Me and Mrs Jones

Life can be a funny thing.  You spread your wings and fly the nest to roam the world, not realising that your true love was someone that you grew up with in a small country village.

Last weekend my little sister Lydia married Matt, a boy who lived at the top end of our little village in Norfolk.  They went to the same school and worked together in the local shop and although briefly got together in their late teens didn't become a proper item until many years later.  They now live in London with their fur baby Henry (who is probably the most spoilt cat I've ever met!)

The setting for their perfect day was Burnham Market in North Norfolk, fondly referred to as "Chelsea on Sea" and a haven for holidaymakers in the Summer.

The day began with the bridle party getting ready at Mallard's Cottage just off the main high street.  With a gorgeous garden room and a massive kitchen with an Aga  it was the perfect place for our pre-wedding preparation and I have to say we were probably the most chilled out bridal group ever. 

Lydia chose four bridesmaids and a "Man of Honour" and we all got to wear gorgeous shades of coral and probably the most comfiest wedding outfits ever.  The dresses were beautiful and had large pockets for tissues (essential). 

Helping Lydia get into her dress was a moment that I'll treasure forever.  She had spent months working hard to get in shape for her wedding, dropping several dress sizes in the process.   She looked absolutely stunning in her dress and it was completely different to any wedding dress I'd ever seen before.

The feather detailing at the top of the dress was stunning and I literally couldn't take my eyes off my beautiful little sister.

The most organised bridal party in history, the morning passed in a blur of happy chatter and hair styling which saw us ready early with more than enough time to take some photographs and start on the Prosecco.

The wedding took place at the picture perfect Sussex Barns and despite the fact we'd all been there the afternoon before to help set up, it still took our breath away as we made our way through the doors and into the barn. 

The roof was adorned with twinkly fairy lights and as we made our way down the aisle to "I Wanna Grow Old With You" from the Wedding Singer, everywhere we looked there were smiling faces of friends and family.

Weddings make me very emotional at the best of times and it wasn't long before I was reaching for the tissues.  The ceremony was beautiful and was made extra special by Matt's nephews doing a reading that had everyone giggling.

As the new Mr and Mrs Jones sealed their vows with a kiss the barn erupted with cheers.

Having managed to grab a quick drink we made our way to a quiet part of the barns for photos.  The photographer for the day was James Powell and he was fantastic at encouraging us all to goof around to capture some really lovely moments.   If you're looking for a photographer based in  Norfolk I really recommend him.

Simon managed to get a few shots of us all hanging out but I can't wait to see the official photographs.

 

Having endured months on a strict diet Lydia was more than ready for some carbs at her wedding and we feasted on pie and mash before turning our attention to the delicious naked wedding cake which was made complete by the addition of a little Henry.

The speeches were fantastic and the Man of Honour had us in stitches as he raised a glass to the much loved legacy of family cats.

There was only one possible song for the first dance, "Me and Mrs Jones" was a definite crowd pleaser and made us all feel a little jealous that we don't all have a special personalised song.

It wasn't long before the Barn had been transformed into the best disco in history!  The night kicked off with local band The Fuzz  who managed to pack out the dance floor during their entire set and then moved on to a pretty epic playlist, I'm pretty sure it was the only wedding I've ever been to where I got to groove to "Bump N' Grind".   The dance floor was constantly full with happy people busting out their best dance moves

When things got a little warm and a rest was needed there was plenty of outside space to chat and light up sparklers

The day was over far too fast and as we called it a night and headed to bed I couldn't help but smile to myself.  We'd had the most amazing day and I was now on official countdown to my own wedding day. 

But for the moment  I'm going to enjoy the next 12 months of being the only remaining Dawson sister.

Suppliers List:

Wedding Venue - Sussex Barns
Brides Dress - Ledurne by Pronovias bought at La Crème
Bridesmaid Dresses - Emily and Fin
Chairs and Lighting - Inline Events
Flowers - La Belle Flowers
Wedding Cake - Little Millies
Band - The Fuzz