A Wedding.....Regency style

I love this wedding. It has a Jane Austin meets Constance Spry meets modern bride attitude about it.

I find it so stylish, a bit dandyish, and very modern. It is most definitely a morning or early afternoon ceremony/reception. One can imagine a glorious breakfast or a long leisurely lunch, complete with champagne, savoury canapes and delicious cakes and pastries.

This is also a country wedding, perhaps in a small village somewhere in the West country or the shires. The ancient church with the golden stone benches are filled with such lovely local beauties as forget-me-nots, maidenhair ferns, fritallaries, bluebells and soloman's seal.

I imagine this bride has a career in fashion, loves classical literature, enjoys long welly walks and weekends in the country. It would seem fitting that she and her man probably motor around town and country in some jalopy. Because anything slick and shiny would be too showy and vain. Your wedding celebration should be the the same... a natural extention of both yours' and your fiance's personality and character.

Her hat is very Jane Austin and is a cheeky wink to riding hats of that period. For this lovely occasion, it has been filled with lily of the valley and primroses. Do you like the netting ? Very fetching, don't you think?

And....this charming satchel filled with primroses and lily of the valley.

Simply perfect.

Sweeping floral pews of clematis, Solomon's seal, fronds of maidenhair fern and bunches of primroses. Very Constance Spry....

See... you don't need fancy imported flowers to make a statement.

The lesson ? Make the best of what's available locally and in season.

Isn't this absolutely delightful ?

This nuptial celebration is a great example of how weddings don't always have to be formal evening affairs. You can have an equally sophisticated soiree without the long, late hours and your guests will still be thrilled.

Think Spring for this one.......

All images from Shane Connolly's book on Wedding Flowers