How lovely it is to be joined by Callie and James today for their sincere and beautiful Elmley Nature Reserve wedding story.
With an Ibiza, boho and festival vibe, they really went all out to craft the day of their dreams. The focus was on live music, fun experiences and of course, the most beautiful setup.
They chose to have a peach and cream colour scheme and I have to say they really stamped their personality onto their day. There were fabric drapes, pretty blooms, a neon sign, tassels and, of course, what party wedding would be complete without disco balls? Let’s not forget the stylish outfits, the cosy rainy weather that brought everyone together and the lively first dance. Wow!
Thanks ever so much to Chris Blackledge Photography for kindly sharing with us these epic photographs. Enjoy!
Elmley Nature Reserve Wedding
The Proposal
After a long first half term teaching, a holiday was desperately needed so a trip to Kos was booked without much thought a couple of months before. Many friends had commented ‘I bet he proposes’ when showing them the beautiful island and hotel on my phone, but I had quickly shrugged off the idea confirming James had always said he wouldn’t propose on holiday – it’s too obvious!
We love being by the sea and had secured a private rental boat that would allow us to drive from island to island. We anchored up in a little lagoon, completely desolate with crystal clear waters. James opened a bottle of wine and lay chatting and reminiscing about our holiday and romantically the last 4 years together. As romantic as this setting was, we’d planned the day together so I wasn’t expecting anything.
At someone point, I had made the flippant comment ‘well anything could happen’ to something James had said and before I knew it, I looked over and he was on one knee and said, ‘what about this?’ holding out a stunning, glistening ring in this little box! It took me a little while to realise what was happening before quickly kissing him and of course saying YES!
Once things had settled, we drove the boat to a tiny little island called Pserimos where we cheersed with a local beer, sat in the sun for the rest of the afternoon saying again and again that we couldn’t believe we were getting married!
The Vision
James and I both had very different ideas about what our wedding would look like. I was happy with a small, intimate wedding abroad while James wanted to go all out – a party for the people so he would say!
I was certainly swayed and friends had also encouraged they were expecting the wedding of the century and James on the decks was a MUST feature. I knew I wanted to make our wedding as personal to us as possible. From meeting through our very close group of friends and spending the last 10 years going to raves and festivals as well as having to find a venue that could hold a large party size I knew I wanted somewhere that could accommodate just this.
My vision started off (now looking back) quite basic, I knew I wanted to somehow incorporate some boho/Ibizian vibes but originally stuck to simple, classic things. Speaking to my florist and prop hire supplier really changed the game as they encouraged my ideas and subtly gave suggestions that allowed me to do further research and put my own personal stamp on things!
By the end of planning, things had really come a long way compared to initial ideas. Something I was set on very close to the beginning was disco balls, there HAD to be disco balls!
Budget
We had set for roughly £30,000 but knew we’d probably go over this slightly and allowed some leeway. We were lucky to have some help: my dad paid for my dress, my sister is a MUA, my cousin made the cakes etc. Priorities for budgeting were venue, band and florist/décor.
The Venue
I stumbled across Elmley Nature Reserve whilst googling different venue requirements such as open space, no corkage etc. I instantly fell in love with it online and from there knew it was the one. However, with limited spaces available as it wasn’t a standard wedding venue I quickly gave up on the idea that we’d ever be able to afford it or find a space for the dates we were looking for.
When Elmley got back got back to me, I was desperate to get there. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. As we entered the reserve, cattle stood in the way, bird of prey swooped overhead and the winding road appeared to go on forever. The on site accommodation was stunning and the rustic barn and other ceremony options allowed for so much creativity on top of such friendly staff who showed us around, I knew this was THE venue!
Whilst being in Kent, we looked at a couple of other options but for us, nothing compared!
The Ceremony & Music
Music is really important to us and whatever music we had on the day we wanted to resemble us – our guests recognising us through our music choices. With a big emphasis on the band and DJ set in the evening, we didn’t have much room in our budget to hire anyone else so we focused on creating a chilled, summer, soulful Spotify playlist.
James has an ear for the right songs and taste in music so this was his big contribution including my ceremony entrance song. We love Gregory Porter and he had mentioned ‘Real Good Hands’ for me to walk down the aisle to one evening after a few glasses of wine listening to song after song. I think he was joking at the time but listening to the lyrics it was perfect, I knew no one would be expecting it and with its relatability would guarantee some tears too! It still gives me goosebumps every time!
We wanted as much of our day to be outside as possible so had planned for the ceremony to be in the walled gardens and spent the morning practising walking down the aisle with my dad and bridesmaids until the rain came… we were expecting it but tried to hold off for as long as possible until inevitably we had to go into the barn. I was determined not to let it spoil the day although slightly disappointed but how wrong I was. The team did such an amazing job of using all the barn décor to create such a beautiful and intimate setting, I think it made the ceremony even better in the end!
Your Outfits
I originally wanted a flowy boho style dress but after trying a few on, I realised it wasn’t what suited me best and went for something more fitting. To match the Ibiza/festival theme, I wanted something with glitter and sparkle but also felt classic and elegant.
