October 12, 2022

Moody & Magic. The perfect October wedding

Moody & Magic. The perfect October wedding
James Fear
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This enchanting autumn wedding had the perfect sprinkling of black and celestial accents to celebrate Halloween month in all its magical glory.
Equally glamorous and dark and moody photography by James Fear, and a black wedding cake handmade by the bride herself is quite literally the icing on the cake!

Charlotte and David got married on the 1st of October last year with 70 guests in the day and a further 20 guests joining in the evening.

Are you ready to be bewitched by the whimsical wonders of this note-worthy October wedding? 

Take it away Charlotte!

Bride poses with maid of honor in black bridesmaids dress holding up dark autumnal wedding flowers at Elmore Court in Gloucestershire
James Fear
Dark and moody celestial wedding in October at sustainable wedding reception venue elmore court
James Fear
Angel statues and Autumn wedding ideas at a dark wedding venue in the cotswolds countryside
James Fear

How did you meet?

We first met at school. Well, I say we met – we were in the same class but had completely different friendship groups so we never interacted while we were at school.

After we left, we became friends on Facebook. We still didn’t interact for the next 5 years though, until one fateful day in 2010 when Dave spotted that I had posted a song by one of his favourite bands and seized the opportunity to slide into my DMs!

From the very first date we were completely smitten.

Our relationship blossomed and over the years we moved in together, eventually buying our first home and then having our little girl.

Dave proposed in 2018, after 8 (long but wonderful) years together – we joke that he had to be absolutely sure! 

Newlywed couple kiss in autumn walled gardens of Gloucestershire wedding venue elmroe court
James Fear

Tell us your proposal story!

As I did so, I innocently brushed off some sand from my lap and inadvertently flung the (slightly too large) engagement ring off of my finger and into the sand. Of course, it immediately sank out of sight!

We were on a family holiday to Spain with our children and my Mum. Unbeknownst to me, Dave had already enlisted the help of my Mum and the two had been planning and conspiring away to find the perfect ring and plan the proposal.

We were enjoying a lovely sunny morning on the beach when Dave suggested a photo of the two of us at the water's edge. Completely unsuspecting, I was smiling away like a loon while my Mum pretended to snap a pic. She was actually taking a video of Dave getting down on one knee and asking me to marry him! I was gobsmacked but I said yes, of course!  
 
We floated around in a love bubble for a little while before deciding to leave the beach and head back to the hotel.

Dave collected up some bits and took them to the bin a short walk away while I stood to collect our things.

As I did so, I innocently brushed off some sand from my lap and inadvertently flung the (slightly too large) engagement ring off of my finger and into the sand.

Of course, it immediately sank out of sight!

Cue me hysterically dropping to my knees, sobbing and frantically raking through the sand, shortly followed by my mortified Mum when she realised what was happening! This was the scene that Dave returned to... in his usual unflappable style, he calmly joined in the search, reassuring me the whole while that it was just a ring.

After the three of us searching through the sand for a good half an hour, I had all but lost hope of seeing my beautiful ring ever again when in a scene that could have been straight out of a film, Dave gave one final big scoop through the sand and emerged with my engagement ring sat neatly on his little finger!

If that’s not the universe saying this man and this ring were meant for me, I don’t know what is. 

Dark and moody wedding photograph of a beautiful newlywed couple with bride wearing cathedral length veil in walled garden in Autumn at elmore court in Gloucester
James Fear

What did you want from a wedding venue?

Dave used to be in a function band, and has played at venues up and down the country. He had seen every style of wedding going – outdoor, indoor, modern, traditional etc, but maintained that he hadn’t yet found anywhere that he would be happy to host our own wedding. It had to be perfect!

We found Elmore Court from a Google search and were immediately enamoured with the place.

After taking the interactive tours of the House and the Gillyflower, we were almost completely sure that it was the venue for us.

We did book a couple of in-person tours at different venues though, trying to convince ourselves that we needed to for benchmarking purposes.
On our way back down the driveway from our first visit to Elmore, we cancelled the others! 
 
Elmore has everything you could ever want and more from a venue.

In my job at the National Trust, I have seen a fair few grand country manor houses, yet I was so impressed with how the house at Elmore has been so sympathetically renovated; authentic without being stuffy, the rooms offer the most welcoming and sumptuously homely vibes.
The juxtaposition between the old and new, with the modern Gillyflower, satisfied the differing elements of our personalities.

Dave’s musical background was satiated by the amazing sound and light system, and the house offered oodles of the original period details that are so important to me.

Our decision was cemented by meeting Team E – we just knew that our best day would be in the best hands. 

