This Bride Had The Ultimate, Quintessentially British Countryside Wedding

With weddings filling up the calendar, it’s certainly feeling like the summer of love here in Europe. What better way to celebrate than to showcase a handful of chic nuptials taking place both in the UK and further afield? Whether you’re planning your own wedding or simply love love, this new series is for you. The first bride is our very own Head of Partnerships here at The Handbook: Harriet Goodwin.

The meet-cute

In a world of dating apps and disappointing first dates, Nick and I were lucky enough to meet organically, and The Handbook played a small part. After a long (and slightly boozy) strategy lunch, the team carried on for drinks at a nearby bar. Nick, a colleague’s cousin, was unexpectedly there… and the rest was history.

The proposal

Three years after our first holiday together in Corfu, Nick proposed during a sunrise hike along the coast. Although I had a pretty good idea it was coming, having visited my parents earlier that year to collect my great-grandmother’s ring, it was still such a special moment.

The vision was simple, a quintessentially English celebration

The vision for the day

With a background in events and a decisive nature, the wedding came together in under a year. The vision was simple, a quintessentially English celebration – a church service followed by canapés, free-flowing fizz and a three-course wedding breakfast, rounded off with a band and plenty of dancing.

The venue

Having recently moved back to my hometown of Saffron Walden, it felt like the obvious choice, a chance to celebrate with our friends and family in a place that means so much to us. We got married at St Mary’s, followed by a reception in the nearby walled gardens with a classic marquee setup. We chose a two-pole sail tent from Ben and his amazing team at Cambridge Events Company, which comfortably accommodated our 110 guests across four long trestle-style tables.

Having recently moved back to my hometown of Saffron Walden, it felt like the obvious choice, a chance to celebrate with our friends and family in a place that means so much to us.

Food & drink

Having a good caterer not only means your guests will enjoy restaurant-quality food but also that the team becomes the backbone of the wedding, ensuring everything runs seamlessly from start to finish.

Canapés included quail Scotch egg, soy, sesame and maple-cured tuna tartlet, and smoked cheddar and mushroom arancini. For the wedding breakfast, we enjoyed a traditional three-course menu, starting with tiger prawn ravioli, followed by slow-roast Suffolk lamb rump, and finishing with a local strawberry pavlova. When guests make a point of saying how amazing the food was, you know you picked the right team – we went with Milsom Catering, and they really delivered.

We went for Nyetimber over champagne for the drinks reception and toasts; it’s hands down our favourite English sparkling and felt like the perfect choice to kick everything off. The personalised bottle was also such a nice touch and a preference for the tower. For the rosé, it had to be Whispering Angel; light, fresh, and exactly what we wanted for a relaxed celebration in the sun. We ordered a few magnums for the caterers to serve, which added a snazzy touch; our only regret was not ordering more.

The dress

Having visited Miss Bush as a bridesmaid for my best friend, I made them my first port of call. I’d already had a look at their Instagram, and one dress stood out immediately. A strapless silk gown with a folded-collar detail and a split skirt. True to my decisive nature, it was the first dress I tried on and the one I left with.

Nick’s two-piece, double-breasted navy suit was from Suitsupply, one of the best and most highly recommended tailors in London.

True to my decisive nature, it was the first dress I tried on, and the one I left with.

The details

From personalised coasters to bud vases, tall table candles to tambourines, much of the décor and styling for the marquee was influenced by trends I found on Pinterest. We also had the most beautiful personalised napkins from The Go-To, which really elevated the tables and added a pop of colour.

The church itself was striking enough that we kept things simple, with gypsophila pew ends and two milk churn arrangements at the front, which were later repurposed for the marquee.

We also had the most beautiful personalised napkins from The Go-To which really elevated the tables and added a pop of colour.

The personal touch

As Elton John fans who’ve seen him a few times, we used song titles as table names and had our first dance to Your Song – the one part of the day we didn’t plan and ended up winging. Our cats even made a surprise appearance in the evening as giant cut-outs, adding a fun and personal touch to the dancefloor. Another special detail was our wedding stationery and signage, beautifully designed by my talented cousin, who hand-drew the church and incorporated illustrations inspired by the walled gardens.

The highlight

The day feels like a dream, and nothing can prepare you for how quickly it goes, despite everyone telling you it will go in a flash. One of our favourite moments was the church service itself, with the choir and setting making it especially memorable.

The advice

Our advice would be not to sweat the small stuff. After months of planning, there are bound to be a few things that don’t go exactly to plan on the day. In our case, half the guests had their order of service stapled incorrectly….

Our advice would be not to sweat the small stuff.

I’d also make a conscious effort to stick with your partner for as much of the day as possible, as it’s easy to get pulled away talking to everyone but it’s an experience you want to remember together. Finally, if it’s set to be a hot day, over-order the rosé.