Take one stunning country house location, add some incredible floral displays, tons of romantic candles and of course one very happy bride and groom, and you get Rebecca & Stephen's warm and cosy Botley's Mansion wedding. Taking place in December, the wedding featured a cast of incredible suppliers, including Miss Bush favourites Carolanne Armstrong and Mad Lilies.
Rebecca wore a stunning bespoke wedding dress creation from Suzanne Neville. We took her wish for lots of lace, starting with a perfectly fitted bodice and full length sleeves from Suzanne's Salvador dress. This was combined with the sleek, elegant a-line skirt from Darya, to create Rebecca's dream look. Rebecca styled her dress with glamorous curls, a romantic veil, timeless jewellery and dreamy Manolo Blahnik Hangisi Bride 50 heels.
Read on to find out more about their day and the planning process in Rebecca's own words, with images by Gill Flett.
A bespoke Suzanne Neville wedding dress
I very much wanted lace and lace I got! I wanted a romantic but structured look that made me feel like I was wearing the dress and not the other way around. The Suzanne Neville way of building a dress really suited my shape and I felt like a princess. I hesitated over a veil but it absolutely finished the look perfectly.
A note about Stephen's suit: Philip Denning at Tom Fox tailoring created a beautiful bespoke blue three piece suit and he embroidered, without us knowing, the wedding date onto the inside pocket- it was the nicest touch!
Dress Shopping
Fortunately, Emma and the team (some of the most competent people I have ever met) are more than able to deal with a crisis, so a pandemic was nothing to them. Therefore, my mother and sister Zoomed from Scotland to choose the final design complete with champagne and the dog decked out in a bow tie, it was quite the evening! My daughter came for the final fitting and burst into tears when she saw me-happy tears!
The dress shopping experience is a complete experience that takes you on one of the best journeys of your life. Emma had me in dresses that I never thought I would try on and I was guided through each step in great detail. When it comes to the nitty gritty of fitting then Jo is the safest pair of hands, her skills and knowledge are second to none. Any worries or hiccups along the way are dealt with expertly and the advice given is honest and clear.
It's a fun, creative and interesting place to be and I loved it. If I could think of an excuse to go back I would!
Styling
Manolo Blahnik shoes, ivory with a blue buckle (hugely comfortable) with ruby and pearl earrings with a matching necklace.
Hair and make up by the super talented Carolanne Armstrong. She is incredible at interpreting what you want, showing you what you don't want and making you look utterly flawless.
A warm and cosy Botley's Mansion winter wedding
I wanted to draw together my passions of art, history and music and Botleys Mansion certainly fitted the bill as a venue. I took inspiration for the flowers and decorations from the Dutch Masters. Mad Lilies knew exactly what I wanted with vivid colours and tumbling foliage, the addition of pomegranates and cherries to the table flowers was one of their many inspired ideas. The idea was carried through into the wonderful cake by Elle Gerrish of Designer Cakes by Elle, truly some of the best cake I have ever tasted. I was lucky enough to find the Dutch Masters idea already encapsulated in stationery by Invite Press. They went above and beyond when the table plan had to be reprinted three times due to covid induced changes.
I really didn't want the occasion to feel overly formal and I had a feeling that guests would be ready for some fun after the last two years! ZHL Strings played up a storm of Baroque music for the ceremony and then we had renowned jazz musician Robin Philips on piano for the reception. Harry De Cruz, magician extraordinaire, kept guests entertained throughout the night with his jaw dropping magic.
Photographer Gill Flett perfectly captured the day. She has this uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right moment to get the best shot and nobody knows she is there!
The best part was having everyone I love in the same room at the same time. Magical.
Rebecca's Advice
We all start with an idea in our heads, but be flexible! Try different styles and be open-just in case! Know that if you go to Miss Bush you are in the safest of hands and nobody walks out the door until the bride is 100% happy.
I truly believe that all my suppliers are gifted in their fields, they understood me from the beginning. In reality this translates into total security on the day of knowing the event will happen exactly as you planned it. I knew everyone would do their best and it would be fantastic, there were no niggles or doubts and this means I was relaxed and could enjoy the day to the fullest. So, surround yourself in suppliers who suit you-don't be swayed by fashion, tradition or 'shoulds' but find your own bridal tribe who 'get' you-Miss Bush is a good place to start!
Suppliers
Venue: Botleys Mansion
The dress: Suzanne Neville by Miss Bush
Photographer: Gill Flett
Flowers: Mad Lilies
Cake: Designer Cakes by Elle
Hair and Make Up: Carolanne Armstrong
Stationery: Invite Press
Classical Music: ZHL Strings
Jazz Music: Robin Phillips
Bridesmaid Dresses: Th & Th for the adult dress and JJs House for the girls.
Magician: Harry De Cruz
Jewellery: Gordon Marks
Groom's suit: Philip Denning at Tom Fox Tailoring
Hair accessories: Hermione Harbutt
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik Hangisi Bride 50