Dark and moody wedding ceremony at a country house in autumn
James Fear
autumn wedding party with celestial theme
James Fear

How did your magical black wedding theme come about?

We knew that we wanted our wedding to be both relaxed and fun, but equally elegant and timeless.

We were heavily inspired by the autumn season – getting married on the first day of October, cosy, magical autumnal vibes felt most fitting.

We wanted the wedding to be authentically ‘us’. Black is my favourite colour, so I knew that I wanted to include as many black aspects to the wedding as possible to stay true to my everyday style.

We chose to have gold and plum accents to really emphasise the dark and moody wedding theme, with lots of twinkling candlelight.

Like a big, warm (but glamorous) hug!

Till death do us party sign for a black and gold wedding with dark and moody vibes in gloucestershire
James Fear
Cool bride and bridal party in black bridesmaids dresses holding up autumnal bouquets at dark and moody fun wedding in October
James Fear
Dark and moody photo of autumnal wedding flowers at an october wedding with subtle halloween vibes
James Fear
bride and guests dancing at Party wedding venue with cool lighting and funktion one sound system at their autumnal wedding in the cotswolds
James Fear
autumn wedding speeches with black wedding cake and crescent moon sign at reception
James Fear
autumn wedding bouquet with dark flowers on a bed in stately home wedding venue elmore court
James Fear
Bridesmaids in black dresses with modern neon to the moon and back sign at an elegant black and gold wedding reception in the cotswolds
James Fear
Moody photo of a modern wedding reception in October at sustainable wedding venue with halloween vibes
James Fear
Guests and groom in black happily smiling at Magical wedding reception venue with celestial decor
James Fear
Rock n roll bridesmaid wearing black holds autumn bouquet of dark flowers and dances to music with fingers in the air at mansion party house in England
James Fear
Moody photo of wedding table details and childrens place settings at an october wedding at elmore court
James Fear
Lanterns and fairy lights hanging in cedar tree branches with sunset sky behind for an enchanted October wedding in the cotswolds
James Fear
Wedding guests and bridesmaids wearing black posing in front of light up crescent moon decorated with autumn flowers for a moody October wedding with black accents
James Fear
Guests having fun dancing at a magical party wedding with twinkling lights and candles in October
James Fear
DIY bride handmade all her place settings by writing on mirrors with gold pen for her black and gold moody wedding theme in October
James Fear
Magical party wedding with starry details and lots of fairy lights in Autumn at elmore court
James Fear
Long tables decorated with black candles and flowers for an elegant dark and moody halloween wedding in the cotswolds
James Fear
Grooms speech at a magical autumn wedding in October with black flowers, cake and candles and celestial decor
James Fear
Child friendly wedding ideas from an October wedding with party atmosphere and dark and moody vibes at a stately home in the cotswolds
James Fear
moody wedding photo of groom waiting for bride next to angel statues in ceremony room at stately home elmore court for an autumn wedding
James Fear
Wedding guests sitting at long banquet tables decorated with black flowers and mismatched glasswear for a dark and moody autumn wedding in the cotswolds
James Fear
Bride and groom kiss in front of black candles and angel statues at their Moody October wedding ceremony in an old mansion house in England
James Fear

How was wedding planning (through covid)?!

We started planning almost immediately after booking Elmore Court and paying the deposit.

I was itching to get going! I got straight on stalking Elmore’s preferred supplier list and Instagram account!

Before long I knew exactly which suppliers I wanted, and so it made sense to snap them up as early as possible. 

For example, having James Fear photograph the day was a non-negotiable, so he was the first supplier I booked. Equally, I knew I wanted Katy Pheiffer to be our MUA, so I made sure to seal in the date with her nice and early.

When Covid struck, we could not bear to make any further plans, out of fear that our day might not even happen, so I was really pleased that I had started the planning straight away.

We were incredibly lucky that we were able to be married on our original date with no remaining restrictions in place, and that most of our original suppliers were still able to make our wedding, so when it became clearer that we would likely be going ahead, most of the big things had been done and I was able to focus on the fun little details.

Moody black and white photo of a dark and glamorous bride on her magical autumnal october wedding day
James Fear

How did you choose your autumnal wedding flowers?

Who knew that you could find black wedding flowers?!

The lovely Fi from Corky and Prince was our wedding florist. I have never been very knowledgeable about flowers, so I came to her with just a vision and a black and gold colour scheme, and she expertly guided me through the world of seasonable autumn British florals.

Who knew that you could find black wedding flowers?!

I knew I wanted long, banquet style tables, these were covered with black candles in gold holders and scattered with greenery for a dark and moody vibe. Interspersed with single stems in a variety of different glass holders – we had amber apothecary bottles, clear bud vases and even brown glass beer bottles, which were inspired by a table display we saw at one of Elmore’s open days.
Shout out to my Dad and Uncle for dutifully drinking plenty of real ale for the cause!

