Angel and Alex’s sensational wedding weekend at Dewsall Court in Herefordshire was full of tradition and was completely beautiful in every way. If you think a reason not to choose a celebrant wedding is that they can’t be intentionally traditional and are just too zany, don’t keep reading. My brief was to create a highly personal, very intimate ceremonial environment where their unique origin story could be celebrated alongside elements of their cultures, surrounded lovingly by multi-lingual guests and multi-generational family.
Dewsall, on that day in June, was nothing short of magnificent. Early summer, made juicy and fragrant by recent rains, was providing a luscious green backdrop already, and a closely-cropped lawned area for the perfect outdoor ceremonies under the trees. The team of floral artists led by Sula at Nice Bunch, brought the bride and her floral designer mums’ vision to life, creating this cascading bower of flowers which framed the ceremony, and then the wedding breakfast. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it, it was ethereally beautiful.
Every detail of this wedding ceremony was so carefully curated, from the gently curved seating to the monogrammed fans for guests as they sat and listened to Angel and Alex’s love story. After greeting each other in a wonderfully tender moment, where I could physically feel Angel’s dad’s emotional response to accompanying her to meet Alex, they sat for a while, encircled by Alex’ military groomsmen, to enjoy the wedding ceremony alongside their loved ones.
Non-conventionally, they were actually quite a late booking, and we only had around five months to get to know each other, because both of them had been travelling for work. However, they put their hearts into our work together, providing the most insightful answers to my questions, giving me so much depth and detail to work with. My goal for their ceremony was that they had space to feel like the only people at the ceremony when they wanted to, whilst feeling completely understood and supported in the moment of their marriage.
They are an easy pair to admire, not just in their day to day lives but in their dedication to creating a future for themselves that is truly exciting and meaningful. Family and bonds through experience are incredibly important to them, and they are terrific team members as well as holding themselves to a very high standard when it comes to their physical achievements. We had a lot of fun exploring how perfectly matched their aspirations are, and how, frankly, some of their self-proclaimed relaxing activities are herculean in measure to most other humans.
I had translated the ceremony into French for Alex’s family, and we had a designated live-streamer for guests watching in Malaysia. As well as a delightful ring-warming ceremony, where their wedding rings were blessed with good wishes by their nearest and dearest, we also finished the wedding ceremony with a handfasting using a white Tibetan Khata, a Buddhist symbol and a link to Angel’s family traditions.
However, it was their vows that provided the sublime, breathtaking highlight of the ceremony, in my opinion. As always, I had printed them out for both of them, and Alex went first. I handed him his copy and stepped back. Rather than open it, he leaned into Angel, held her hand, and whispered his vows, which he’d learned off by heart, so that nobody else could hear. It was truly magical. I was stifling my own tears by this point. It was audaciously romantic.
As the ceremony ended, and we all dried our tears, the bride and groom were given an arch of oars from their rowing club and military swords from Alex’s colleagues, and then out to a beautiful swirl of white petals into the sunshine. We’d taken old traditions and made new ones just for them. They celebrated into the night, ensconced in Dewsall’s completely unique ability to make you feel like you are the only people that have ever discovered it, surrounded by friends, family, incredible food, and those unreal flowers.
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS WEDDING CEREMONY
Everything. The delicate shell-green of the bridesmaids. The swag from Angel’s young cousin and chief musican usher. Watching the groomsmen practice their guard of honour. Watching Alex’s grandmother enjoy it all so much. Angel’s veil. Angel’s make-up. Angel’s smile. Angel’s dad telling me I must be a brilliant bedtime story reader (I’m pretty good, I won’t lie). Seeing the Dewsall crew because they’re ace. Getting to read one of my favourite poems as part of the ceremony. Most of all, I’m so happy I got to meet Angel, Alex and their families. As they spread their wings and begin a life elsewhere, I’d like to think we planted a seed of their story that day in Herefordshire.
If you’re getting married at Dewsall Court, I’d love to hear from you (even if it’s just so I can tell you how amazing it is there!).
All pictures courtesy of the bride and groom and taken by the wonderful Nina Wernicke
