{"id":256540,"date":"2019-06-11T07:00:23","date_gmt":"2019-06-11T06:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whimsicalwonderlandweddings.com\/?p=256540"},"modified":"2026-02-10T16:51:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T16:51:24","slug":"boho-preston-court-wedding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/boho-preston-court-wedding\/","title":{"rendered":"Pretty & Romantic Wedding with a Boho Fairground Theme"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bride<\/p>\n

Today’s wedding is ever so pretty, I think you’re going to fall in love with it! Claire and Kevin chose Preston Court for their nuptials as they loved the beautiful setting (I think the carousel might have clinched the deal though!). On the 25th August 2018, our pair tied the knot on a stunning island then partied with their nearest and dearest and had plenty of fairground fun.<\/p>\n

I’m absolutely loving the soft pink colour palette, it’s just so summery and has got me longing for the warm weather. Gemma from Cotton Candy Photography<\/a> captured their day with all its pastel hues beautifully. Don’t you think her fine art style complements their day just perfectly? Thank you for sharing with us Gemma.<\/p>\n

Aren’t Claire and Kevin a rather stylish pair too? Claire’s dress is a boho dream and I just adore her flower crown. Kevin totally looks dapper too, the slim fit trouser choice obviously paid off!<\/p>\n

\"Preston<\/p>\n\n

\"Preston \"Bride<\/p>\n\n

\"Preston<\/p>\n

The Proposal<\/h3>\n

In Paris!<\/p>\n

We were staying in a friend\u2019s apartment in the 5th<\/sup> arrondissement. We had been to Disneyland and he thought of proposing there but it didn\u2019t feel right. Then we went on a boat trip along the River Seine, but it was a boiling hot day and we were really worried about our kids getting sunburned.<\/p>\n

Additionally on the way back to the apartment after the boat ride, I had my phone pick pocketed! Kevin was just pleased he didn\u2019t have his bag snatched as the ring was in there!<\/p>\n

He decided Paris wasn\u2019t the place to propose but on the last morning, while we were sitting on the sofa with our two children, Oliver & Elizabeth playing at our feet, he did it. In that moment Kevin told me that\u2019s when \u2018it felt right\u2019.<\/p>\n

I was in total shock\u2026I wasn\u2019t expecting it at all! I said yes right away and burst into tears. The kids didn\u2019t know what to make of it! Ha.<\/p>\n

The ring is a Tiffany three stone ring, featuring a diamond in the middle with a sapphire either side. I once pointed it out in Tiffany on 5th<\/sup> Ave on a trip to New York and he remembered! Apparently, it had been in his bag hanging on the staircase in his work bag for two weeks before the trip!!<\/p>\n

\"Preston \"Bride \"Preston \"Bride<\/p>\n

The Vision<\/h3>\n

We wanted something that didn\u2019t feel \u2018package\u2019 or \u2018wedding conveyer belt\u2019 and when we discovered Preston Court we realised that we could really make our own mark- let our personalities come through and create something in the style we wanted.<\/p>\n

\"Bouquet \"Bride \"Bride \"Preston<\/p>\n

The Planning Process<\/h3>\n

We decided to find a colour scheme first and work outwardly from that. Claire \u2013 \u2018I fell in love with this colour palette I found on good old Pinterest and went from there\u2019<\/p>\n

We found The Lovely Drawer on Instagram and loved her style. Claire had attended one of her brush lettering workshops and really fell in love with her stationary. Teri designed our save the dates and invitations with a hand drawn carousel and created a beautiful Claire <3 Kevin handwritten logo which we used on out wedding website and on the bottom of our photo booth<\/a> photos! We also used Teri to do our table names. We have some framed and in our bathroom \u2013 I love them so much.<\/p>\n

Claire \u2013 I did lots of the planning while at work, I was working for White Stuff at the time (sorry guys!) as we found it tricky planning a wedding with two kids running around! My sister and bridesmaids were really helpful too. Finding the hotel for us to get ready in (The Salutation in Sandwich, we stayed in the Gardiners cottage) and various other bits and bobs.<\/p>\n

Kev found the car! He has a real passion for cars and I really wanted to arrive in a London black cab as a nod to our home in South East London but it was proving super tricky. In the end he found a white cab which I think I loved even more!<\/p>\n

\"Preston \"Pink \"Bride \"Bride<\/p>\n

Budget<\/h3>\n

Well, we set a budget, but in the end we went well over that to get the wedding we wanted!<\/p>\n

\"Preston \"Preston \"Preston \"Confetti \"Bride<\/p>\n

The Venue<\/h3>\n

The beautiful Preston Court in Kent. A friend ( Rida of @beforeandagain_) sent me the link and the rest was history! It was wonderful and just what we were looking for. We had looked at two other venues but this had everything.<\/p>\n

