“For us, our wedding day was truly centered around celebrating our love with our closest friends and family. We wanted to throw an elegant party and spend time with our favourite people. We kept our guest list relatively small, only inviting those who we felt were a part of our love story. Our styling was simple, but we invested in the details that were important to us and wanted to keep it feeling romantic and cosy…”
From the start, Rebecca and Jeremy knew they wanted their December wedding to have that magical wintery sparkle without being overly ‘Christmas’ themed. They opted for oodles of greenery and soft white florals, ensuring the vibe was understated yet elegant. Plenty of candles added a touch of romance to their nuptials, while disco balls dotted around added a fun, party feel that worked perfectly against the blank canvas of Upton Barn.
“We knew we wanted to get married in the South West near home and where most of our closest friends and family reside. We hadn’t booked any other viewings at this point because, on paper, Upton ticked the boxes,” explains Rebecca. “The venue exceeded expectations and we honestly just ‘knew’. On arrival I already couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else but Upton. And the memories we now hold there are so precious, it couldn’t have been that way anywhere else!” After viewing the venue, Rebecca and Jeremy booked a mid-December wedding the following year. “It has to be said that the team at Upton really are second-to-none. They truly do make you and your day feel incredible special from day one,” says Rebecca.
The bride chose to spend the morning getting ready in The Paddock. “It’s just the most dreamy space! It was such a relaxing morning – I didn’t have any nerves at all until the moment I could hear the ceremony music start up and my dad walked me down the aisle!” The super talented Natalie and Laura of Nala & Knot were on hand as part of her glam squad as Rebecca wanted two looks for her hair and make-up – not to mention those all-important lipstick touch-ups in between of course! “I had always thought I’d want a second dress to dance the night away in, but on finding my wedding dress, I knew I wouldn’t want to take it off. So instead, I changed my hair, make up and accessories,” Rebecca tells us. “During the day I had my hair down and wore a long veil with a natural palette for my make up – I really wanted to look and feel like me walking down the aisle, just the best version of! In the evening, my hair was in a chic ponytail and I wore puff sleeves to transform my dress – and of course, it was time for red lips!”
Rebecca’s exquisite Suzanne Neville wedding dress was from Waxflower Bridal, which is owned by one of her Maids of Honour. “Having managed bridal boutiques in the past, I always loved working with Suzanne’s pieces, so it was a dream come true that I was able to wear my favourite designer on my wedding day… and bought from one of my best friends! A truly special experience.” The gown was a classic A-Line shape with a modern neckline and a skirt split. “Being a veil designer, I obviously ended up with two veils! I created a long veil with large roses embroidered along the bottom for my ceremony look. At the wedding breakfast I changed to a short veil which had words embroidered around the edge from a bespoke poem that was a reading during our ceremony.”
When it came to Rebecca’s bridal bouquet, it felt truly special. “I’d always imagined simply having white roses but was torn as I really wanted to honour my grandparents who are no longer with us – Grandma had a huge bouquet of red roses on her wedding. Lucy Charlotte came up with the perfect compromise. I had my dream white rose bouquet, with one single red rose hidden inside. It was such a beautiful idea and helped me feel close to two of my favourite people during the day.”
The groom and his four best men were all in tuxedos, so that they stood out amongst the guests and fitted in perfectly with the elegant-meets-intimate feel of their winter wedding. Rebecca even embroidered their initials on their pocket squares to personalise the outfits in true Rebecca Anne style! Her two Maids of Honour looked super chic in ivory suits that were styled through Zara and Mint Velvet. “I wanted them to wear outfits that suited their usually personal style and be pieces they could easily wear again,” explains the bride.
Sophie, Founder of The Little Details by Sophie was on hand to curate an array of gorgeous details for the ceremony room and reception. “We knew how we wanted everything to feel but felt overwhelmed by the smaller details, so it was amazing to hand that over! She did an amazing job of bringing our ideas to life.” The Cider Barn (which is where their ceremony was held) was adorned with lots of greenery and pillowy florals from Lucy Charlotte, as well as flickering candles for extra ambiance. The Stable Barn (the reception space) was an extension of their ceremony room styling, with florals cascaded along the long table, spilling out onto the floor with candles dotted everywhere. “It was so magical and romantic. We also added a touch of glamour with gold cutlery and charger plates from Out Of The Ordinary.”
Rebecca also created the signage herself, including the welcome sign, table plan and order of the day, all of which was embroidered onto fabric. “There was a discreet puzzle theme to our wedding – being each other’s missing puzzle pieces! So, we had wooden puzzle pieces for our guests’ drinks tokens and on everyone’s dinner settings were Trivial Pursuit cards and old-fashioned puzzles for that Christmas cracker feeling!”
The team at Mulberry Catering Co whipped up a delicious feast for Rebecca, Jeremy, and their loved ones. “They were fantastic from day one with seamless planning and support, not to mention the tastiest food!” Fish and chips were served up in the evening, while the couple swapped ‘cutting the cake’ for a stunning champagne tower. “It meant our evening guests could also enjoy a welcome drink (and our day guests could enjoy another!) whilst tucking into macarons and mini cupcakes made by my lovely sister-in-law,” says Rebecca.
Words of wedding advice from Rebecca & Jeremy…
“Enjoy every moment! I wish I could do all the planning and the day again because I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. Make sure you stay true to your own style and the things you want – this day is all about the two of you and celebrating that love. It is true, the day goes quickly but I made sure I kept pausing to take in moments to catalogue so many memories from the day. We also took some great advice from our photographer, Kamila, and spent as much of the day as possible together. We really are peas in a pod, so it wasn’t too hard – but it was great to keep reminding myself to go and find Jeremy! I love that all my memories are with him.”
It brings us a huge amount of joy to be able to share Rebecca and Jeremy’s magical winter wedding at Upton Barn with you. No matter what the season may be, our enchanting barn wedding venue promises the perfect backdrop for your love story. We welcome you to book in a viewing or make sure you’re following us on the ‘gram for even more inspiration and updates!
