That was certainly the brief for last year's wedding on 28 June at the lovely Northbrook Park with Jenny and Gareth... and clearly the brief they gave to the wonderful Voyteck for the day's photography was family and fun, including this little chap!
Northbrook Park is one of those venues where you take over the whole place - your ceremony can be in the Vine Room or outside, there are lovely gardens for reception drinks, gatherings, afternoon tea and the Orangery for your main event... and ducks to interact with as we have discovered on several occasions whilst setting up!
On a fine day... or even when its snowing!... you can get outside, the kids can run around to their hearts' content, you could even set up lounge areas for guests to relax in if the music gets too loud... you can really settle in for a proper party
Jenny and Gareth certainly did that, there were kids, loads of family and friends, at least two dogs... and the aforementioned ducks and peacocks... right from the start we could tell that this would be a fun wedding... just look at those shoes!
I've never really been one for kids at weddings... I know that is very much a Marmite view of things, but with the weddings I work on, I don't get involved on that side and can absolutely understand why people have them there when I see the photos, the joy on a Grandma and her grandson's faces as they eat cake, or laugh at the camera... those are probably the photos that will be remembered more than anything
So if you are getting married in the summer, perhaps make sure there are games to play, entertainment and activities, even colouring and reading books for those who want to sit quietly and eat their cake!
Whereas for the grownups at this colourful wedding there was music, lots of food and drink and bright blooms!
The lovely Jenny gave me a fabulous brief when we first were in contact... bright and summery, joyful and fun, and thats what we did... dahlias, nigella, garden roses, poppies, jasmine, scabious with olive, geranium and eucalyptus foliage... the pup even had a floral collar!
I particularly loved all those little extra touches that we made around the venue... floral chair backs for Jenny and Gareth's ceremony chairs which were then moved to the top table, flowers dressing the welcome board/table plan, the copper and perspex screen behind the top table, pew end bottles that went on to the bar later... it all helps to personalise your wedding and make it truly unique
Look at the concentration of the face on this little ring bearer chap... and the concerned look from his Grandad!
We managed to get some of the very last peonies - Red Sarah B for those wondering - and teamed with with fragrant mint, and deep pink lisianthus for the bridesmaids, with the littlest one having a special faux peony fairy wand that will be a constant reminder of her time in the limelight before her own big day
How happy do they look... although that could be relief on Gareth's face! And I have to say, the fireplace at Northbrook is the perfect backdrop to any happy couple. Here filled with garden blooms in hot fiery shades - crocosmia and peonies, lupins and foxgloves, roses and masses of herbs and jasmine for scent
We left this display here so it could be enjoyed when they came back for dancing later, but you could easily move it to the floor in front of the top table or on the bar perhaps?
On to the Orangery, and we took the same colours and vibrancy through to the evening reception, a mix of low and tall table displays to break up the view across the room, and low displays across the front of the long top table and masses of bright elegant taper candles and tea lights everywhere
I had three lovely weddings at Northbrook Park last year and will be back there in 2021 quite a lot I think... if you are looking for a gorgeous easy-going venue, with outside space, facility for getting married in a garden too and a hands on, can do attitude, then it is a very good venue to look at