Made With Love Bridal had exactly that in so many of their dresses. I could have probably had any one of their unique and limited dress collection and been happy but Posie really stood out with its tiny detail of flowers covering the dress and embellishment. It was the perfect fit for Elmley and my wedding. I ordered the Posie sleeves and veil to match whilst ordering my shoes from an Etsy independent retailer who handmade heeled sandals in Greece (I felt it linked nicely with our engagement) as well as using Etsy to order my garter and flower hair pins.
James wanted a cream suit as we were having a summer wedding. Suit Supply was recommended by friends and family and it didn’t let us down. He was very adamant on taking his brother-in-law to help with the suit choices and I wasn’t allowed to know since he couldn’t see my dress. As much as this scared me, I gave Tom strict orders and trusted him to make sure my brief was met. We went with a light peach, floral tie from Hawes and Curtis and funnily enough his shoes were his first purchase (before the suit) from Russell and Bromley.
The Styling & Decor
I kept the decoration pretty simple with glitter balls! Glitter balls hanging from beams, glitter balls amongst the flowers, glitter balls on the tables. I also used tassels for a bit of a boho, festival vibe as a backing for our sweetheart table and along the barn in the walled gardens where we originally planned for our ceremony.
When I got in touch with Leah (Boho & Blooms Prop Hire) and explained my vision along with the list of props I wanted to hire from her, I felt like she immediately got me and was on my level. She was so enthusiastic and encouraging as well as suggesting other suppliers to help create my end goal.
One of them being Mia Sylvia who draped the barn in such beautiful textiles and helped hang the disco balls. Mia was also extremely helpful and friendly may I add!
My florist, Jo (Moody Blooms) was another supplier I used from my venue’s list. She knew it so well and felt like the glue that put all of my ideas together. I wanted to go with a warm, peach and cream colour theme with hints of very pale blue. Jo helped me achieve this with offering advice on tablecloths and napkins, she met me to handover swathes and we had lengthy phone calls to go over and finalise how everything would come together on the day.
To add a bit of extra sparkle I hired a neon sign from Boho and Blooms and a tassel wall that incorporated my colour theme along with a gold and iridescent tassels. For other small finishing touches, I hired a Polaroid photo stand, a detailed window panel with info for the day, a chair signage and floral stand and a card box from Lulabee. I can’t forget to mention the glitter bar and converted VW campervan/photo booth which finished the day off perfectly!
Your Photographer & Filmmaker
I found finding a photographer really difficult, I knew exactly what I was looking for but it seemed hard to find. I used the supplier pack Elmley had provided me with as I realised it was really important to have someone that knew such a unique venue.
This is when I stumbled upon Chris Blackledge and after seeing his Instagram, didn’t need to look any further! He created such humbly perfect images, the lighting, the candidness, it was exactly what I wanted. James and I also aren’t big on posing for pictures so having a photographer we felt comfortable with was also really key!
I met with Chris on Zoom and he was so friendly, I actually felt like I’d known him for ages. I remember him telling me, he’ll just be like one of our guests which really was true. Having him around felt like having a friend or family member and wouldn’t have wanted anyone else capturing our day! He was great at being ahead of the game, telling me when he’d next be in contact and what he needed from me – something you don’t get from a lot of suppliers.
The Honeymoon
We’re heading to Mexico in the summer for our honeymoon as we waited and booked it after the wedding using the gifted money we had from guests.
However, James and I had a small minimoon in Puglia, Italy which was the most romantic destination and couldn’t recommend enough! We stayed in a very classic Pugalise building which felt very cave-like yet completely renovated. We had our own underground pool and spent our days visiting quaint towns, beaches and eating lots of pasta!
Memorable Moments
The morning of the wedding felt very special. Having our nearest and dearest on-site with us staying the night before meant there was an extra buzz in the air! It was very chilled and relaxed with us all getting ready together, chatting and laughing.
James and the groomsman went for a swim in the lake and got themselves completely covered in mud with a musky stench to them! It was very comical and polar opposite to us sitting having hair and make-up done! James kept walking past the garden where I was staying so he could have a peek in to see me, I could have stayed in the moment most of the day!
James and I also agree seeing each other whilst I walked down the aisle and saying our vows will be a moment we’ll cherish forever. The sincerity and immense love the filled the room was undeniable, emotions were high and the buzz was electric! One of the best moments in our life and always will be!
Last one would have to be something Chris captured for us. We had gone over to the farmhouse for some pictures and on the way back through the path, I noticed my garter on the floor. James picked it up and decided to put it back on my leg with his teeth (we’d had a few champagnes by this point) which made me really giggle! We now have the image in full frame in our house!
Advice For Other Couples
Take time for yourselves on the day. James and I did this several times and it made so much difference allowing us to be present and in the moment together without worrying about entertaining any of our guests.
Don’t worry about the set-up and everything on the day. It’s completely out of your control and trust in the team you have around you, they do it for a living and you won’t be let down!
Accept that things don’t always go your way. What was meant to be a sunny outdoors wedding ended up completely inside and rained in but it was all part of the fun and if we had to do it again, we wouldn’t change a thing!
Oh my goodness, just gorgeous from beginning to end!
Callie and James, thank you both ever so much for sharing with us your dreamy Elmley Nature Reserve wedding story.
Further Reading
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