Woodland & Water {Ellie & Dory}

Matara Centre Gloucestershire

Ellie & Dory have a close connection with deep care and attention. They really complement each other so well, and this was an incredible celebration of that. This was a celebration of what and who they love. They both looked rather superb, Ellie in her Ritva Westenius gown with an heirloom aquamarine necklace and earrings, Dory in his tailored suit and red braces.

Ellie & Dory’s love of trees is as keen as mine, so we were well matched, from their stunning choice of Westonbirt arboretum in autumn for our prewedding shoot to the Matara Centre with it’s secret woodland trail for their wedding.

The setting was superb. The ceremony was held around an ornamental pond, lush and green on a bright summer’s day. The elegant domed dining room was decorated with some of the 1000 paper cranes friends and family had made for the occasion, and exquisite vases overflowing with wild flowers, the vases made by Ellie’s father. In the centre of the room was a naked cake by Anna Tyler Cakes (who made Jake and my wedding cake some years ago!). The tables were named after different types of tree, and Ellie’s father also made beautiful jugs and cups to serve berry vodka to toast the couple with during his speech.

The atmosphere was incredible with so many different spaces for the guests to explore, and things for them to do including the arrival of an van from Cotswold Vintage Scoop on the edge of the woods – a special surprise from Ellie to Dory, as ice cream is one of his favourite things.

I hope you two had a wonderful honeymoon! It has been such a pleasure to get to know you both over the last year, and I hope these images bring back great memories of a great celebration.

Ellie & Dory’s Matara Centre Wedding Team:
Venue: Matara Centre
Ellie’s dress: Ritva Westenius
Ellie’s Shoes: Rainbow
Hair and Makeup: Anna White
The Bridesmaids dresses and details: Berketex brides
The bouquets and buttonholes: Lucy Anna Flowers
Groom’s suit: A Suit That Fits
Reception flowers and pottery (vases and vodka jugs and shot cups): Sean Mills
Unique reception details: Matara Centre, Sean Mills
The cake: Anna Tyler Cakes
Ice cream van: Cotswold Vintage Scoop
Musicians: LoveShovel