Danielle in Anna Kara Jude for an eclectic and magical Walcott Hall wedding

Danielle and Alex's whimsical, botanical wedding took place at the magical setting of Walcott Hall in Shropshire in mid August, inspired by it's eclectic décor and stunning gardens. Danielle couldn't have chosen a more perfect dress for the occasion, opting for Anna Kara's Jude, which features full length sleeves and a romantic, floaty chiffon skirt covered in delicate floral embroidery.

Read on to find out more about their day in Danielle's own words, with stunning photography by Florence Fox

Anna Kara Jude wedding dress

I went to Miss Bush Bridal with an open mind (other than it must have sleeves!) and after some hilarious misfires and some almost there's, Emma showed us Jude by Anna Kara. My initial feelings were of delight. The dress fitted my botanical, wild and natural theme perfectly and I could immediately imagine myself wearing it and wondering through the arboretum, woodlands and gardens at our venue. It was just meant to be worn outside surrounded by all things wild and natural. It intertwined the relaxed bohemian style with graceful and delicate detail that added a touch of romantic. The long, intricately detailed sleeves made me feel confident about my small shoulders. The boned bodice supported, without hiding away, my often in your face boobs. It made me feel delicate and elegant which I often don't!

I was lucky enough to have both my mum and sister with me when I went to Miss Bush Bridal. It was our third bridal shop and there hadn't been any disasters, just lots of laughter and joy. I didn't believe there was such a thing as 'the one' as I hadn't fallen in love with any dresses yet. Jude was the 5th dress I tried on at Miss Bush and although it sounds cliché, as soon as I walked out of the changing room they both said it was 'the one' and many tears were shed by my mum. It is a feeling hard to put into words.

Dress Shopping

I don't like shopping. I don't like picking clothes. I don't like co-ordinating. I don't like hot changing rooms. I would much prefer to stick on a fleece and some hiking boots and go mushroom hunting or jump in a wetsuit and go kayaking. I was therefore, relatively surprised when I realised I LOVED wedding dress shopping. Miss Bush Bridal was a joyous occasion and is a fond memory in the lead up to our wedding. Emma combined honest opinion, hilarity, advice and vision in such as way that you felt truly looked after. It was an occasion, rather than a simple shopping trip.

We were extremely lucky to not have to postpone our wedding, but that didn't mean my needs as a client took a back seat. Emma and her team were a delight every time I visited and I took comfort in looking at their Instagram and blog updates when the COVID19 pandemic made everything uncertain. Brexit created more of an issue for me, as my dress was delivered later than expected, but the team were very responsive and supportive, scheduling in a new appointment as soon as they had news on my dress. The dress part of our wedding journey was entirely stress free (one of the few) and I have Miss Bush to thank for that!

Styling

As mentioned, the general theme of our wedding was wild, botanical and natural. I therefore focused most of my attention on the flowers. My wonderful florist Kate from Damson and Vine, designed huge asymmetrical and native flower and forest foliage bouquets that complimented the 3D flowers on my dress perfectly. I loved the bouquet so much that I didn't actually part with it until the first dance! She also created some individual flower pins to go in the back of my hair. My hair was relaxed with simple plaiting detail as I wanted to keep it as natural as possible. I also had a simple, but full length veil pinned at the back. A veil wasn't something I had initially thought about, but Emma suggested it during my first dress shopping session and I feel in love with how it added a touch of traditional on the day. All the flowers were grown locally in an eco-friendly way to ensure sustainability; a key focus throughout our wedding planning.

For the accessories I added some simple blue heeled sandals from the Topshop sale, which I will be able to wear again with some jeans or relaxed day dresses. I also wore a pair of gorgeous bluebell earrings my sister gifted me as a surprise from Alex Monroe. This complimented the bluebells engraved on my wedding ring, a bespoke design by Kind Jewellery London and a lovely acorn signet ring my mum also gifted me from Alex Monroe. The native botanical theme ran through everything I wore! Alex even surprised me on the day by wearing a botanical themed tie, even though he had originally settled on pastel blue!

An eclectic and magical Walcott Hall wedding

We got married in the gardens of Walcott Hall, a wild and unique venue in the Shropshire Hills. Although we live in Essex, our venue search took us to all corners of the UK as we wanted to marry our personalities together and combine an outdoor ceremony and reception with a country house wedding breakfast. We hired Walcott Hall for the whole weekend and took advantage of their fabulous quirky cottages, cabins and yurts on site! The whole venue is a mixture of eclectic finds and curiosities the owners have accumulated over many years with a backdrop of woodlands, lakes, wild gardens and an arboretum. A whimsical, fairy like and magical estate! Our base was the glorious cottage house where we spent the first evening greeting guests, taking in the atmosphere and enjoying a small dinner party.

One of the other fabulous things about the venue was that myself and Alex could each have a separate cottage to get ready in on the day of the wedding. The bridal party got ready in the reclaimed and stunning tin Chapel which is situated in the arboretum and the groom party got ready in Norbury hall, a cabin hidden away in the walled garden. I loved being tucked away amongst the trees whilst getting ready!

The best bits

There are simply too many to choose from! The day was a whirlwind of excitement and honestly went by in a flash (just like people warn you), but the special moment for me was the ceremony itself. My auntie, a wonderful pianist, had learnt 'May it Be' by Enya for me to walk down the aisle to, a song close to both mine and my dads heart as we are huge Lord of the Rings fans. Myself and Alex had also written our own personal vows which made us both extremely emotional, but also made it very personal. It had the illusion of making it feel like it was just us there celebrating how much we love one another. Another highlight included enjoying a row around one of the lakes in the arboretum. We had planned in some alone time so we could absorb the ceremony itself and enjoy each others company before the party kicked off. It was a moment of laughter and I will remember it fondly because we both had verbal diarrhoea! And lastly, the speeches were incredible. Our families had made such an effort in writing the speeches and I don't think I stopped smiling or laughing throughout. I am extremely close to my sister and I asked her to do a speech, which is untraditional but I am so glad she did. She has known Alex for 9 years, since she was 14 years old, and it was so fun to hear her stories.

Danielle's Advice

Forget about Instagram worthy images. Forget about Pinterest perfect set ups. The day is all about you, so do whatever the hell you want! Be it traditional, untraditional or totally different to the up and coming 'trends'. One of the best decisions we made was to not have a cake. Neither of us love cake (I know, sorry!) and instead put the money behind the bar. I was also really worried about my hair because it is thin and straight and that is all it does! All the latest wedding images show lovely flouncy, curly hair and mine just doesn't do that, but on the day it didn't make a difference because I was having so much fun! I look back at my photos and honestly don't know how I didn't get jaw ache from all the smiling.