Kate and Gavin met at University in 2003. They were good friends and had the occasional date before they officially got together in 2008.

The Proposal

Kate and Gavin got engaged in December 2010. There was a lot of snow on the ground and they had been for a walk, when unexpectedly, Gavin got down on one knee, pulled a ring out of his pocket and asked Kate to marry him.

Hen and Stag Parties

Kate and her hens went to Bath where they did a life drawing class, followed by a meal and a night out. Gavin and his stags went for a night’s camping in Hay-on-Wye, where they built rafts and had a race down the river, followed by a night in the pub.

The Bride and Groom’s Outfits

At first Kate thought she would like a fitted dress, but after trying them on didn’t like how they felt. She knew she wanted a dress with straps, a v-neck and no sparkles, but found this hard to find. Having tried on a lot of dresses she eventually chose the second dress she had tried on, which she bought from a small bridal shop in Birmingham.

Gavin wanted a casual look, and chose grey suits for himself and his groomsmen from Topman. They didn’t want jackets so just wore trousers, shirts and waistcoats. Gavin wore a floral tie and his groomsmen all wore grey ties.

The Bridal Party

Kate had three bridesmaids, the two eldest wore soft grey dresses and the younger bridesmaid wore a white dress, all of which came from Monsoon. Gavin had two best men, his brother and his best friend.

Wedding Flowers

Kate and Gavin chose wild flowers, and they also had a small amount of corn mixed with the flowers to suit the rustic barn venue. The flowers were hand-tied to give them a “just packed” look, with buttonholes made to match. Kate and Gavin’s mothers wore corsages of small spray roses.

The Ceremony and Reception

The wedding ceremony and reception both took place in the barn at The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Worcestershire. 50 guests attended the ceremony and reception, with an extra 35 guests attending the evening celebrations.

Kate and Gavin were already familiar with the venue, having enjoyed food and drink there before, and this made it feel more personal to them. They loved the barn as it was small, intimate and gave a very relaxed feel to their wedding, and they felt the rustic, country feel perfectly complemented all of their wedding details.

The Wedding Cake

The Wedding cake was a three tier sponge cake with jam and buttercream icing, made by a good friend of Kate and Gavin. Their florist made floral cake toppers to match their wedding flowers.

The Photographer

The wedding photographer was Theresa Furey, who was recommended to Kate and Gavin by a friend.

“We couldn’t have wished for anyone better. We love all of our pictures and couldn’t possibly pick a favourite!”

Wedding Details

Personal touches were really important to Kate and Gavin as they wanted their day to suit them as a couple.  They bought material from which their creative friends made bunting and hearts for them.  They collected bottles and bought straws and drink buckets for their welcome drinks as they wanted something a bit different.  They also collected lots of jam jars and tied raffia around them for their table flowers, and potted their own flowers for the favours.  A friend made the Hessian table runners and napkins, which made the table setting look very rustic alongside the flowers in the jam jars and the potted flower favours.  Hay bales were used as outdoor seating to add a country touch, and in the evening they had lots of candle bags and candles in the trees to make it look welcoming.

The Honeymoon

Kate and Gavin spent their honeymoon travelling around the Andalucia region of Spain, staying in a few places including a cave dwelling in the Sacromonte Hills and a yurt in the countryside surrounded by the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Best Memories

“The beautiful sunshine right from the morning all the way to the evening. Seeing the Barn and orchard for the first time with all our decorations up; it looked so pretty.  Being announced Husband and Wife! We loved setting off the chinese lanterns in the evening, and having a good boogie with all of our chums!”

To view more fabulous pictures from this real wedding take a look at The Real Wedding of Kate and Gavin - 02/09/2011 post on The Wedding Community Blog.

Photography: Theresa Furey Photography

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