Spilling the tea: a mix of old and new style

The Hartman Venue is a beautiful, old country church that has been converted in to a wedding venue, with a 3-bedroom loft, and a cottage so couples and their family or friends can stay over as well. The setting inspired some rustic touches mixed with modern elements to create a gorgeous micro wedding.

Since we were featuring a real couple, I tried to personalize as many things as I could to them. The groom is originally from Zimbabwe, and he loves two things; tea and beer, so we had an Iced Tea bar set up at the ceremony, an afternoon tea snack table during cocktails, and the wedding favours were vintage-looking glass jars of Organic loose-leaf tea with labels reading “Love is Brewing.”  To further the tea theme, each guest place was set with an antique tea cup filled with a delicious floral cupcake from The Cocoa Cakery. The groom carried an antique beer caddy engraved with his name during his groom’s photos. The bride is called “Queen Amanda”, so I tried to make her feel like a queen for a day, while she sipped rose champagne in her monogrammed silk robe, using her monogrammed cup, she was made up and fitted in her sparkly crown. To really make her feel wonderful and confident, we started the day with a tasteful Bridal Boudoir session.

The groom wore a modern rose gold tuxedo jacket, over a double-breasted vest, with a covered button tuxedo shirt, both new this year. The bride wore a floral tattoo-illusion gown that perfectly accentuated her figure.

I kept the two separate all morning so they wouldn’t see each other until they were completely done up. Will was absolutely floored when he first set eyes on Amanda during the “first look”, there was nothing “styled” about that beautiful moment!

Thelma the dog, was a beautiful flower girl, but she preferred to stand between the groom’s legs, so she should really be called the Best Woman.

The outdoor ceremony was set up on the venue’s stone patio, and the ceremony area was flanked by two floating arches of lush greenery with peach and white roses throughout.  Guests sat at wooden cross back chairs, and sipped on fruit-infused Iced Teas from the Iced Tea station.  An Afternoon Tea was set up inside the venue on an antique cart, topped with moss.  There were little cakes, petits fours, finger sandwiches, scones and cake pops.

The reception table was set up on a large rustic king’s table and had a runner of natural moss, with candles, roses and greenery. A wooden chandelier was adorned with string lights and the same greenery and roses used throughout the day. At each placesetting, we used the venue’s vast collection of antique china, silver and glassware.  Each placecard holder was an antique salt or pepper shaker.  A beautiful cupcake topped with buttercream flowers sat inside an antique china tea cup.

It was a beautiful day of blending modern elements with vintage, embracing the old and the new.”