So many of the floral arrangements were able to be used both for the wedding ceremony and the reception, which saved us money and made the whole wedding more sustainable by minimising waste.

I spent a long time looking for a statement piece of décor for the wedding reception.

I wanted something fun and different that would be an eye-catching focal point, and when I came across the gold neon ‘to the moon and back’ crescent moon sign from Elizabeth James Events, I knew I had found just the thing!

Fi created a fabulous autumnal floral arrangement to grace the moon arch that held it, and it was such a talking point.

I think all of our wedding guests took a photo by the crescent moon and flowers at some point throughout the day, and it’s still featured in profile pictures even now! Such a perfect wedding selfie backdrop.

Elizabeth James also provided us with a silver sequin wall and ‘till’ death do us party’ neon sign which sat behind the DJ booth to give the space that extra party feel.

Autumn wedding corsage in beautiful light for an october wedding in the cotswolds countryside
James Fear
Celestial wedding reception with black cake and candles, autumnal flowers and touches of halloween for a magical celebration in Gloucestershire
James Fear
Moody autumn wedding theme with black candles, DIY wedding cake and celestial decor details in October at sustainable venue elmore court
James Fear
Bride sees her magical autumn wedding reception for the first time with black candles and flowers in october at sustainable wedding venue elmore court
James Fear
autumn wedding table decor details
James Fear
Moon wedding theme with wedding guests in black for a witchy wedding in october at elmore court
James Fear

What was most important when planning your wedding?

Looking back on the weddings that we have attended as a couple, the things we remembered most were the food and the atmosphere, so these were the most important things for us to get right for our day.


The kitchen at Elmore provided us with all our food for the day.
We had the hardest time choosing our menu because all of the options were absolutely delicious!
What a treat it was to be able to come along for a tasting in a gorgeous marquee on the Cedar Lawn to help us narrow down our choices.

In the end, we went for canapes (you need to try the mac and cheese bites!) followed by an incredible three-course meal. We dined on;

  • Arancini with Napoli Sauce and Salted Ricotta
  • Pork loin, braised Savoy cabbage and duck fat roast potatoes
  • Chocolate mousse with Bailey’s cream.

Our vegetarian guests enjoyed

  • Falafel with cous cous.

We are still pining for the arancini starter!

For the evening food, we went for Elmore’s bacon butties with halloumi baps for the veggies, and doughnuts provided by Pippin and Co.

We had so many well-deserved compliments on the food.

Team E were fantastic, and the Chef was able to accommodate a host of different dietary requirements.


Music is a huge part of our lives and so it was an important part of our big day.
Ever since I watched Father of the Bride as a little girl, I have wanted to walk down the aisle to Pachelbel’s Cannon in D.

The Bristol String Quartet played this beautifully for us. They also played for our guests before and during the ceremony and afterwards during the drinks reception.

Their repertoire was so huge and varied we managed to find something perfectly suited to each moment.

Waiting guests heard Linkin Park and Sigur Ros, we signed the register to the Foo Fighters, dance-walked back down the aisle to Sum 41’s In Too Deep and enjoyed drinks and canapes to classics from Muse to Blink 182 and Toto!

With the party atmosphere being the other most important aspect for us, we knew that we had to find the right DJ.

Luckily, Dave had the perfect man for the job from his days on the wedding music scene, and so DJ Mark Horsley was booked, and kept the dance floor buzzing all night long!
 

Autumn wedding canapes on a wooden board at a wedding at sustainable wedding venue in october
James Fear
man in sunglasses playing strings at autumn wedding ceremony at elmore court in gloucestershire countryside
James Fear

Tell us about your wedding outfits!

I found my perfect dress when I was supposed to be helping my sister shop for hers… Before even trying it on I knew it was the one!

It was a simple, classic, white satin gown from Mikaella Bridal.
Becky and Carol at Lace & Grace Bridal Boutique were so accommodating – ensuring that I tried on a variety of styles to make sure it wasn’t a case of my choosing the first dress I tried on just because I had my mind set on it!

Several dresses later, we were back to the Mikaella, and my normally very stoic and unemotional self immediately shed a tear! My gorgeous cathedral-length, pearl-studded veil was handmade by Lace & Grace, too.

Wanting to be comfortable, I opted for flat black shoes with pearl details.

When the proper evening dancing started though, I sneakily changed into my checkerboard Vans… and danced all night long in them!


