Happy Friday everyone! The wonderful Chris Morse has shared with us this lovely wedding of Nia and Joby, a homemade ‘ Moonrise Kingdom ‘ wedding – and oh its is pretty! (If you haven’t seen Moonrise Kingdom, take a look at the Tumblr images to get an idea!) Who doesn’t love a beautiful Hall AND a Tipi for a wedding! Take a look for yourselves…..
Nia and Joby’s Homemade Moonrise Kingdom Wedding
What was your budget?
We didn’t have a set budget. Initially we were going to do things as cheap as possible, with a cheap marquee and a small ceremony in the local town hall. However our families were determined to make the day as special as possible. So we were able to have amazing tipis, ( Event In A Tent ) a huge lunch spread and delicious evening curries, which freed up our funds to have a beautiful ceremony at Gregynog Hall.
How would you describe your wedding theme?
Our theme was very loosely based on the film Moonrise Kingdom, but ended up having a much more home made feel.
What was your favourite part of your wedding?
Our favourite part was when the band were playing Blink 182 and everyone was jumping up and down around us. It was overwhelming to look around and see all our friends and family under one tent. The vows were also very emotional, especially when our little nephew brought the rings to us.
Tell us about your Wedding Dress
Not long after we got engaged I went dress shopping with my family in Chester. I really enjoyed trying on all the dresses, and the bridal stores were very helpful at encouraging me to try on a whole range of styles, but they all felt a bit heavy and too structured for me. I had seen that Phase Eight and Monsoon did bridal collections, so ordered a few dresses online. The Josefina dress from Phase Eight was perfect, and at nearly a third of the price of a dress from a bridal store, I didn’t mind the thought of it getting muddy! I was very lucky to have my wonderful sister in law on hand to make the final alterations for a perfect fit.
Who did you pick as your bridesmaids &/or best man and why?
My bridesmaids were my best friend Shelly, her two little girls and my cousin Sammy, the most easy going bridesmaids I could have asked for. There wasn’t a best man, but instead Joby had his five closest friends as his groomsmen who were particularly good at shielding me from any electrical or weather mishaps on the big day.
Why did you choose your venue?
There was no discussion about where our reception would be held, Joby’s parents house is such an idyllic location which allowed everyone to camp and party until the early hours. Gregynog Hall was ideally located down the road and were more than happy for us to just have the ceremony there. They couldn’t have been more helpful in the run up to the day.
Tell us about your photographer
We booked our photographer Chris Morse without even meeting him. We just got a good feeling from what he had written on his website and loved his photos, much more of a documentary style than traditional posed photos. We met up with Chris beforehand at Gregynog hall which was really nice, so when he came to my mum and dad’s house the morning of the wedding it felt like we already knew him. We’ve had lots of compliments about how nice the photographs are and how lovely Chris was, and we’re really pleased with the photos. We felt like the day went so fast, but the photos allow us to see how much everyone enjoyed themselves.
How did the proposal happen?
Joby proposed in Anglesey at Llanddwyn light house, by the beautiful ruins of an old chapel. We were on our way for a swim, and it came completely out of the blue. It’s a good job he had a ring at the ready because I thought he was winding me up at first. It turns out he had been trying to propose for the last three months but hadn’t found the perfect moment.
Any DIY stories/tutorials you’d like to share?
We did a lot ourselves- or at least we pulled in a huge team of family and friends to do it… The decoration, flowers, bouquet, lunch, wedding cake, flower girl’s dresses (and matching ring bearer’s shirt), groomsmen’s ties, button holes, table dressing, camp preparation and probably much more that we’ve forgotten were all thanks to our family and friends who took time off work to help prepare. We must admit, in regards to the lunch we may have underestimated how much work and logistics had to go into catering for over 100 people. Luckily our mums and Joby’s sister are fantastic cooks/bakers and a fantastic feast was prepared.
What was your first dance & why?
We weren’t planning on having a first dance, but our friends wouldn’t let us get away with it, thankfully the band were ready with the Coral’s Dreaming of You, which we used to play when we were in a band together in high school.
In hindsight, was there anything you would have done differently?
I wouldn’t have worried about the little things. It didn’t matter that we forgot to bring the kids party bags or that I forgot to put labels on the water, everyone was happy and well fed.
Do you have any advice for future couples?
It will cost more than you expect! The little things add up. I would also say a photographer is a must. We almost didn’t get one thinking that our friends and family would all take lovely photographs anyway. We’re so happy we hired Chris, there were so many moments that I hoped were being captured, and Chris caught them all.
What’s the best piece of marriage advice you received?
We didn’t receive any real marriage advice on the day. In my dads speech he just told us to keep on doing what we’re doing, which was really touching, and made me well up.
What was your favourite thing about planning a wedding?
We really enjoyed having our friends and family around us in the run up to the wedding. It was a great excuse to spend some more time with our families and I definitely feel that it’s brought me and my bridesmaids closer together.
The Suppliers
Photographer: Chris Morse
Ceremony Venue: Gregynog Hall
Reception Venue: Event In A Tent
Bride’s Dress: Phase Eight
Bride’s Shoes: Accessorize
Bride’s Headpiece: Phase Eight
Bride’s Jewellery: Brides Own
Groom’s Outfit: Moss Bros
Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Coast
Cake: Home made by mother of the bride
Flowers: Home grown and arranged by mother of the groom and our family friend Andy.
Hair and Make Up: Elin Wyn Thomas
Band: Avengers Cover Band
Stationery: DIY by me and Joby
Caterers: Mama Singhs LTD
The Wedding Album
