Photography Paige Grace paigegracephotography.co.uk Venue Brickhouse Vineyard brickhousevineyard.co.uk
Jess and Lewis have their university best friends to thank for bringing them together. “My best friend from university is married to his best friend,” says Jess. “They were our maid of honour and best man.”
A wintery Cornish beach provided the setting for Lewis’s proposal. The couple were in Cornwall celebrating his 30th birthday when a brief pause in a day of heavy rain presented an opportunity for a dog walk. “Lewis popped me on a rock to ‘take a photo of the view’, secretly setting up a camera behind me,” recalls Jess. “He then came over and asked me to marry him. I jumped around, ran towards the sea in excitement and was completely overwhelmed in the best way.”
It was love at first sight when Jess discovered Brickhouse Vineyard. “I’d always known I wanted an autumn wedding and loved that we could have a smaller, more intimate celebration there,” she says.
As a wedding florist and stylist, Jess embraced the chance to bring her own vision to life, describing the aesthetic as ‘bright autumn’. She layered blush pinks with bright shades of orange, fresh lime tones and touches of yellow – a nod to their married name, Honey.
Creating the florals herself was a true labour of love. Abundant arrangements filled the 18th-century Roundhouse, framing the ceremony on plinths Lewis had crafted for her business, before flowing into the barn where vibrant blooms adorned tables and spilled from statement displays. At the centre, a heart-shaped cake styled with a fabric sign reading The Honeys and encircled by flowers made for a joyful focal point. “It was a huge amount of work, but so worth it to bring our vision to life,” says Jess.
Handcrafted details extended beyond the flowers. Jess’s mum created frayed-edge linen runners from raw fabric and handmade napkins for the guests. “It was such a meaningful detail,” says Jess. “I also had mine and Lewis’s napkins embroidered with our married initials and a tiny bee.”
The morning began with the sighting of a family of deer outside during preparations. “It felt like a very good omen,” says Jess. She walked down the aisle to Sycamore Tree by The Hunna for an emotional, flower-filled ceremony featuring personal vows and a quiet moment together afterwards, laughing about the small mishaps of the morning that had quickly turned into funny stories.
After celebratory drinks and photographs, guests gathered in the barn for a seasonal feast by Fig and Smoke. Subtle nods to the couple’s new surname ran through the menu — from honey mustard sausage canapés to honey-drizzled bruschetta — before Italian-inspired dishes such as gnocchi and tiramisu took centre stage. “Everything was local and seasonal with an Italian twist,” says Jess.
Dancing began with a first dance to Poetry by Devin Kennedy – “a song Lewis used to play me years ago” – before ABBA’s Honey Honey brought everyone to the floor. “It might be cliché, but it felt completely right,” she smiles. “Seeing Lewis’s three grandparents dancing together was incredibly special.” Celebrations continued at a pub, where guests chatted, laughed and sported temporary tattoos applied by Jess’s mum.
Reflecting on the day, Jess says: “Getting to have such a perfect day with my husband – where we both had fun and everything came together – was so special. Our small guest list meant we didn’t feel rushed and could really soak it all in.”
Her advice to couples? “Create little rituals during planning. We had a music evening with printed sheets for each part of the day and chose songs over food and drinks. Make the most of tastings and appointments as quality time together. Even if it feels stressful at times, it will still be the best day ever.”
Photography Paige Grace paigegracephotography.co.uk
Venue Brickhouse Vineyard brickhousevineyard.co.uk
Content Undercover Bestie undercoverbestie.co.uk
Styling & flowers Wild Honey Floristry wildhoneyfloristry.co.uk
Dress Kyha Bride from Lace & Grace Bridal Boutique laceandgracebridal.co.uk
Alterations Sew Studio instagram.com/sewstudio_
Shoes Harriet Wilde harrietwilde.com
Bridesmaid dresses Maids to Measure maidstomeasure.com
Earrings Ciro Jewellery cirojewellery.com
Hair Cindy Beddard Bridal Hair cindybeddardbridalhair.co.uk
Make-up Bridal Artistry by Justin Kendall justinekendall.com
Catering Fig & Smoke figandsmoke.co.uk
Cake Mandy’s Classic Cakes mandysclassiccakes.co.uk
Rings Milly Maunder millymaunder.co.uk
Ribbons Cfleurs Design instagram.com/cfleursdesign
Embroidery Papir by Hannah instagram.com/papirbyhannah
Flower growers Compton Garden Flowers comptongardenflowers.co.uk
Golden Valley Meadow goldenvalleymeadow.uk
Pipley Fowers pipleyflowers.com
River Garden Flowers rivergardenflowers.com
Flowervision Bristol flowervisionbristol.co.uk