Dave works in a suit every day, so we wanted to make sure his outfit felt different to his usual attire.
In keeping with the relaxed but elegant theme, he opted for a black tuxedo with satin lapels from Moss Bros, complete with a black bow tie and a white satin pocket square.

He wore some very smart shoes by Ted Baker.

cool bride and groom pose in autumn sun at their stately home wedding in october
James Fear
Bride and groom laugh at their october wedding in the walled gardens of wedding venue in the cotswolds
James Fear
moody photo of beautiful bride and groom posing in the walled garden at their autumnal wedding at stately home in the cotswolds
James Fear
beautiful bride laughs showing off her celestial wedding detail earrings and hair for a magical october wedding in the cotswolds
James Fear
Golden hour couple shot at a magical autumnal wedding in the countryside
James Fear
grooms in black tuxedos for moody autumn wedding in october at elmore court
James Fear
Beautiful bride wearing celestially inspired earrings and hair clips for a magical moody wedding in october
James Fear
Cool bride and bridal party in black bridesmaids dresses holding up autumnal bouquets at dark and moody fun wedding in October
James Fear
black tie bride and groom kiss in black and white photo of autumn wedding at elmore court
James Fear
Beautiful bride laughs in magical autumn light wearing long pearl studded veil at her October wedding in the cotswolds
James Fear
glamorous bride wearing cathedral length pearl studded veil and groom kiss in gardens at moody autumn wedding
James Fear
black tie bride and groom laugh their way to wedding party
James Fear
Pearl wedding veil for a glamorous bride at autumn wedding in the cotswolds
James Fear

We loved your black bridesmaids dresses!

The groom’s party consisted of both our Dads, my son and Dave’s brother and best man, and they all wore matching black tuxedos which were similar to Dave’s (and also from Moss Bros) with matching black patent shoes.

They looked very dapper indeed!

My bridal party included my sister, my best friend, and my cousin.

They wore black bridesmaids dresses, beautiful one shoulder, floor length gowns from Vesper via Asos, and they each chose their own style of shoe, so they stayed comfortable.

Bridesmaids in black dresses for a Rock n roll wedding style near Halloween in October in a English country house
James Fear
bridesmaids in black dresses and groomsmen in black tuxedos for a relaxed black tie autumn wedding with black accents in the cotswolds
James Fear
Bride in full length cathedral veil with pearls for a romantic autumn wedding with dark vibes in october
James Fear
Flat bridal shoes with pearls for an autumnal bride with rockstar energy and halloween magical vibes
James Fear
Brides daughter is flower girl with delicate tiara of pearls
James Fear
Bride with glamorous hollywood waves and celestial starry pins for an autumn wedding in a stately home
James Fear
Brides own child was bridesmaid at this child friendly yet dark and moody fun autumn wedding
James Fear

Who did your celestial inspired wedding hair?

I opted for classic Hollywood waves for my hairstyle.

With my dress being backless, I felt more comfortable having my hair down, but we did sweep one side back and added some star shaped pins to match the twinkly, celestial wedding theme.

My bridesmaids went for sleek and chic low side buns to complement their dresses, and my darling flower girl had her gorgeous long flowy locks pinned back with some floral hair pins.

We were in the capable hands of Gabbi Cobb, who is both a professional hairdresser and an old family friend.

Together with Katy Pheiffer on our makeup, they were an absolute dream team and made getting ready on the morning of the wedding even more enjoyable!

Katy is the most amazing MUA – my makeup was stunning and lasted all day and night.

rock n roll bridesmaid pulls face behind door on morning of autumnal wedding with moody rock vibes at english country mansion
James Fear
Glamorous bride has her makeup done in moody photograph of autumn wedding morning in gloucestershire
James Fear
rock star bride having hair done in glamorous hollywood waves and starry clips for october wedding with halloween vibes
James Fear
Stunning bride with hollywood waves in autumn light on her october wedding morning
James Fear
bridesmaids wearing black dresses laugh and pose in huge silver bath tub on the morning of wedding in a mansion house in the cotswolds
James Fear
Glamorous bride poses in autumn light with hollywood waves and celestial details
James Fear
bridal party and flower girl in pyjamas with champagne outside stately home wedding venue on an autumn wedding morning
James Fear
Bride poses with her daughter in a big bath on the morning of her wedding at an english country house in october
James Fear

How did you feel on your wedding morning?

On the morning of the wedding, I felt surprisingly calm and relaxed.
After spending three years planning, I finally realised that everything was now out of my hands.

I was having a wonderful time with my bridal party being pampered, listening to music and enjoying a lovely breakfast that had been provided for us in the Coach House.

As we moved over to the main House to finish getting ready, though, reality started setting in, shortly followed by the nerves! