos and marvel over how kickass it all was! I love this wedding – thanks Rachael and Marc for sharing your swoonworthy day.
Credits
Photography | Melia Melia Photography
Venue | East Riddlesden Hall
Dress | Caroline Castigliano
Suit | Ted Baker
Florist | Bizzi Lizzi
Lighting | Typical Type
Videographer | Charlotte White Weddings
Food | Hog & Apple
Cocktail Bar | Cocktails and Cream
