{"id":274773,"date":"2020-03-19T07:00:52","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T07:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whimsicalwonderlandweddings.com\/?p=274773"},"modified":"2024-10-24T16:11:37","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T15:11:37","slug":"tree-cathedral-wedding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/tree-cathedral-wedding\/","title":{"rendered":"Woodland Fairytale Meets Garden Party Wedding"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Tree<\/p>\n

The Tree Cathedral<\/a> wedding of Amy and Martin brings us so much wedding inspiration today. Woo! They held their ceremony outdoors within the woodland of their venue (set in Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire<\/a>) and held their reception in a stunning pole tent marquee<\/a> afterwards on the 25th<\/sup> May 2019. They described their wedding to me as “half woodland fairy-tale, half garden-party<\/em>!” and it really did turn out beautifully. I love the ethereal vibe to their wedding; from the meaningful humanist ceremony against their DIY flower arch to the hand crafted personal d\u00e9cor in the marquee.<\/p>\n

Do look out for their super cool cake framed by a floral hoop, it looked delicious<\/em>. I am also head over heels for their bright and beautiful flower arrangements, the key place names and all of the very stylish outfits.<\/p>\n

As you will see from these outstanding images captured by Miracle Moments<\/a>, there is so<\/em> much fun and happiness at their wedding all day long. A truly special and really gorgeous wedding party! Thanks so much to Bart for sharing these amazing shots with us.<\/p>\n

\"Tree<\/p>\n\n

\"Floral \"Tree<\/p>\n\n

\"Dress \"Bridesmaids \"Tree<\/p>\n

The Proposal<\/h3>\n

Martin first proposed to me on Calton Hill in Edinburgh January 2017 having got swept up in the beautiful sun set \u2013 but immediately took it back as he didn\u2019t have a ring and wanted to do it properly!<\/p>\n

8 months later we were back in Edinburgh having gone to a Bon Iver concert (the band we bonded over when we first met) and went for a walk back up to Calton Hill so I could get some night shots of the Edinburgh Skyline.<\/p>\n

It was midnight and pitch black, but when we got to the top he asked if I remembered what he asked me last time we were here. I started to join the dots \u2013 at which point he gets out the ring box and asked me to marry him (properly!). As it was so dark, I had to wait til we were back in town to see my engagement ring under the street lights and it was so worth the suspense!!<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Tree<\/p>\n

The Vision<\/h3>\n

We were torn between an autumn or spring wedding but my favourite flowers (Peonies) being in season in May soon swayed the time of year.<\/p>\n

I wanted an outdoor part of the day and for it to be in Milton Keynes so my family (all from Kent) could see where I\u2019ve made my home \u2013 so we looked at local venues. We soon learnt that The Parks Trust allowed wedding blessings at The Tree Cathedral (one of our favourite places in MK) and it just fit.<\/p>\n

So much of the vision for the wedding fell into place as soon as we\u2019d chosen this unique venue, as it all had to fit around what we could make happen given there was nothing but grass! This only made it easier to visualise the fun and relaxed outdoor garden-party wedding.<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Flower<\/p>\n

The Planning Process<\/h3>\n

Starting with the venue, we quickly had to work out some of the logistics of this blank canvas (electricity, toilets, water, marquee, and seating) to know first if we could make it work.<\/p>\n

I was keen to get a supplier who had most of this in a package so I didn\u2019t have to orchestrate too many people \u2013 and we came across Piece of Cake Marquees who offer tiered wedding packages that featured literally everything we were looking for (Vintage looking marquee, toilets, dancefloor, lights, table decorations, garden games, all our seating and tables, and more) at such amazing value! Tom Pleasant came up from London to scope out The Tree Cathedral with us to check the best placement for the marquee etc and he was so enthusiastic about the wedding and offered to help in any way he could, we booked soon after.<\/p>\n

This ticked off a huge number from our list, meaning all we had left to do was the wedmin (invites, table plans etc), food, outfits & flowers! Plus anything to make it personal, as I was keen to make my own table numbers and d\u00e9cor to have my stamp.<\/p>\n

