Alexandra and Darryl met when they were children. “I was friends with his sister,” says Alexandra. “We then met later at a mutual friend’s engagement party. We share a love of Formula 1 and have lots of mutual interests.” Darryl popped the question on Christmas Day. “He wrote it on a card and woke me up early as he was so impatient,” shares the bride. “He thoughtfully sought the permission of my dad before proposing, and it was wonderful being able to share the day with family. It was definitely a surprise, and I didn’t even believe him when I read it!” SETTING THE SCENE “The Barns and Yard is a gorgeous setting, and the owners have done an incredible job at renovating the space, giving it a very relaxed yet smart vibe,” adds Alexandra. “The shed was an instant draw due to the wonderful combination of modern and rustic décor, and the on-site accommodation gave the day a lovely atmosphere.” Daisy Belle Floral Design provided the flowers. “I chose a waterfall bouquet with sunflowers, gerberas, an abundance of eucalyptus and blue delphiniums to honour our friend Del who is no longer with us,” explains the bride. “The bridesmaids carried smaller versions which we then used as decorations for the main tables. We also chose copper pillar candles to emphasise the lighting in the barn.” “We purchased a semi-naked cake from Home Farm Kitchen,” recalls Alexandra. “The three-tier design was made up of lemon, elderflower, white chocolate, fresh raspberries and black forest with kirsch and cherry compote. It was beautifully decorated with lots of delicious buttercream and fresh flowers to match our colour scheme. We displayed it on a hoop stand embellished with eucalyptus and blue delphiniums.” The happy couple chose four round tables for their guests and a top table. “We allocated our nearest and dearest with a table but asked them to sit where they liked,” says the bride. “For our place names, we printed them on seed paper with everyone’s food choices.” “Our favours were tree seeds,” shares Alexandra. “We also gave out bags of sweets in biodegradable glassine bags. Darryl and I supplied some of the décor ourselves as we run a stationery company called HiveWeddings. We made a rose gold welcome sign, a seating plan, cards and a gift sign. The Cotswold Vintage Party Hire provided the floral arch, garland and wreaths. It used mainly artificial flowers with a few fresh versions from the owner’s garden. This was tailored to fit our theme and was the perfect backdrop for the day.” The food and canapés were provided by Martin Lovell - Professional & Private Chef Services. “He kindly let us choose our food options, so we went for a classic roast option,” adds the bride. “The food was amazing, especially the Eton mess! The evening food was provided by Ian at The Old Dough Hook. The pizzas and accompaniments were delicious. We cannot recommend both caterers highly enough!” DRESSED TO IMPRESS “I wore an A-line dress from La Boutique, a fantastic shop in Exeter that sells new, used, and sample designer dresses and all of the profits are donated to charity,” explains Alexandra. “My gown had a beaded bodice with a lovely V-neck back and long REAL WEDDINGS 31
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