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The team loved every minute of planning Carla and Nick’s wedding – so much so that we are dedicating an entire blog to their story.
Although many of our clients might not know it, we don’t just plan proposals! Our experienced team of event planners can also assist you with your wedding day, as well as other occasions such as birthday parties and hen-dos.
Carla and Nick were the first couple to trust us with planning their wedding, with the day they tied the knot in 2022 marking a very special and exciting milestone for The Cotswold Proposal Planners. Keep reading to hear all about our part in their big day…
When did Carla and Nick realise they needed our help?
Shortly after getting engaged, Carla and Nick decided they would hold their ceremony at a local church and their reception at Southam Tithe Barn, a gorgeous private barn owned by one of their friends. The space was beautiful but, having never been used for this type of occasion before (or any large-scale event, for that matter!), it was a little rough around the edges and needed a lot of dressing. The venue was also dry hire (essentially an empty space), and for Carla and Nick – who had just welcomed a little one and were busy working full time alongside – this quickly became a lot to contend with.
This is where we came in!
What was the planning process like?
After enlisting our help, we quickly scheduled in a consultation with Carla and Nick to discuss what stage of planning they were at and what areas they most needed support with. We learnt that they had already secured several key suppliers, however were struggling most with envisioning the décor in the church and, especially, in the barn.
Following our initial chat, we looked at some photos of the spaces and scheduled another meeting to pitch our ideas. Many mood boards and a site visit later, we had refined their vision. From there on in, we arranged regular progress meetings - whether in person, online or over the phone to suit the couple’s busy schedule.
One month away from the wedding, we held our final meeting. Although everything was ready to go, this meeting was designed to put our clients’ minds at ease and iron out any last-minute issues that may have come up. After this, all that was left was to count down the days…
What happened in the run up to the wedding?
Several weeks prior to the wedding, we introduced ourselves to the suppliers which Carla and Nick had booked before we became involved in their wedding. We checked in with those suppliers which we had booked as well to reiterate details such as timings, logistics and main contacts for set up and on the day.
On the week of the wedding, our team had a glorious three day set up period to install all of the decorations. Being used to much tighter turnarounds, we thoroughly enjoyed taking more time than usual to perfect the smallest of details and we couldn’t have been happier with the end result!
During the set up, we also managed the comings and goings of the various suppliers who needed to drop off or set up kit – lighting from Major Entertainments Ltd, pyramid heaters from JB Event Hire and catering equipment from Rose Kentish Kitchen to name a few.
How did we style the church?
The church in which Carla and Nick held their ceremony didn’t need much dressing whatsoever. We designed some simple pew ends and two large floral arrangements to add a few pops of colour. In addition, we put together the bouquets for Carla and her bridesmaids and buttonholes for Nick and his groomsmen. The white and pink colour theme was a timeless choice!
How did we style the barn?
The barn had some beautiful features but was essentially a blank canvas with a particularly high ceiling – we knew straight away that we would need to bring the “wow” factor to the venue and come up with a way to make the space feel purposeful and more intimate.
After scrolling on Pinterest, we were inspired to create rustic wooden ladders to be suspended by the beams in the barn. On two, which hung above the dining tables, we intertwined luscious foliage and LED tealights in baubles. On the other, which could be seen above the dancefloor, we attached an elaborate, fluffy pampas display. We love a DIY project and were so pleased with how these turned out!
To fill the rest of the space underneath the high ceiling, we wanted to create a twinkling canopy of fairy lights. Major Entertainments Ltd did a fabulous job of bringing this idea to life and also provided uplighters and festoon lighting for outside the barn.
Finally, we designed the tablescapes with a focus on foliage to enhance the rustic vibe of the venue. We dotted bud vases and copper tealight holders to create points of interest along the greenery and set up our wedding post box nearby. To create an enticing entrance to the barn, we created two beautiful floral arrangements in rustic milk churns and paired these with some copper lanterns to line the path.
How did we support on the big day?
Before we knew it, Carla and Nick’s wedding day had arrived! In addition to styling both the church and barn, we oversaw the smooth running of the entire event. We held a final briefing with the suppliers to ensure the whole team was confident with their roles and to run through our expectations.
We were on standby to deal with any issues efficiently and discreetly, leaving Carla and Nick none the wiser whilst they celebrated. For instance, Nick’s parents had brought the stacks of cheese for the cheesecake but hadn’t thought about how they would assemble them. Using our instinctive creative flair, we quickly jumped in to help and dressed the table upon which the cake was displayed.
We were there for the whole day, leaving only as the music started to get a (somewhat!) early night in preparation for clear down the following morning.
Post event – what did Carla and Nick think of our service?
It’s safe to say Carla and Nick had a beyond beautiful wedding. Here’s what the happy couple had to say about our wedding planning service:
“Absolutely amazing, cannot recommend Bec, Beth and her team enough. Every detail of our wedding was perfect and the coordination on the day was faultless, meaning we could totally relax, genuinely worth every penny. The venue decorations also blew me away, so creative with the most impressive flower arrangements and lighting, exceeded all my expectations. Wish I could do all it again with them!” – Carla
“Bec and Beth delivered what can only be described as the most perfect of days for our wedding day. From the very start, Bec's advice, attention to detail and organization of the entire event was flawless. Our venue could not have looked more beautiful and throughout the day, Bec was as cool as a cucumber and delivered everything down to a tee! The flowers and displays in the barn were unique and stunning. If you do not hire Ciriaco events, you are a fool! Thank you both dearly.” – Nick
To learn more about how we can assist with your big day, click here to read about our various wedding planning services. We can offer a helping hand through whatever stage of planning you are at and will tailor a package to suit you. Get in touch with a member of The Cotswold Proposal Planners team today!