Harriet and Matt’s dreams inspire romantic country wedding at Gate Street Barn

The theme for the wedding of Harriet and Matthew on November 4, 2017 came naturally to the couple who have always had the dream of moving to the country.

The pair, aged 28 and 30, were inspired by objects associated with living rural, for example pheasant feathers and tweed. “It was very important to me that the groom spent as much time planning the day as the bride, to ensure the day reflected our personalities,” explains Harriet. “I think a lot of people assume planning a wedding is a girly thing, but Matt really enjoyed getting involved – especially when it came to choosing the band, the food and surprisingly, the flowers.”

The ceremony and reception for the romantic country wedding at Gate Street Barn in Surrey included 120 guests who were entertained with free-flowing drinks, plenty of food and a live band. “We didn’t want many activities that would disrupt guests from having a good time, for example endless photoshoots,” says the bride.

Harriet says there were many items included on the day that had meaning. “Whether that’s our favourite locally-brewed beer by Hogsback Brewery being served behind the bar, or the cake being lovingly handmade by our talented baker auntie, or the wedding stationery being made by my mother-in-law,” she smiles.

Photos courtesy of Green Antlers Photography.

The sleeves of the bride’s gown from Enzoani UK were added but detachable.

“After my lovely experience of choosing my wedding dress which involved an afternoon of prosecco and fun, Matt wanted the similar VIP treatment and chose to get his suit made,” explains Harriet. “He thoroughly enjoyed choosing between fabrics and buttons!”

“Although we had people helping us, we didn’t reveal too much about the day to everyone, which meant it was a surprise for most and I think that added to everyone’s experience,” says the bride.

The couple had a friend bring their dog Fearnley by for photos. “Dogs are family!” insists the bride.

“The filling was a traditional recipe,” the bride says of their tiered cake. “The top tier now lives in our freezer.”

Video by Reg Sookee.