Victoria & David – A Winter Wonderland Wedding

Saying their vows in December, Victoria and David planned a romantic seasonal celebration with a sweetheart table at Sandhole Oak Barn. Love is in the air!’

The Perfect Venue

When planning their winter wedding, Victoria and David were on the hunt for that perfect venue – somewhere that would look fabulous on a chilly December evening.  “Sandhole Oak Barn immediately felt special,” smiles Victoria. “We loved the exclusivity of the venue and felt super relaxed in the knowledge that, with such an experienced team, everything would be under control on the day.”

Theme of the Day

When it came to wedding style, the happy couple planned their dreamy winter wedding, bringing warmth in to the beautiful venue with warm fairy lights around the beams, an abundance of candlelight and gold baubles hanging from the ceiling. The colour scheme of gold and navy gave a warm, festive vibe.

All About the Dress

Victoria wore a dress by designer Justin Alexander, with a simple skirt and sparkly top. “I tried it on at a wedding fair,” says Victoria. “Even crammed in a flimsy dressing room, I felt amazing the moment I put it on. When I came out of the dressing room and my mum welled up, I knew we were on to a winner!” Victoria had the dress sleeves removed to create a sweetheart neckline, and used the sleeve embellishments to make bracelets for her bridesmaids and corsages for the mums. “I love that people each have a little piece of my dress to treasure,” she says.

Victoria kept her accessories simple yet stylish, wearing a Tiffany bracelet from David and her Nanna’s ruby earrings. “I also wore a veil which was a mistake,” she laughs. “I had never wanted one but felt that I perhaps should. On the day, it caught in the sparkles of my dress and I couldn’t wait to take it off. Top tip – if you don’t think you want a veil you probably won’t miss it on the day!”

As for the Groom and the Bridesmaids…

David looked the part in a navy blue suit from French Connection with a burgundy tie and tan Oliver Sweeney shoes, and his ushers wore the same.

Victoria’s closest friends, Anna and Orla, wore pale pink floor length gowns from Jarlo with a sweetheart neckline to match the bride. Alongside the simple bracelet made from the beading of Victoria’s dress, they wore their own necklaces and silver knot earrings from Victoria.

Beautiful Blooms

The bride’s bouquet had that ‘just picked’ look and featured white and blush roses with burgundy dahlias, tied with gold ribbon.  The bridesmaids’ posies were smaller versions of the same, and similar flowers were used in the table centerpieces. On the tables, flowers sat in gold vases surrounded by candles, the perfect décor for a winter’s afternoon.

The Wedding Breakfast

Following their civil ceremony, guests were treated to bubbles and warming canapés including mini cottage pies and sticky sausages. While they had planned to stay inside, the weather was dry and guests took the opportunity to wander outside and enjoy the picturesque surroundings and outdoor space.

Moving in to dinner, the Oak Barn looked stunning. The gold baubles hanging from the ceiling made a wonderful first impression, and each guest received a gold bauble with a tag as their place setting. Victoria and David really wanted to have a sweetheart table, dining for two, so they made that wish come true. “It was amazing to just sit and chat about the day and look across the room at our guests,” says Victoria.

For the wedding breakfast, guests had a choice of starter and could also choose between roast turkey and beef and ale pie for the main course. Pudding was sticky toffee pudding. ‘While I ate every morsel of my main course, David had my dessert’ says Victoria. ‘Very little stands in the way of this man and a sticky toffee pudding!’ she laughs.

Let Them Eat Cake!

Two aunties made the wedding cake, making it extra special. The three-tier chocolate fudge cake was finished in gold and featured two kissing penguins as the cake topper. “I love penguins,” explains Victoria. “David proposed on Boulders Beach in Cape Town surrounded by penguins, so it was important for us to include them in the day.”

Evening Celebrations

As day turned to evening, the newlyweds danced to ‘Love is Easy’ by McFly, accompanied by exploding confetti canons! DJ Jools from Hipswing filled the dance floor with a great playlist which delighted the guests all evening. And to eat… delicious pork baps and chips with stuffing and apple sauce!

Victoria’s Top Tip

“Be a diva and do exactly what you want! Break the rules – I’m so glad that we had a sweetheart table, and that my brother and granddad saw me before the ceremony. There were so many special memories created that would have been lost if we had chosen to follow tradition.”

Photography courtesy of © Mark Williamson Photography