'Creating an eco wedding with a luxury twist was at the heart of this shoot,' says photographer Laura Farmer of Freeformimages Photography. 'A wedding at River Cottage will always inspire and enchant: nestled in a picturesque valley on the Devon-Dorset border surrounded by the rolling fields and beautiful countryside, it's the perfect backdrop.'
The bridal look captures the mood of the shoot perfectly. Crafted from organic silk, bamboo, French lace and vintage cottons, the dresses marry modern bridal fashions with sustainable and fair trade fabrics. The finishing touches continue the theme: the mantilla shawls are handmade in Devon using ethically sourced natural yarns, while the bridal shoes are ethical and vegan. A soft, textured hairstyle complements the upcycled headpiece, made with 1940s' vintage fabric millinery flowers along with blush vintage pearls and antique beads. Even the make-up products are 'environmentally-friendly, zero-waste, recyclable, carbon neutral, non-toxic, non-GMO, vegan, cruelty-free and made from sustainably sourced ingredients,' says Laura, all while giving a flawless look, combining smoky eyes and a striking pop of coral on the lips.
The careful sourcing continues for the groom's outfit, from the organic hemp linings of the tweeds and hemp shirt to the bow tie lovingly crafted from wood and the vegan shoes, which boast a minimal carbon footprint.
The Threshing Barn is a carnival of colour, blending a natural yet luxurious aesthetic, thanks to an abundance of greenery and hand-dyed coral table runners, made from natural fabrics. 'Slate chargers give depth and contrast to the wooden tables, with gold cutlery and gold tea light holders to bring more luxury elements in,' explains Laura.
The addition of macramé plant hangers filled with seasonal flowers such as tulips, narcissi, hellebores and lots of foliage add a lush 'just gathered' spring look. 'This created a celling of natural luxury and framed the top table in a unique way,' says Laura. 'Our handmade table plan was strung with matching stationery to the table settings and was naturally at home with the cake and gift area of the room. Outside, our coordinating hexagonal handmade arch framed the bride, groom and celebrant with elegant ease in front of the iconic farmhouse doors.'
Every detail, including the eco wood wedding rings, the ethically sourced food and hand-picked confetti, is a beautiful testament to the rich bounty of the natural world, inspiring a wedding that celebrates the wonder of nature as well as your love.
Venue River Cottage rivercottage.net/weddings
Photography Freeformimages Photography freeformimages.co.uk
Dresses The Conscious Bride theconsciousbride.co.uk
Shoes Beyond Skin beyond-skin.com
Shawls Cadogan Cardigans cadogans.co.uk
Make-up Michelle Stanford facebook.com/MichelleStanfordBotanicalPureSafe
Hair The Updo Girl theupdogirl.com
Bridal accessories & stationery Hey Jules! heyjules.co.uk
Celebrant Nixie James-Scott at Unique Ceremonies unique-ceremonies.co.uk
Confetti Keslowena keslowena.co.uk
Flowers Petal and Posie facebook.com/petalandposie
Cake & sweets Claire's Sweet Temptations clairessweettemptations.com
Groom's clothing Thought Clothing wearethought.com Cock and Bull Tweed Collection cockandbullmenswear.co.uk shoes B Boheme bboheme.com bow tie Patore' UK
Jewellery Eco Wood Rings ecowoodrings.co.uk
Bell tent Native Outdoors nativeoutdoors.co.uk
Styling Do Me A Favour facebook.com/domeafavouruk
Macramé Hooky Madness facebook.com/Hookymadness101
Models Paul Hobbs & Roksana Skabrika
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