Our second wedding of the season was between Jazz and Tom who wanted a laid back, country style reception and chose a tipi to complement this theme.

Tom and his groomsmen looked picture perfect in their tailored suits but they didn’t let that stop them getting involved and finishing off some last minute jobs. Bales had been hired from a local farmer and they soon got stuck in to positioning them all, creating a walkway ready for Jazz’s entrance beside the lake.

The pink jobs then got under way and Tom’s mum was soon busy covering the bales with some patterned white voile. She finished this off by placing a vibrant red flower on the top. Not only did this look good but it also meant guests would have a much more comfortable seat – a simple but effective solution.

Wild Ivy provided some gorgeous flowers that fitted the countryside theme and these were displayed in crates and vintage style jugs. They also created some stunning arrangements that were used for external decoration with two garlands fixed to trees either side of where the blessing was due to take place.

Before long the caterers arrived and soon a delicious aroma of Indian food began to arise making everyone look forward to the wedding breakfast.  Next up was the DJ who played a real selection of tunes and showed off his skills with seamless mixes from Bhangra to pop and back again.

Jazz wore a gold embellished dress and matched the sparkle with lots of jewellery including a beautiful finger bracelet and in true Indian tradition, Jazz and the closest family members completed their wedding attire with intricate henna decorations.

Tom and Jazz had everything under control and organised things so well but as with any kind of event sometimes things don’t always go according to plan…. One of the most common questions I am asked about outdoor weddings is what happens if it rains? Well Jazz and Tom have first-hand experience of this now and can tell you that the show must go on. In a nut shell that is it. It’s always a possibility so you just need to have a plan B, and they did. Guests were ushered into the tipi, a new area was set up inside and the blessing took place. I’m not going to suggest that this wasn’t disappointing for them but if it rains, no matter what venue you’re at, you need to take cover and head indoors. However, the beauty of experiencing rain here is you actually still get to enjoy the great outdoors which is probably one of the reasons you decided to have your special day outside – let me explain. Jazz and Tom had a tipi and the side was up so that even though everyone was inside you still felt like you were outside and were able to enjoy the magical views. In fact there is nothing like a sprinkling of rain to freshen things up and brighten the colours of the countryside.

And that is how you do an outdoor wedding with a bit of rain. I think it is worth taking a leaf out of the new Mr & Mrs Pitt’s book. They were so genuinely thrilled with their day here and embraced the great outdoors whatever the weather.

So the wedding continued in full swing, everyone enjoyed themselves, the rain departed, the DJ started and Jazz, Tom and all of their guests continued their celebrations late into the night.