\"Tree<\/p>\n

The Readings & Music<\/h3>\n

Bride Entry Music: Amsterdam by Gregory Alan Isakov (& Colorado Symphony)<\/p>\n

Exist Music: Drastic Measures by Bayonne<\/p>\n

First Dance: 8 (circle) \u2013 Bon Iver<\/p>\n

Secret First Dance: Orange Sky \u2013 Alexi Murdoch<\/p>\n

Song Performed: I Believe by Stevie Wonder (sang by my maid of honour, Luwi, and accompanied on guitar by our groomsman, Ashley)<\/p>\n

Readings: An excerpt from \u2018The Alchemist\u2019 by Paulo Coelho. Read by our Niece, Abigail.<\/p>\n

\u2018Love Sonnet 17\u2019 by Pablo Neruda. Read by Martin\u2019s Sister, Beccy.<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Tree \"Confetti \"Tree<\/p>\n

Budget<\/h3>\n

We set a budget of \u00a315,000 (excluding the honeymoon as we were planning to book this later). It all came in just over this at around \u00a316,500 (I got a little carried away with some of the finishing touches \u2013 no regrets!)<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Tree \"Flower<\/p>\n

Beauty<\/h3>\n

I did my own make-up on the day to save money and the bridesmaids who were less confident went to get their make-up done in the morning at Benefit.<\/p>\n

I over-confidently didn\u2019t plan what to do with my hair (thinking I\u2019d just throw it up in a bun on the day) \u2013 same with the bridesmaids – but the morning came around and the regret for not doing a trial set in! Luckily my older sisters came to the rescue when they arrived to get ready with me! Rebecca set up a curling station and Claire effortlessly did all our up-do\u2019s and I had so many compliments! Life saver J<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Tree<\/p>\n

The Venue<\/h3>\n

Our ceremony and reception were all onsite at The Tree Cathedral (a Parks Trust venue in Milton Keynes). A simply stunning and ethereal outdoor space with trees planted to scale replicating Norwich Cathedral. The ceremony was held inside the Cathedral which was like a fairy-tale! As there was no electricity we got a portable PA system for the aisle and ceremony music. Still get emotional picturing walking down the aisle with the light coming through the trees and seeing Martin at the end in front of the alter, surrounded by all our friends and family. We made the alter ourselves from a garden archway and added a disco-ball so the whole ceremony sparkled with the sun.<\/p>\n

The reception was on the outside of the Cathedral in the marquee, where we\u2019d set up picnic benches and welcome drinks. The venue had so many places to explore \u2013 my bridesmaid even set up a treasure hunt to keep the kids (and adults!) entertained while we had our bride and groom photos.<\/p>\n

The Parks Trust were great to work with and made it really easy for us to do what we needed to do to set up whilst making sure we preserved the tree cathedral.<\/p>\n

\"Top \"Bottle<\/p>\n

The Flowers<\/h3>\n

Our flowers were by Willis Flowers in Stony Stratford \u2013 our friend Bex\u2019s family business! J<\/p>\n

I had a colourful waterfall bouquet made up of peonies, roses, wild flowers and eucalyptus. My flower girl had a crown of the same to match, as well as the top table and archway flower pieces. We also used all the loose flowers and offcuts from my bouquet to make the table flowers in Gin Bottles.<\/p>\n

To contrast my bridesmaids had white roses and peonies, daisies and other white flowers.<\/p>\n

\"Place \"Long<\/p>\n

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

One of the highlights for me was the food! Due to the venue we needed something easy so we opted for a cold-fork buffet by Page and Moyse which was done in such a sophisticated way! We had tailored menu with everything from charcuterie boards to the best goats cheese and red pepper quiche I\u2019ve ever had! We also had lot of combinations of dietary requirements (vegan, gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian) and all commented on how it\u2019s some of the best options they\u2019ve ever had at a wedding!<\/p>\n

Most of the d\u00e9cor was self-made. I had a box of roe deer skulls that I used to create table centre pieces, painted and decorated with Swarovski crystals and flowers to match.<\/p>\n

I also made the table numbers from some \u00a32.99 Halo candle holders from B&M with clear Perspex discs from eBay.<\/p>\n

Our wedding package from Piece of Cake also came with a lot of d\u00e9cor, such as barrels and old vintage book. We also had a vintage rustic bar which I turned into a DIY Gin & Tonic station with the leftover edible flowers from the cake, a box of garnish\u2019s and lots of ice from the fridge \/ freezer we hired.<\/p>\n

