A petite Mid-Week Wedding For 30 This Summer
Written by Melissa
Emma and Mike's small wedding in June for 30 guests was the most atmospheric and personal wedding celebration!
The couple created a little piece of Italy in the middle of the Gloucestershire countryside. Pauntley Court is painted the most wonderful pinky, reddish colour which instantly reminds you of a Tuscan villa! Their photographer, Carrie Lavers, captured the celebrations perfectly and used the house and gardens as a sensational backdrop for some amazing shots that the couple will have to remember their big day forever. Read on to find out more about their perfect wedding, all planned in under 8 weeks.
The happy couple arrived with their close family and friends on Tuesday afternoon to check into their beautiful bedrooms before a relaxed first evening in the Flower Room.
Our bedrooms and bathrooms at Pauntley are individually designed and decorated, all full of character and charm. In every bedroom, we use gorgeous white company linens and the spoiling 100 acres toiletries so we hope to make guests feel at home yet surrounded by luxury at the same time.
The pre-wedding day dinner in the Flower Room is always a special part of a couple's time at Pauntley as it is a time to be together with your nearest and dearest to chat about the big day ahead. Why not ask about Rachel, our wonderful housekeeper, who can help set the tables and serve and clear so that all the family and friends can relax.
Emma and Mike had super helpful groomsmen who set up the rustic tables underneath the hornbeam arches and hung the festoon lighting and fairy lights. This created the most perfect outdoor wedding breakfast set up.
On the morning of her wedding, Emma was able to have extra special time with her mum, sipping tea while chatting and laughing and getting ready with her bridesmaids in the Elinor Fettiplace bridal suite. A very happy and memorable time, with lots of giggling and even some emotional tears as Emma opened a romantic letter from Mike. Surrounded by her best friends she could totally relax and enjoy getting ready.
Emma looked amazing in her beautiful Suzanne Neville dress. Quite sensational as she came down the main stairs to meet her father!
Holly, our wedding coordinator, ensured all the guests were seated out in the gardens between the sun-dappled quince trees, ready for the outdoor ceremony.
With not far to walk from the bridal suite to the outdoor ceremony space, amongst the magical quince trees, Emma certainly wowed Mike as she walked down the aisle with her father. She joined Mike under the arch of the hornbeams with the jaw-droppingly beautiful Gloucestershire views beyond.
After drinks (Aperol spritz, what else for an Italian twist!) in the exquisite gardens, the wedding breakfast underneath the hornbeam arches really could have been somewhere in Italy rather than an English country garden in Gloucestershire.
After 7 courses of an Italian inspired wedding breakfast, Emma and Mike had their first dance in the flower room with the glittering, sparkling lights and the glowing fire pit.
Pauntley Court offers so many special and romantic places to go off to with your photographer. Carrie Lavers really took advantage of every garden room from the sunken garden with its ornamental pond, the yew hedges with their secret and magical atmosphere to the rolling countryside which stretches all around the house and the gardens in every direction.
Photographer: Carrie Lavers - https://carrielaversphotography.co.uk
Dress: Suzanne Neville - https://www.suzanneneville.com
Caterers - https://www.intheframecatering.co.uk
Makeup: Amy Rose - https://www.amyrosebridalmakeup.com
Hair: Juta Zorubiene - https://www.facebook.com/jutazorubiene/
Flowers: Sarah Raven - https://www.sarahraven.com
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I cannot praise Melissa, her team and Pauntley Court (PC) enough.
We were looking for venues for a whole year before we came across Pauntley Court and my gosh it was so unique.
From the very first video call with Melissa, PC just stood out. For one it is the most unique and magical place we've visited but also how wonderful Melissa was. On the initial call we were so taken with how bubbly Melissa was but also how nothing seemed too much trouble. This definitely continued throughout the entire wedding planning and on the weekend itself. Melissa would make herself available for any question we had (measuring the stretch tent, finding us an outdoor tap) - nothing seemed to phase her and she was open to anything - exactly what we were looking for in a wedding venue.
Now onto PC itself - I don't really think words can do it justice. The venue is simply stunning, every corner you turn there is something else to grab at your heart and pull you to the venue.
We also adored how you had use of the venue from 12pm on the Friday until 4pm on the Sunday. It meant we could have a rehearsal on the Friday, steam all the clothing, unpack and join our wedding party for drinks and a BBQ in the lavender garden on the Friday night. While Sunday enabled us to have a leisurely start while also reliving all the memories from the last night over breakfast with our friends.
Particular loves go to:
- the grounds - mentioned in reviews time and time again but they are just gorgeous
- the ability to have your legal ceremony in multiple locations and for a non-legal wedding you have access to the whole site
- Rebecca - the best co-ordinator ever - having access to Rebecca for the day (and calls leading up to the day) really helped with the last minute panics / helped the day run smoothly
- Rachel - the most wonderful housekeeper - keeping the food flowing on the Friday and for breakfasts. She ran a very tight ship and it enabled us to just relax knowing everything was handled.
- the beautiful ballroom - this was such a fantastic place to get ready with my bridesmaids but also hold an unforgettable ceilidh
- the cupid club - a new addition but great to keep the party going
- the lake house - makes a wonderful first look location or photo setting and with the water is such a calming space
I could honestly keep singing PC's praises and hope I can visit again in some form!
Image by Red Maple Photography