Kalley & Jonny

The lovely Kalley and Jonny celebrated their wedding with their family and friends at Haarlem Mill on Friday 1st November 2019. The whole day was stunning with the gorgeous added element of some DIY touches created by the bride herself.

Tell us a bit about you as a couple, how did you meet and when did you get engaged, who proposed and how?

Jonny and I met online – match.com – just as I was about to give up hope! My mum didn’t help matters as she said he was too young and way too good looking so I wouldn’t bother! Glad I did and proved her wrong. We met up and after the usual treat them mean to keep them keen from Jonny, we moved in together after six months and haven’t looked back since. We then put my place on the market and moved into our first home together a few months after that. Jonny has always said that we could get engaged when this had happened. So, a few months later, on a city break in Barcelona, Jonny took the next step. We had gone away for my birthday and we had the best day – getting drunk on sangria, eating paella and churros, before he presented me with a ring on the steps of the magic fountains. Little had I known he had had this in his pocket all day waiting for the right time! I’d had to wait all day for my present – but it was worth it! We then video called our parents to tell them the news and of course, they all knew and had been waiting all day!

What was the theme or style inspo for your wedding?

We were led by Haarlem and the autumnal vibes when it came to our wedding inspiration. We did not mind too much as to when we were to get married, but November it was! So we decided on blue suits and burgundy bridesmaid dresses. When I went to choose my dress, I knew I didn’t want white. The style suited Haarlem perfectly and the champagne silk underlay showed off all the detailing, beadwork and sparkle. I chose wood to use as the signage to complement the theme and Haarlem. It was great to have that special and personal touch to our day. They also fit the time of year – giving that autumn feeling that was reflected in our menu choices too. We also had sparklers and bonfire toffee and burgers during the reception party! On our invitations, we used a blue watercolour splash with hints of gold and hexagons. We tied them in burgundy ribbon and kept this colour theme throughout our styling. Our favours were hand painted and written wooden hexagon coasters – that all our guests love using every day.

What made you pick Haarlem Mill?

It was just us! We walked in and the feel was just amazing and so like our home – from the dark blue walls, brickwork and copper accents. I fell in love instantly! Jonny needed a little convincing, but it wasn’t long before he had realised this was the place we were supposed to get married. The menu then clinched it further – as pie is my favourite food! We chose this for our mains and then our two favourite puddings – mine being lemon meringue and Jonny’s sticky toffee – was then offered for our guests to choose. All our guests loved Haarlem – with how relaxed and beautiful it was. We all loved having everything under one roof! It was just the right size for our little family and our friends. We felt right at home. I loved the bridal suite for me and my bridesmaids to get ready in too. The fact that there was an on site florist was also great. Kerry knows how to make Haarlem look and smell amazing and created beautiful flowers for our day.

What was your favourite part of the day?

This is a tough one! We loved the fact that we were married really and that everyone had had the best day. Everyone is still talking about our wedding and were gushing with compliments – from the venue to the pie – the PIE! Everyone loved the food! We remember being hand fed the amazing canapes during the photo sessions and they were amazing! Another of my favourite parts of the day were the dances – I danced with my dad and then we had a choreographed piece as our first dance as husband and wife. We were so nervous, but it felt amazing to have done it. We were also lucky enough to have fireworks for our day as we had our wedding on Bonfire weekend. Haarlem worked their magic to allow this extra special part to our day as we know this is not something offered. It made our day all the more special knowing this was a one off.

One piece of advice for other brides/grooms?

Go with what you want – don’t try and please other people or let them cloud your day. We also loved stealing some time away just the two of us. We had some time to take some pictures just us two, and also do a sneaky dance rehearsal. I would recommend doing this to any bride and groom. We got a chance to breathe and be together – as well as talk about what an amazing day we were having. Enjoy all the planning and the day itself – it all goes way too quickly! I would also recommend going away even for a night together just to get away from it all and talk about how amazing your day was without boring everyone even more with all the wedding talk! Invest in a great photographer and videographer – well worth the money and a fab way to relive the day. Go to wedding fayres and meet suppliers – that way you know who they are, get a feel for their work and it really helps you choose your team!

Who were your suppliers?

Dress – Alice Rose Bridal in Ashby with the lovely Donna.

Alterations – Bella Rose in Ashby with the wizarding skills of Cherilyn

Bridesmaid dresses – Ever Pretty (online)

Mini bridesmaids and Page boy suit – Roco clothing (online)

Suits - Brigdens

Florist – Kerry at Tineke

Stationery and signage – I made them all myself at Kalleygraphy and other than the flowers set up ourselves too.

Cake – Hannah at Bake, Ashbourne

Photographer – Ben at Field Lane Photography

Photo Booth – Old School Booth

Videographer – Josh at Matilda Bay Productions