To be perfectly honest, the part of the wedding that lasts forever is recording of the day- the pictures and videos, and Preston Court is THE venue for pictures.<\/p>\n

There is the stunning Julianna\u2019s Island for us to get married on while our guests looked on from across the water. A beautiful barn to hold the wedding breakfast and the evening party and a separate bar area and outside space for us to set up some garden games. It was just picture perfect and to top it all off\u2026 a working carousel too! It was instant love and the team there were so accommodating and helpful.<\/p>\n

We even spent the night at the venue with some of our guests in the glamping fields behind. So much fun and it was unbelievable to wake up at the venue the morning after.<\/p>\n

\"Bride \"Preston<\/p>\n

The Flowers<\/h3>\n

We are lucky enough to count the owners at Floral Explosion as friends and they did the most amazing job on our flowers and table decorations. It was exactly as I had imagined and still make me smile when I look back at our photos.<\/p>\n

I had a hand tied bouquet in a loose rustic style, created using ample foliage and a blush pink and white theme using Prince Jardini\u00e8re roses, stocks, veronica, ami majus, sweet peas and lisianthus. The stems were left splayed with hanging satin ribbon in old gold, pale pink and grey colours.<\/p>\n

My bridesmaids had pretty hand tied bouquets in a loose and rustic style following the floral theme in mainly ivory with touches of blush pink. The stems were bound with an ivory satin ribbon.<\/p>\n

The groomsmen had buttonholes with a rose and Oliver had one too. The mums had corsages and my daughter two year old Elizabeth had a small gypsophila hand tied bouquet with trailing ribbons.<\/p>\n

Each table featured a gold geometric lantern with a candle in the centre. Around the lantern there was a loose and rustic arrangement in the blush pink and ivory theme along with hydrangeas and ample foliage<\/p>\n

I also had a flower crown of eucalyptus & roses tied with a ribbon. One of my favourite touches ever! I loved wearing it and felt so ridiculously happy when I caught site of it. Even if it was a little heavy!! Ha. I changed to a sparkly Jenny Packham headpiece for the evening.<\/p>\n

\"Bride \"Bride<\/p>\n

Your Outfits & Accessories<\/h3>\n

My wedding dress was from Belissima Weds in Essex.<\/p>\n

I knew I wanted a boho flowy style dress but set about to try every single style I could\u2026just in case! From short to slinky but when I saw the Deirdre by Maggie Soretto I knew it was the one! I sashayed and swirled around and it made my mum cry (definitely the one!) It had long sleeves (which I don\u2019t think Kev expected) & a low back with lace then a long skirt. It was perfect! Everyone commented on how the dress really suited me and of course I\u2019d pick a dress like that! Amazing. It makes me smile just typing this up!<\/p>\n

For my shoes. I searched high and low for the right pair! Even the many shoe shops in New York City didn\u2019t turn up anything. Thank you to my sister in law for traipsing around with me!<\/p>\n

In the end I went for a custom pair from Jimmy Choo on New Bond Street. I chose the style, heel height and the fabric for a class pair of satin ivory court shoes with our wedding date on a little gold bar at the bottom. I wanted something classic, elegant and simple & fell totally in love with them.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t tend to wear a lot of jewellery so I chose a simple pair of drop earrings from Accessorize and as my dress covered my arms and top, I felt I didn\u2019t need much more than that.<\/p>\n

Kevin \u2013 My suit was a three piece matching from River Island. Skinny fit to give a better shape on the legs!<\/p>\n

\"Bride \"Preston \"Preston<\/p>\n

Beauty<\/h3>\n

I found my hairdresser via the Vicki Lord website and the lovely Amy came to do my hair trial. I knew I wanted some kind of braid but wasn\u2019t sure how to work it in exactly. We tried one style with braids either side that met in the middle but it didn\u2019t feel right. Then we opted for a crown braid and I just knew that\u2019s was it! The style I\u2019d be looking for. It used a lot of my hair so we decided to opt for some clip in hair extensions for some length. We used Balmain extensions with a slight wave in them. They worked perfectly with the flower crown and braid and made me feel utterly bridal on the day!<\/p>\n

Sylwia Kunysz was my make up artist and I was so happy with her work. I went for my trial in Richmond and felt so intimidated by all the makeup laid out that any ideas I\u2019d had in my head flew out the window. We discussed what I wore usually and went from there. We decided upon a natural look with some lashes (which I loooooved!) and a slightly pink lip. I don\u2019t usually wear lipstick so I took some convincing, but it really did look lovely in the photos!<\/p>\n

\"Bride \"Bride<\/p>\n

Groomsmen<\/h3>\n

Ed and James were the best men. Kev\u2019s younger brothers. Ed and his family live in New York so it was super special to have them both together. The speech they did was just brilliant, so funny and heartfelt.<\/p>\n

