The Perfect Hedsor House Spring Wedding
From the very moment they agreed on a spring wedding at Hedsor House, our bride knew exactly how she wanted to look and feel. Not simply wearing a design just because it was on trend, but choosing to design a dress that was modern and cool, yet elegant and sophisticated.
We arranged to meet just before the Christmas holidays 2017 in the Cookham Atelier, where we talked about popular styles and the things she liked most. It was very clear that she wanted a understated but showstopping gown for her wedding at Hedsor. She didn’t want a veil or even a train but, hoped that we could incorporate a feature that would simply blow everyone away. During our first meeting, we looked at hundreds of dress ideas, fabric samples, Pinterest boards and even a particular dress worn by Beyonce just so that I could understand the kind of dress that would make this bride tick. Once I felt like things were falling into place, I created a few sketches of the details that we had discussed until we had a one shouldered dress with a enormous statement feature to contrast the softly tailored bodice and fitted floor length skirt. We both loved the design but also wanted it to ‘Rock’ we decided to embellish the shoulder with diamante, crystals and over-sized stones – to which the bride clapped her hands and said “That’s it…” She was so thrilled with the design, she immediately asked if we would created miniature bridesmaids gowns for her two little girls.
Living the Dream…
As a wedding dress designer I’ve attended quite a few weddings but never one at Hedsor House itself so I was a little nervous on arrival; but I needn’t have worried as the Hedsor team were especially welcoming which put me at ease straightaway. The house felt really different on this occasion – a bit like the moment when Lucy (The lion, witch and the wardrobe) enters the magical land of Narnia through the wardrobe. Whether it was the dulcet tones of the choir rehearsing, which brought back warm childhood memories of Sunday rehearsals at my local gospel church; with the exception that their voices were mesmerizing, like tiny droplets of rain bouncing off the ceiling and mingling with the activity as you would expect on a day so very special. A member of the team led the way into the most luxurious bridal suite, where the bride was surrounded by the hair and make-up team, all busy applying the magic that transforms a woman into a beautiful bride. Meanwhile in the adjoining bridal suite rooms, two little bridesmaids were busy creating hand drawn messages of love for Mom and Dad, while the groom and his groomsmen occupied the adjacent room with the kind of fun and antics that you can only imagine guys would do on the morning of a wedding. Nonetheless, to witness the special bond between this family and their closest friends, it was easy to appreciate the many reasons why they decided that Hedsor was the perfect wedding venue where they could all present in the same space without feeling overwhelmed.
Wedding Day Detail
There are a few things however that cannot be planned, but this wedding was blessed right from the start, we could not have asked for more. Following the ceremony, everyone headed outside into the warmest spring sunshine for a champagne reception on the back terrace with unspoiled views across the hills. Meanwhile, the happy couple were out and about enjoying Hedsors 100 acres of unforgettable photo opportunities with their loved ones. As a guest, I cannot commend enough, the team of suppliers whose work helped to make this wedding day so special. From the complimentary champagne snacks in the bridal suite, to cigarettes on the terrace and luxury candles in the bathrooms – the attention to details is what make guests feel special – and this utterly gorgeous wedding provided plenty of that. The wedding reception and banquet style layout was immaculate! The room looked every bit like a luxury wedding should with elegantly laid out dinnerware dressed up with personalized art deco style menu cards.
The most special moment of the day has to be the angelic voices flooded across the balcony of the ceremonial room as guest arrived and took their seats. Equally amazing was the lovely Rebecca from Heart Shaped Weddings who coordinated and managed everything on the day. And also to Berkshire photography team Sonia and Rich, who were kind enough to take a few rare shots of me as I dressed the bride.
