Anna and Seb were both working in retail when they met and fell in love back in 2015. Seven years later, Seb planned a romantic proposal to coincide with Anna’s birthday weekend. “Seb hired a boat in Amsterdam,” she says. “I assumed it was a birthday treat and therefore didn’t see the proposal coming at all! It was a complete surprise!”
Choosing the rustic chic climes of Upton Barn & Walled Garden as the scenic backdrop to their nuptials, the couple chose a soft colour palette, with pastel tones including pale pinks and sage greens.
“We had dreamt of a relaxed outdoor, summer garden wedding and the weather was in our favour,” says Anna, looking back on how their wedding day began. An early afternoon ceremony saw Anna gliding down the lavender-lined aisle of the walled garden in a dreamy lace dress by Made With Love with detachable tulle wings – “I thought it was a bit different to having a detachable veil!” she reflects.
Flanked by bridesmaids in light sage green frocks, she complemented her bridal ensemble with a bouquet of seasonal natural flowers in soft shades of pink, cream and white. “I loved my bouquet so much one of my lovely bridesmaids sent it off to be dried, pressed and framed so I can treasure it forever.”
The couple exchanged their self-penned vows beneath the oak arbour, which was beautifully decorated with a broken arch of pastel blooms and foliage, with vistas across the Blackdown Hills beyond. “It was really special being able to make our vows in front of our family and friends,” reminisces Anna.
A drinks reception with giant Jenga in the walled garden followed, allowing the newlyweds and their guests to enjoy the picturesque surroundings in the sunshine. “We also had wedding newspapers, which added a personal touch and our guests enjoyed reading them,” says Anna.
The couple then stole away for a private viewing of the Stable Barn where the reception was to be held. The tables were decorated with clusters of bud vases and candles in soft colours, while drapes suspended from the ceilings added to the natural, dreamy aesthetic. “It looked breathtaking and it was also really lovely to have a bit of time to ourselves!” she says, looking back on one of her favourite moments from the day.
A three-course wedding breakfast of smoked salmon, sharing chicken shawarma and sticky toffee pudding was followed by speeches.
Guests were encouraged to take a Polaroid photo of themselves for the couple’s guestbook, adding a visual memento to the well-wishing messages. "It was so lovely looking at everyone's photos when we read our guestbook," she reflects.
The dance floor opened to a first dance with a difference, thanks to Seb’s Chilean background. “To honour his roots, we danced to a well-known merengue song, Suavemente by Elvis Crespo,” says Anna. “We are not dancers at all, but we had a lot of fun doing it and everyone was on the dance floor by the end of the song!” The evening continued with “a lot of dancing and late night pizza!” served from a pizza truck.
Looking back on their beautiful garden wedding, Anna has some wise words of advice for other couples. “Remember that this day is for you,” she asserts. “Try not to feel pressured by others or social media and enjoy the planning process.”
Photography Sophie Mort sophiemort.com
Venue Upton Barn & Walled Garden uptonbarn.com
Dress Made With Love madewithlovebridal.com
Suit Ted Baker tedbaker.com
Hair Natalie Nichols Bridal natalienichols-bridal.com
Make-up Sophie White sophiewhitemua.co.uk
Table menus, place cards & seating signs Dotty About Paper dottyaboutpaper.co.uk
Flowers Flowers by Sophie Millington flowersbysophiemillington.com
Drapes Fika Event Hire fikaeventhire.com
Catering Mulberry Catering Co
Exe Valley Pizza exevalleypizza.co
Bridal Brunches
Cake Jayne Sepulveda
Entertainment Perfect Wedding & Event DJs
Videography FernanDos Films fernandosfilms.co.uk