My table plan, invitations, menu and order of service were all bespoke designed by my sister-in-law, Emily, as a wedding present to match the day!<\/p>\n

Favours were vintage-key style bottle-openers which my mum found on eBay.<\/p>\n

The archway we made ourselves using a garden arch from B&Q, some fabric chiffon found online, a disco ball, and the florist added the finishing touch flower pieces!<\/p>\n

We also had a DIY guestbook using sticky tabs and an Instax Square \u2013 best \u00a3100 spent! People wondered off to get \u201cthe shot\u201d and our guestbook has been brought to life J<\/p>\n

We had a Calzone trailer in the evening with a food-fired oven, all made there in front of our guests which was such a hit! By \u2018The Calzone Kitchen\u2019.<\/p>\n

We also had a DIY selfie-booth set up with a backdrop; we just had to source our own fancy dress bits which we found cheap on gumtree.<\/p>\n

\"Pole\"Long \"Cake \"Semi<\/p>\n

The Cake<\/h3>\n

The cake was our wedding present from my oldest sister, Claire. The 3 tiers were made up of Lemon, Elderflower & Gin, Salted Caramel, and a classic Vanilla.<\/p>\n

It was decorated with edible flowers from Maddox farm, gold leaf, along with Claire\u2019s homemade macarons and meringue kisses.<\/p>\n

\"Instant \"Table \"Chalk \"Wooden<\/p>\n

Bridesmaids<\/h3>\n

I was originally going for mis-matched bridesmaid\u2019s dresses but found the perfect floaty, floral embroidered dresses by ASOS\u2019s wedding collection. They even had bumblebees on which was one of my themes throughout the wedding J and two shapes (with or without a cape) so my maid of honour could stand out whilst still having a dress that matched and suiter her better!<\/p>\n

\"Long \"Tree<\/p>\n

Groomsmen<\/h3>\n

To keep costs down, the groomsmen all arranged their own suits \u2013 it was a really relaxed day so we were happy for them not to match.<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Tree<\/p>\n

Your Outfits & Accessories<\/h3>\n

Bride<\/p>\n

I started searching for a fish tail, lace, and sweetheart neckline dress. When dress shopping with some of my bridesmaids at a boutique in Oxford, a dress that did not fit my brief was added to my trying on rail. It was a plain Mikado Silk A-Line gown \u2013 and it was the first time all day I felt like a bride and not a little girl playing dress up.<\/p>\n

This got me on to my new search \u2013 which focussed around dress shop sales due to our budget. I had to start very early with dress shopping to meet the sales straight after I got engaged as the next sale season would have been only a 2-3 months before the big day.<\/p>\n

I must\u2019ve tried on 30+ dresses since, none hitting the mark (wrong colour, too big skirt etc) but one Saturday I went to the Morgan Davies sample sale with one of my bridesmaids and we found \u201cThe One\u201d. It was the Rosa Clara Parallel gown in Mikado silk and it was perfect; A-Line but not too big on the train; backless which suited my body type much better; and most importantly IT HAD POCKETS!<\/p>\n

I had the second bow removed to open up the back completely and I paired it with a plain cathedral veil to keep the look classic and chic. I also found the perfect wedding belt on Etsy \u2013 \u2018Hayley\u2019 by OliviaRoseDesignsEU \u2013 to add some sparkle.<\/p>\n

I also couldn\u2019t walk down the aisle without my lucky Doc Martens!<\/p>\n

Groom<\/p>\n

Martin got his suit from MOSS \u2013 he wanted something he could keep for the same price of a single-day rental.<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Tree \"Tree \"Semi<\/p>\n

Your Photographer<\/h3>\n

Miracle Moments (Bart Lyczko)<\/p>\n

Bart was an absolutely fantastic photographer whose passion for what he does is so infectious, he won us over after a single call. His photos are exactly as we wanted, candid, natural and real \u2013 whilst still capturing the necessary posed family shots! He gives you the chance to pre-plan any must-have shots too so no need to worry on the day.<\/p>\n

He offered a fantastic package featuring an engagement shoot (which a very reluctant groom was so pleased we went for, as it really allowed us to get to know our photographer, learn how to pose and follow direction, and generally become so much more comfortable being in front of the camera on the day as we got the awkwardness out of the way!)<\/p>\n

