Egalitarian Whimsical Festival Farm Wedding with Party Vibes

I am bowled over by Grace and Ned’s festival farm wedding held at Hadsham Farm (WWW wedding supplier member) in Oxfordshire. YES!

Their day first and foremost was about staying true to themselves and their values. Something I wholeheartedly recommend and I love how they ditched old patriarchal traditions that didn’t suit them. After all, your wedding is all about being yourself and celebrating yourselves as a couple.

Then of course there was the fun style, with incredible outfits (hello evening partywear!), gorgeous tipi reception and paper flowers. It really doesn’t get more fun than this I can tell you.

A big thank you to Sam Bennett for sharing these epic images, I am pretty sure you’re going to love every single one.

Festival Farm Wedding

The Proposal

I’ve loved skiing for many years! Ned knows I am an outdoorsy person and so learnt to ski just so that he could propose to me at the top of a mountain. The setting was paradise – a look out point at Lake Louise in Canada. On the chair lift I told him not to get it out of his pocket in case he dropped it – I’m terrible at ruining surprises!

He said some beautiful words, and then produced the ring, of course, I asked him to take off his skis so he could properly get down on one knee! The photos are beautiful, but my hand was a little chilly!

The Vision

We wanted the wedding to reflect us and our values, our sense of fun and our passions in life. Therefore, an outdoor wedding was a must, to reflect our love of nature, thankfully the weather cooperated and since our 2020 date was a rainy day, we are thankful we had to reschedule.

Hadsham Farm is just so beautiful! And, the tepees and ability to have guest camp (facilities are incredible), allowed us to have a festival theme – with an amazing DJ accompanied by a saxophonist starting with Ibiza house and ending in some pretty serious Drum and Bass! I won’t tell you what time the last guests made it to bed, but let’s say it got pretty messy.

Our love of nature also means we are vegetarian, and Greens provided Ottolenghi style food – which delighted even our most staunch meat-eating friends. We were delighted to share our cuisine with our guests. We also did away with some old patriarchal traditions, so my mum and dad both walked with me (and their three dogs, my flower girl and three bridesmaids!) – I threw the bouquet to the boys, made sure as many women spoke as men and kept my name.

Our best friend ‘married us’ in a handfasting ceremony, where our other friends made braids to bind our hands and it was great fun jumping from the old life into the new over the broomstick made by friends too! So, to summarise, our vision was to be egalitarian, inclusive and full of love for ourselves, each other and the planet and most of all to have a damn good boogie and all round good time!

Budget

£15,000

The Venue

Hadsham Farm

Your Outfits

My dress and veil – Grace Loves Lace
My shoes – Boden

Ned’s Suit and brogues – Ted Baker
Ned’s tie – Liberty

Evening attire – LOM fashion (festival outfits) @l.o.m_fashion
Evening hats @sequinisity

The Ceremony & Music

Boys arrived to – Little Green Bag from Reservoir Dogs, with their sunglasses on of course!

I drove down the path to Get the Party Started by Pink.

Then walked down the ‘aisle’ with my huge possie of humans and animals to Loud Places by Rag n Bone Man.

Your Photographer & Filmmaker

Sam Bennett

The Styling & Decor

@paper_jardiniere – my mum made the flowers out of paper by hand!

The Honeymoon

Tbc – we are hoping to go on safari in the Serengeti when travel is easier.

Memorable Moments

Nearly tripping over all the dogs as I walked up the ‘aisle’, my two year old niece squealing with delight at said dogs during the ceremony! I was happy she could be free to make noise.

My sister crying when she gave a speech, my brother kissing me on the cheek when he brought up the rings, my mum walking me up towards Ned, seeing Ned’s face, holding his hand, the speeches…! So many but the absolute highlight for me was nailing our first dance, including the lift!

Advice For Other Couples

Do everything the way you want – don’t buckle to other people asking if you can do it their way… it is your day! Don’t people please, this is about you and your partner!!!

Well wasn’t that just utterly magical. I loved it all!

Grace and Ned I can’t thank you enough for sharing your amazing festival farm wedding with us.