The Perfect Venue
Nestled in Pete’s home county of Surrey, Emma discovered the Bury Court Barn before her groom-to-be had even popped that all-important question!
“Pete is the little brother of my best friend, Katie,” explains Emma. “She lives close to the Bury Court Barn so we have driven past it a few times over the years. I was drawn to it as I grew up surrounded by oast houses in Kent – it was like going back to my roots!”
Theme of the Day
Emma and Pete wanted a bright, colourful wedding day, with all the colours of the rainbow.
“We’re not the most reserved of couples, so having a classic ivory theme wasn’t really ‘us’,” smiles Emma. “I did try to keep the ceremony quite muted in terms of colour, with the reception full of colourful flowers and hanging lanterns.”
These large, colourful lanterns were the main element of décor, making a fabulous impact on the barn. Emma’s dad grew sweet peas, dahlias and gladioli and spent hours tying ribbons around jam jars for the floral table settings. Pete works for Floral Image in Winchester who donated some fabulous artificial floral arrangements.
The happy couple also filled the venue with fun things to do, from jumbo game sets and selfie sticks to glow sticks and a sweepstake on the length of the speeches.
All Dressed Up
Emma found Love Coral at a local wedding fair. They came to her home with an abundance of dresses to try on, so Emma had a trying on party with her mother, bridesmaids and mother-in-law-to-be!
“We had bubbly wine and the ladies from Love Coral were lovely,” says Emma. “They let me take my time until I found the right dress for me.”
Emma’s veil and petticoat were her ‘something borrowed’ from Pete’s mother, while she also wore his grandmother’s engagement ring.
“It felt a lot to me wearing those down the aisle, like I was wearing some of the history from my new family” smiles the bride.
Emma also borrowed her best friend’s tiara for the day and her ‘something blue’ was a bracelet from her sister Charlotte.
As for the Groom and the Bridesmaids…
Pete went for a black tie look and picked up his dapper suit from Moss Bros. He and his ushers all accessorised with different coloured ties and pocket squares to coordinate with the lanterns.
The beautiful bridesmaid gowns were a steal at just £10 each from a wedding sale at Bury Court Barn the previous year!
The Wedding Breakfast
Following a wonderfully romantic ceremony, guests enjoyed Pimm’s while being entertained by Nigel Thomas on acoustic guitar.
When it came to the wedding breakfast, the newlyweds had chosen Jacaranda as their catering company and enjoyed a salmon rillette to start, with chicken for main course and pavlova for dessert.
“It was a lovely simple menu that we hoped everyone would enjoy,” says Emma. “I chose the vegetarian tomato tart tatin for starter and it was absolutely delicious.”
Evening Celebrations
Guitarist Nigel Thomas was also DJ in the evening, playing ‘Our Day Will Come’ by Amy Winehouse for the first dance.
As the dancefloor filled, guests were treated to a hog roast.
“Pete and I ate ours in our PJs in the honeymoon suite, opening our gifts,” smiles Emma. “Pete wore my veil! It was every bit as romantic as I’d ever dreamed of…”
A Thought from Emma…
“We had a dream team of three ladies from Bury Court Barn helping us throughout the day. They were calm when I needed it… there were hugs when I needed them. They also provided wine, cake and hog roast baps before I even knew I wanted them. Every bride needs these fairy godmothers around for their big day!”
Emma’s Top Tip
“Think twice before making your own invitations. It seems like a lovely idea until you’re about 43 invitations down, crying, with glue in your hair and losing the will to live!”
“Be prepared – two days before your wedding, there are so many errands to do. Make sure everyone is on hand to help you!”
Images © Hana Laurie Photography
If you want to find out more about this beautiful wedding venue in Surrey, visit the Bury Court Barn listing page.