James  \u2013 groomsman and my soon to be brother law. The day was great practise for his wedding in August this year.<\/p>\n

Suits were from River Island and their pink ties from TM. Lewin. Kevin and our son Oliver wore matching bow ties from the Belfast Bow Company.<\/p>\n

Shoes were from Office.<\/p>\n

\"Bride \"Bride<\/p>\n

Bridesmaids<\/h3>\n

My younger sister Fiona was my maid of honour and two of my oldest friends from junior school Amy and Eva were my bridesmaids.<\/p>\n

The bridesmaids’ dresses were from the wedding collection at Oasis. Such a great price and they fitted the colour scheme perfectly! A total steal I thought at just \u00a390 each\u2026.they later went into the sale but we won\u2019t talk about that!<\/p>\n

Jewellery was from H&M! I hunted high and low but found some simple earrings and gold infinity necklaces for the girls to wear and keep.<\/p>\n

Shoes were from Office. Simple sandals as the dresses spoke for themselves.<\/p>\n

\"Preston \"Paper \"Table \"Pink \"Ribbon<\/p>\n

The Details & D\u00e9cor<\/h3>\n

Claire \u2013 I knew I wanted ribbons on the backs of all the chairs. It was an image I stumbled across on Pinterest and just fell in love with it! Each of the chiavari chairs for the wedding breakfast had garlands of ribbons matching the ones on my bouquet in old gold, pale pink and grey colours. Then we had lanterns hanging from the roof of the barn in our wedding colours. It really set the barn off perfectly.<\/p>\n

Garden games were provided by Tiggiwinkle. We had hoopla, stand the bottle, beat the buzzer, hook a duck and a kissing booth. The adults loved them more than the kids I think!<\/p>\n

Flip flops in a wooden box by Frederick Designs provided some much needed rested feet at the end of the night. We used one of his boxes for the card and gift tables too.<\/p>\n

We didn\u2019t do wedding favours but made a donation to Cancer Research instead. It\u2019s a cause that\u2019s important to us both.<\/p>\n

We also had a photobooth from Victoria Lily Events. It was a open one so you could watch everyone pose! It was hilarious watching the props people chose. The photo reel we got back from brilliant.<\/p>\n

\"Preston \"Preston \"Preston<\/p>\n

The Readings & Music<\/h3>\n

My Mum did a reading of Shakespeare\u2019s sonnet 116. We really both loved the line \u2018love is not love which alters when it alteration finds\u2019<\/p>\n

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds<\/p>\n

Admit impediments. Love is not love<\/p>\n

Which alters when it alteration finds,<\/p>\n

Or bends with the remover to remove.<\/p>\n

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark<\/p>\n

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;<\/p>\n

It is the star to every wand’ring bark,<\/p>\n

Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.<\/p>\n

Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks<\/p>\n

Within his bending sickle’s compass come;<\/p>\n

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,<\/p>\n

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.<\/p>\n

If this be error and upon me prov’d,<\/p>\n

I never writ, nor no man ever lov’d”<\/p>\n

I then said some words\u2026.from my favourite TV show! Grey\u2019s Anatomy of all things.<\/p>\n

I slightly changed the speech that Burke makes for his impending wedding to Dr. Christina Yang. They didn\u2019t make it down the aisle! So was a risky speech to choose. I had to take the bit out about him being a heart surgeon to make it work! Ha<\/p>\n

“Kevin, I could promise to hold you and to cherish you. I could promise to be there in sickness and in health. I could say \u2019till death do us part. But I won\u2019t. Those vows are for optimistic couples. The ones full of hope. And I do not stand here, on my wedding day, optimistic or full of hope. I am not optimistic, I am not hopeful. I am sure, I am steady, and I know. So of this, I am sure. You are my partner, my lover, my very best friend. My heart, my heart, beats for you. And on this day, the day of my wedding, I promise you this: I promise you to lay my heart in the palm of your hand. I promise you me.”<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t make it through without getting emotional and while I was worried it was a little bit cheesy I totally loved saying those words!<\/p>\n

Music<\/p>\n

Music is really important to us and played a big role in our day. We\u2019ve spent countless date nights at gigs and take our children to music festivals.<\/p>\n

I walked down the aisle to a \u2018Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths but the Vitamin String Quartet version and we walked back down the aisle to \u2018You & Me Song\u2019 by the Wannadies. Songs that played while we signed the register was \u20181234\u2019 by Feist, Sea Of Love by Cat Power, Answering Bell by Ryan Adams & Anyone Else But You by The Mouldy Peaches.<\/p>\n

Our table names were all song titles by bands we have been to see live.<\/p>\n