Dramatic & Rich Rustic Harry Potter Inspired Wedding

Amy and Nicholas’ wedding was pure magic. They created an otherworldly atmosphere with dramatic styling and décor.

They envisioned a rich and rustic day with Harry Potter inspired touches and oh my did it work wonderfully. Peckforton Castle was the perfect setting and one of my favourite moments has to be the Owl ring bearer arriving during the ceremony, what a brilliant idea. Being a stationery stylist Amy created the enchanting paper goods and crafted up a storm. But the show stopper for me has to be that decadent ombre ruffle wedding cake. WOW.

Thanks so much to HBA Photography for sending over these divine images today.

THE PROPOSAL

It was a cute Cupcake Proposal at a boatside venue Aston Marina in Stone, Staffordshire. 3 beautiful vintage decorated cupcakes were bought out for dessert (he knows me so well vintage and cakes I was sold). Written on the plate in front of them in chocolate writing was ‘Will you Marry me? Each cake had Yes, Maybe & No. After 8 years of being inseparable and a 4 year old daughter of course I chose the yes and then we ate them all, leaving the Yes cupcake for as long as we could, just a few days haha!

THE VISION

My vision was to create an over the top dramatic themed wedding which was vintage, rich, woodland, rustic and in some way was slightly Harry Potter inspired.

THE READINGS & MUSIC

We have grown up with a love for vocal dance music and one track which we have always loved had to be aisle song. So I found a singer who had actually been on The Voice to sing it and it was perfect. The song was Kings of Tomorrow, Finally.

THE PLANNING PROCESS

Being a creative couple gave us the ability to go to town was a total dream. This was my moment to go to town and put my mind to work so I planned everything and did as much as I could for the wedding even down to tailoring my own hair accessories and the flower girl dress.

After the standard venue hoping we found the one, so a plush castle it was. I planned, designed and created pretty much everything for the day would have been wrong not too being a stationery stylist (Gorgeous Invites) and having my own creative agency (Ami Creative). I then set to work creating my vision and mood board, which really helped me pull the venue and my vision together to create my perfect wedding theme and used this to guide every decision I made to ensure it was the right one.

THE VENUE

Peckforton Castle

BEAUTIFUL BRIDESMAIDS

4 x bridesmaids. Maid of Honour – My sister. Other Bridesmaids – Hayley, Nina, Hayley. Navy chiffon – Coast dresses for the big bridesmaids. Flower Girl – My little girlie who was 4 at the time (Dress was bespoke made).

THE FLOWERS

Over the top rustic drama with a heavy mix of dark tone and wood. My florist got my vision and theme so well she blew me away on the day. From the very fist sample meeting I knew she would go all out and she did! They were simply stunning and the gents dart button holes I sketched for her was as if the sketch had simply come to life, amazing! Having a creative florist is so important. The archway was simply stunning aswell with beautiful fairy lights running all the way through it.

Natalie went all out with my flowers and was perfect as more is more was basically the theme.

THE DETAILS & DÉCOR

Many an evening and weekend was spent where I was creating lots of accessories and décor for the day such as… Candle lit jars wrapped with string, old paper & keys. Old paper table numbers. Shortbread favours. Fudge Table and the décor. Card suitcase. Place Cards. Old Books. Rustic table cloths with lace trim. Pocket Watches. Table plan cards for the tree. Framed order of the day (which now lives on my living room wall).

The florist provided the old urn and tree décor for the table plan and additional table elements with the flowers such as the cute acorns and the wood finished table centres pieces to hold the floral displays.

It all looked fabulous, so much so that when a few family visited the room in the morning they said I would be amazed it looked amazing! What a fantastic job Natalie did pulling it altogether and when she created for me on the day.

THE DRESS & ACCESSORIES

Benjamin Roberts Collection, Hair Embellishment ordered the fabric and made by myself.

The excitement of trying on sooo many dresses was the best part and so many looked amazing, and you can see how easy it is to fall in love with something that wasn’t your ideal dress BUT we had to stay focussed I needed something dramatic as I had the Vera Wang witchcraft range in my mind and couldn’t find anything in the bridal boutiques and was a little bit out of our price range hee hee. It all happened one day when one of my lovely bridesmaids found the one in a look book whilst I was trying on another lace ivory yawn dress (they know me so well) so I had to get the dress in. When it arrived it was absolutely perfect and the tears were there so we all knew it was the one! One massive tick on the list and the theme could finally start yey!

GROOM’S ATTIRE

Not wanting anything shiny and Nick being very fashion conscious he wanted a slim fitting suit. In the end we found the perfect navy wool in Top Man. I then had Nick’s suit pimped up with some nice rustic buttons and also I found the fabric for the pocket squares and the ties and had them made up!

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

Hannah and Ben was the perfect choice for my wedding their style and ability really captured everything just beautifully. They took my vision and created it perfectly with mayfair style shots. They didn’t stop all day they got involved yet it was really low key which was what I wanted so the guests could simply enjoy the day without the traditional photography formality.

THE CAKE

I created a sketch for the cake designer which had 3 large tears all with different textures and an ombre colour effect running all the way through with burgundy sparkle dust in places just for extra magic. The cake stood tall on a wooden stump that we created and cutting the cake with a sword really was the icing on the cake.

THE HONEYMOON

We went to Menorca in October and it was lovely. We stayed in a beautiful spa and simply relaxed, ate, drank and enjoyed the beautiful island with crystal blue seas it was amazing. We even talk about living there one day in the future it was that nice.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

The aisle song simply was breath taking, when she started singing the bridesmaids started getting teary and then me and I think 80% of our guests knew this classic vocal house track and so the room was electric, the best feeling ever! So much joy and happiness in one room you cant beat this feeling. Our first dance went great we love our music and so really had a good dance, even some people thought we had rehearsed but I guess its this which connects us the most and we literally were dancing in harmony.

ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES

Choosing the best suppliers really helped everything go perfectly especially being a creative Bride I really need suppliers who got and could create it perfectly and I can’t recommend this as the best move a bride and groom can make, do your research! What you think may save you money really doesn’t and everyone surely wants happy tears not sad tears.

My bridesmaids really were the best they helped me and wanted jobs to do they kept asking all of the time and you really know who your true friends are at times like this, again choosing the right bridesmaids is another one I think can make or break a wedding.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE |

Photography | HBA Photography

Flowers | Natalies Florist

Stationery | Gorgeous Invites

Cake | Tickityboo Cakes

Dress | Benjamin Roberts

Bridesmaid Dresses | Coast

Suits | Top Man

Beautiful. And how gorgeous did Amy and Nicholas look in their stylish attire?

Thanks so very much to Amy and Nicholas for sharing their stunning nuptials with us today xo Lou