Max and Charlotte carefully considered every element of their wedding day, from the flowers to the bridesmaid dresses, the layouts to the smallest details. Everything really was just magical and we’re so excited to share it with you today on the journal…
“Our day was filled with smiles and laughter from start to finish. The venue looked beautiful and we had all our close friends and family join us, it was one hell of a celebration. Everything was perfect, even the bits that went slightly against the plan just made us laugh and added to the memories. We are so lucky to have had such a wonderful day, with thanks to everyone who attended and all the suppliers who turned our dream into reality.”
After 12 years together, Max and Charlotte tied the knot on Saturday 25th September 2021 (a year later than they originally planned due to Covid). They opted for a burgundy, blush, plum and gold colour palette – a subtle nod towards the season and the perfect amount of autumnal vibes. The couple wanted to make the most of the wood and lighting throughout the barn, choosing to decorate the space to embrace this. Charlotte’s Dad was incredibly crafty and made all their wooden decorations by hand, including the centrepieces and candlesticks.
“Upton Barn was the first venue we looked at and after a couple of minutes, we knew it was the one. It is just stunning. We instantly loved how modern, clean, and light it was whilst still providing that cosy, country feeling. The raw space is so beautifully decorated that we didn’t feel the need to have lots of decorations, just enough to add our own stamp to it. We loved that we could have everything in one place but still have a range of areas for the activities on the day, the flow of the venue works so well. Another big plus is that everyone who works at Upton Barn are so lovely, warm, welcoming, and super helpful.”
The bride looked utterly beautiful with a half-up / half-down hairstyle, featuring soft bridal braids and an embellished silver fern hair comb. Charlotte kept her wedding make-up natural, using Charlotte Tilbury airbrush foundation, subtly shaded eyes and a pink lip. She wore a Justin Alexander ivory dress with an illusion neckline, detailed beaded bodice and an A-line, chiffon skirt. Her aisle style was completed with a chapel length, Italian tulle veil and a super sparkly pair of heels. Accessories included a drop pearl necklace and earrings set, Swarovski crystal bracelet, which was a wedding gift from Max, and a ring which belonged to the bride’s Grandma. Max donned a blue tweed, herringbone, three-piece suit with a paisley lining. This was paired with a burgundy tie and pocket square and personalised wooden cufflinks, which were a wedding gift from Charlotte – although he dropped them into his tea when he opened them!
Both Max and Charlotte agreed that the ceremony was the highlight. “Walking down the aisle with my Dad, to the song we’ve repeatedly listened to, and seeing Max was special. It was perfect, there was laughter, tears, and an overwhelming feeling that this was just meant to be. We were both ecstatic to officially be married, so much so that we didn’t even notice the registrar announcing us to everyone with the wrong name – we just smiled and cheered!”
Pickle Shack provided the couple and their guests with a delicious feast for their wedding breakfast, with mouth-watering canapés including the divine buttermilk fried chicken and spicy chorizo, a delicious main of venison and our favourite dessert, chocolate tartlet with honeycomb ice cream. Their wedding cake was a delectable combination of red velvet sponge, milk chocolate ganache, buttercream frosting and freeze-dried raspberries.
The duo spoilt their guests with lots of lovely extra touches, including a list of shots, a photobooth with a guest book, sweet treats, marshmallow toasting, a DJ and sparklers. Their friends and family also surprised Max and Charlotte with a flash-mob dance, organised by Chloe, one of the bridesmaids. “It was hilarious, amazing and most definitely entertained us!”
We asked the newlyweds to describe their wedding day at Upton Barn & Walled Garden in three words. “Fun, celebratory, unforgettable.” We hope you’ve enjoyed scrolling through their celebration – it really was a joy to be a part of it and we loved being a chapter in their love story. We’ll leave you with some wise words from the bride…
“Who you choose to invite, or not to invite, makes all the difference. Don’t feel pressured into inviting someone just because you think you should. Remember it’s your day, spend it with those you want to celebrate it with.”
If you would like to book in a private viewing of our countryside wedding venue in Devon, we welcome you to view our availability here. Don’t forget to follow our Upton Adventures over on Instagram!
