A beautiful backyard Literary theme Wedding with a Jesus Piero Wedding Dress

November 18, 2014 Real Wedding Features

Today I am thrilled to share this beautiful backyard Literary theme Wedding with a Jesus Piero Wedding Dress.

I previously featured their incredible Ullswater Engagement Shoot.

Images of the day were captured by Julie Anne Images.

Julie is a Wedding, Lifestyle and Commercial Photographer based in Surrey.

In her spare time she’s a wife and a mum of 3, who loves music and countryside and cups of tea.

She admits to being a bad crocheter and a good cook, more than a little bit partial to Galaxy chocolate and Fry’s Turkish Delight, and loves having fun experimenting with her film cameras on days off.

She says of the couples stunning Big Day…

“The Farnham wedding of Naomi and Paul was planned in under a year and was the most wonderfully relaxed, family-centred celebration.”

“The lovely Naomi is a great friend as well as a talented fellow-photographer, and I’ve been lucky enough to have her assisting me on several occasions; so I felt privileged that – with her insight and photography knowledge – she would ask me to make the record of their wedding day!”

“The strange thing about taking pictures for anyone’s important occasions – but especially another photographer who you know well – is that you start to notice the things that would be meaningful to them, and there were points in the day where I almost felt I was clicking the shutter on exactly the things she would pick out and want to remember.”

“The day was a wonderful fusion of literary themes, Christian celebration, English-meets-African tradition, with a bit of cool jazz and some moves on the dancefloor later on.”

“I started off in the centre of Farnham, at Toni & Guy where the girls began their prep, and then off to see Paul at The Bush Hotel (practically next-door) where he was busy trying to find the right words for his groom speech.”

“We went back to Naomi’s family home where family buzzed with excitement and Naomi stepped into her beautifully elegant Jesús Peiró gown.”

“Outside the Emmanuel Church in the town centre, guests were filling the building to maximum capacity and more, and Paul waited for his bride…”

“After the ceremony, we had a memorable little time with just the bridal party in the woods at Frensham Ponds, and I bet none of the children splashing about on that boiling hot July day expected to see a bride and groom in full wedding gear take a quick dip to cool off their feet!”

“My absolute favourite part of the day, though, will stay with me for a long time… Back at the house, all of the guests had lined the driveway waiting confetti-in-hand for the bride and groom.”

“This was the traditional African entrance, where all the women of Naomi’s family from Zimbabwe chanted and praised loudly, singing ‘Bring him in!!’, throwing mats at their feet to lead the couple in to share the wedding meal with everyone.”

“The garden, decorated with hay bale seating, lanterns, bunting and gazebos to rest in, made a perfectly relaxed chill-out zone.”

“I especially loved the decor idea of naming each table after a book with a great romantic pairing; and to use charity-shop novels as favours for guests, with a spare bookcase for swapping, was genius!”

“There was also time for a quick First Dance practice in the lane before the real thing – to Harry Connick Jr’s ‘It Had To Be You’ – and for a cuddle with bridesmaid Holly’s little 10-day old baby girl!”

“Naomi changed into a tea-length Mori Lee party dress and tore up the dance floor with family and friends, including an Electric Slide routine…loved it!”

I now hand over to the gorgeous Bride, Naomi…

How did you meet?

“We’ve known each other most of my (Naomi) life.”

“Paul is my uncle’s best friend (the best man). Having spent many years just hanging out, we finally realised we had more in common than we thought.”

When did you get engaged?

“We got engaged after going out for 2 and a half months in October. After secretly liking each other for 7 yrs prior it all felt very right.”

“We went to one of my favourite places near where I was brought up, and Paul got down on one knee (after waiting for an appropriate proposal bench to clear of dog walkers) and proposed!”

“We celebrated that evening with the folks and very happy grandparents who swore it was due to them and the meal they’d treated us to, that we got engaged that weekend.”

Tell us about your wedding planning journey

“We struggled to find a venue. I have such a big family it was important to find venue to house them all.”

“Also there were lots of children coming to the wedding so we had to find somewhere safe and spacious for them to play.”

“In the end we settled on my parent’s back garden. As it was traditional and they were paying, they decided to put the venue money into improving the garden, it was a great decision.”

“Everything followed on from that.”

“We wanted to wedding to be relaxed and chilled out for everyone that came.”

“Also our Christian faith was central to all of our plans and ended up being our mantra. It’s not about the wedding, but that we’re getting married before God and our family.”

“This helped to gain perspective when perhaps I was stressing out.”

“Paul and I also discussed every decision that was made, even down to what the bridesmaids were wearing and the flowers in my bouquet. After all, it’s not just the bride’s wedding.

When did you get married?

“We were married on a sunny day at the end of July 2014.”

What was the best bit of your day?

“The best bit of our day was when we went for photographs. We purposefully went somewhere quiet and it was wonderful.”

“A little break from everyone and some time to smile and laugh about the reality that we were actually married.”

“That and the brief dip in the pond. It was a very hot day and the cool of the water was just perfect.”

What advice would you give to other couples getting married?

“As a photographer and a bride, make sure you get a photograph with your parents and your grandparents. Those can be some of the most precious photographs you’ll have.”

“Make sure you have time the night before and in the morning to collect your thoughts and relax, even if it means being strict with those you love. You don’t want to be walking up the isle stressing about anything.”

“Also, don’t do anything last minute the morning of.”

“Make sure everything is done at least by midday the day before.”

“All of these things are what we didn’t do by the way.”

Thank you so much to Julie Anne for sharing this amazing Literary theme Wedding.

The centrepieces whilst so simple and cost effective to bring together illustrate the theme perfectly.

Love also the book page table confetti and the bookstand where guests can swap books, such a great idea.

Love the location of the day also, with the brides parents backyard it gave complete freedom to have the day the way the couple wanted without venue restrictions therefore making it a completely relaxed environment.

Love that Naomi had 2 gowns too, with the elegance of the Jesus Piero gown for the day to the chic shorter dress for the evening party .

Wedding Suppliers

Photography: Julie Anne Images Photography

Wedding Video: V.O Graphics

Cake: The Icing Studio

DJ: Mighty Fine Entertainment

Wedding Car: Christophers

Marquee and food: Moodies

Bride’s Shoes: Russell & Bromley

Bride’s Hair: Toni & Guy

Bride’s Make-up: Did own make up using Liz Earle/Benefit

Brides Dress: Jesus Piero with Sassi Holford Belt