Milo and Harriet had been chatting about getting engaged. Milo got down on one knee after arriving home from a lovely meal.
“It was simple, but perfect!”
The Planning
The first step in planning their wedding was choosing the theme. They decided on art deco and gathered lots of magazines, scrapbooks and notepads to start the planning. They also searched online to find the perfect venue. Clearwell Castle was somewhere they had fallen in love with from the moment they stepped foot in it. “Something about the space was magical. It had huge, extravagant rooms that somehow also felt cosy and intimate.” They were also impressed by the cellar bar downstairs which features a light up dance floor which “seemed like the perfect place to party once the formalities were over.”
The couple were quick and decisive with choosing their suppliers so they were all booked within plenty of time for the big day.
Flowers were their main focus when choosing decorations. “Our florist went wild with his imagination and turned the Castle into a forest of trees, fruit and florals.” They opted for a naked cake to remain in keeping with the autumnal and natural look they had chosen. The wedding favours, all hand made by Harriet included a crocheted Christmas decoration for each guest.
Milo and Harriet found choosing a photographer an easy decision after following Tom Durn on Instagram as they loved his candid shots as well as his editing style.
Choosing The Dress
Harriet had an idea of the style of dress she was looking for and did some research to find a designer. She found a nearby shop that stocked “Pronovias”, a Spanish designer who makes lots of dresses in this style. Harriet knew the dress was “the one” as soon as she tried it on. “It was understated at the front with a stunning bejewelled back. It made me feel like a princess.” The dress was complimented by Harriet’s choice of twinkly sapphire earrings along with a beaded hair clip above her veil plus some Rainbow Club shoes which she dyed herself to match her bridesmaid’s dresses.
Choosing the Groomswear
Harriet picked out Milo’s suit after choosing the colour navy. They went for a slim fit style from Auston Reed which was complemented by a burgundy handkerchief, a tie and brown shoes.
The Bridesmaids and Groomsmen
Harriet and Milo had a flower girl and 5 bridesmaids. “4 of my bridesmaids wore full-length halter neck burgundy dresses and my chief bridesmaid wore a navy jumpsuit.” For the flower girl, a white princess dress was chosen with a burgundy sash to match the bridesmaids. Milo chose his 3 best friends to be his groomsmen and asked his sister Lily to be his ‘best man’. Lily wore a burgundy velvet suit and the other groomsmen all wore simple navy suits. “The colours of the wedding party were amazingly autumnal and rich!”
The Ceremony
Harriet’s brother Luke took on her late fathers role and walked her down the aisle. “It was an emotional but amazing moment.” They wrote their own vows and highly recommend doing this! “As we were speaking them the rest of the room just melted away; we were just talking straight from the heart and expressing the reasons why we love one another.”
Fireworks
As it was bonfire night, Harriet and Milo felt fireworks were a perfect way to finish off the evening! The guests all gathered on the steps to watch the display and lit sparklers to add to the excitement. The guests cheered as the couple posed for photos and shared a kiss in front of the fireworks.
Top Tips
“Don’t gloss over videography and photography! The photos are all you have after the day is over, and allows you to live in those memories every time you view them.”
If they could do it all again they would worry less about everyone else and spend more time getting excited instead!
Harriet and Milo loved the space that the Castle offers as well as the little side rooms which their guests found themselves in for a quiet moment. They loved the main hall with the cosy fire which was lit as the sun set. “It is cliche to say, but it truly was the happiest day of our lives. We just couldn’t have imagined anywhere other than Clearwell Castle.” After a truly special wedding day at the Castle, Harriet and Milo went on a 10 day trip of a lifetime to the Maldives. They left 3 days after the wedding for the most magnificent trip. “It was the best thing we’d ever done!” They spent their time sunbathing, drinking and eating, enjoying some much needed and well deserved time off.
Wedding attire: Allison Jayne Bristol
The accessories: Ernest Jones, Etsy
Bridesmaid’s dresses: By Design Gloucester
Other outfits: Austin Reed
Wedding Rings: Ernest Jones
Wedding Cake: Miserden Bakery
Invitations: Cartalia
Photographer: Tom Durn
Disco: Clearwell DJ
Wedding Favours: Handmade by Harriet
Videogrpahy: Purple Tripod.com
Florist: Tim Ravenhill
