Isobel had dreamed of getting wed at Rivervale Barn even before she’d met Russell. With just one person to convince – her husband-to-be – it wasn’t long after their engagement that Isobel arranged a visit there…
Love at first sight
Isobel and Russell viewed Rivervale Barn along with a few other venues in the region. There was no question about their chosen venue though – Rivervale won hands down. “We both loved how homely it was, how much room there was, yet how intimate it felt. We particularly like how there was a separate ceremony room to the dining area, and how the ceremony space had the qualities of a church, while still being secular,” explains Isobel. “What’s more, the staff made us feel so welcome and filled us with confidence the moment we set foot into the building.”
Totally tropical
Despite their October wedding date, Isobel and Russell opted for a tropical-inspired colour scheme combining teal green with cerise pink. “It was bold but definitely paid off,” smiles Isobel. “The colours also meant I could incorporate my bizarre love of flamingos – although it took a while to convince Russell on that one,” laughs Isobel. Flamingos featured on the pair’s invites, their cake topper, card box and favour tags. The couple tried to do as much wedding DIY as possible to make their wedding personal and budget-friendly.
Handmade haven
Other DIY touches included hand painted teal green Kilner jars, filled with cerise gerberas and gypsophila, and delicately decorated wicker hearts, that Isobel’s mum had made, hung on alternate aisle chairs. The centrepieces on the dining tables were hand painted tall Kilner jars, filled with stems of cerise gladiolus and a collar of gypsophila. The dining barn was strung with a mixture of teal, mint, cerise and baby pink paper lanterns, softly lit by Rivervale's fairy lights. “I also made all of the wedding favours - earrings for ladies and cufflinks for the gents – and drew intricate sketches representing the locations Russell and I have shared great meals around the world. This formed our table plan and table name cards,” explains Isobel.
Bold and beautiful
Just like her décor, Isobel opted for something bold when it came to her wedding attire too. Her Mori Lee gown featured a full skirt, lace appliques and beading. The back was ornately trimmed with even more beads, pearls and diamantes. Isobel also made her own veil, decorated with pearls and crystals, to wear with her gown. Her bridesmaids looked stunning too in high neck, open back, teal dresses with a 50s style full skirt. Russell and his groomsmen opted for designer suits from Ted Baker, teamed with teal green ties to match the maids.
Furry friend
On the morning of her wedding Isobel got ready at her family home before adding the finishing touches to her look at the Barn. She was also accompanied by her dog, Snoopy, who was to join her as she walked down the aisle. “Knowing Snoopy could be part of our day at Rivervale was a huge bonus. She is our furry baby so it wouldn’t have felt right without her,” smiles Isobel. “She did need the toilet halfway through the ceremony though, which we hadn’t planned for! Luckily she was taken out by Russell’s auntie so disaster was averted,” she laughs.
Summer flavours
Following the ceremony guests tucked into canapés, which included roast beef and horseradish in mini Yorkshire puddings, deep-fried Somerset brie, Thai five spice pork belly and pak choi, and little sun dried tomato tarts. A three-course meal was enjoyed shortly after, and featured a beef main and a passion fruit tart dessert, with a caramelised popping candy topping. “We also had a barbecue in the evening. There was an amazing choice of food to suit everyone,” smiles Isobel.
Family fun
Throughout the evening the wedding party enjoyed a good laugh in the couple’s photo booth. “It was a real highlight and had us laughing for weeks after,” says Isobel. The couple also enjoyed a first wedding dance to When We’re Together, by Joshua Radin. “We didn't really have a song prior to our wedding day but found this one online. We choreographed a simple dance to it and practised for weeks leading up to the wedding – but only managed to do it almost perfectly on the actual day,” smiles Isobel. “We had such an amazing day – we can’t imagine having done it in any other way.”
Isobel’s top tip:
“Do think about how you’ll manage the guests throughout the day. With 120 guests we wish we’d organised a better plan to get the right guests into the right places for the group photos. It was a little hectic at times!”
Images © Brett Symes Photography
If you’d like to find out more about weddings at Rivervale Barn, contact the friendly events team today on 01252 413232.