All of our guests remarked on how brilliant he was, literally sprinting across the field to capture a moment before it slipped away \u2013 he was everywhere! How he managed it without being intrusive or in the way is a true skill.<\/p>\n

We ended up with over 800 photos in the end as so much was happening!<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Tree<\/p>\n

The Honeymoon<\/h3>\n

We went on a mini-moon to Amsterdam a few days after the wedding so we could chill out and take it all in.<\/p>\n

Our honeymoon was 6 months later (we got back last week!) where we went on a cruise around the Caribbean, starting in Miami, going to Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, St Kitts and St Maarten.<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Tree \"Pole \"Tree \"Semi \"Tree \"Dress \"Tree \"Tree \"Tree<\/p>\n

Memorable Moments<\/h3>\n

As the wedding was outdoors, we had to have our legal wedding a few days prior at the registry office. I\u2019m so glad we did, as it allowed us to have a Humanist wedding ceremony \u2013 written completely bespoke about us and our story by Jenny Mcgrath.<\/p>\n

Jenny was absolutely incredible and she ensured we had such an emotional and sentimental ceremony. I strongly recommend readers look into a humanist ceremony if the traditional religious or registry office ones don\u2019t feel special enough for you!<\/p>\n

One of the key moments of the wedding for me was our ring warming ceremony \u2013 Jenny explained when planning our wedding, that our wedding rings are passed around our guests whilst the ceremony takes place, giving each of them a moment to pass on their blessings and wishes for our marriage before the rings make their way back to the front in time for the exchanging of rings and our vows. It felt so special to us and also become some of our favourite wedding photos seeing these special moments.<\/p>\n

Another notable mention goes to \u2018Big Tom\u2019 and the tug-o-war between him vs. about 10 kids! We heard cheers when having our bride and groom photos done and had to see what was going on. It was a really close one but he took them down! Haha.<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Tree \"Tree \"Tree<\/p>\n

Advice For Other Couples<\/h3>\n

Your big day will be perfect, but it can also be overwhelming at points where you\u2019re constantly in the lime light! Don\u2019t beat yourself up if you get tired (we both crashed after the meal but had a second wind!).<\/p>\n

Absolutely make sure you take half-hour out just the two of you as husband and wife on the day \u2013 go for a walk or find a quiet bench to take it all in for a moment. We are so glad we did this and it is one of the most special moments we shared in our whole day.<\/p>\n

\"Tree \"Pole<\/p>\n

Credit Where Credit Is Due<\/h5>\n
\n
\n

Photographer
\nMiracle Moments<\/a><\/p>\n

Marquee
\nPiece of Cake Marquees<\/p>\n

Food
\nPage & Moyse<\/a> & The Calzone Kitchen<\/a><\/p>\n

Flowers
\nWillis Flowers<\/a><\/p>\n

Venue
\nThe Parks Trust – The Tree Cathedral<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Wedding Celebrant
\nJenny McGrath<\/a><\/p>\n

Selfie Booth
\n1st Class Wedding<\/a><\/p>\n

Wedding Rings
\nEmma Hedley<\/a><\/p>\n

Dress
\nRosa Clara<\/a> from Morgan Davies Bridal<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Oh so dreamy. Didn’t Amy and Martin look so gorgeous and loved up?<\/p>\n

Amy and Martin thank you ever so much for sharing with us your incredible wedding story xo Lou<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Tree Cathedral wedding of Amy and Martin brings us so much wedding inspiration today. Woo! They held their ceremony outdoors within the woodland of their venue (set in Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire) and held their reception in a stunning pole tent marquee afterwards on the 25th May 2019. They described their wedding to me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":274794,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[106,4],"tags":[399,440,5220,594,6601,773],"class_list":["post-274773","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-outdoor-weddings","category-real-weddings","tag-buckinghamshire-wedding","tag-marquee-wedding","tag-outdoor-ceremony-wedding","tag-spring-wedding-ideas","tag-the-tree-cathedral-wedding","tag-woodland-wedding-ideas"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":274794,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/whimsical-cdn.wedissimo.com\/2020\/03\/Tree-Cathedral-Wedding-Milton-Keynes-Miracle-Moments-21-300x200.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=274773"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274773\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/274794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=274773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=274773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wedissimo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=274773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}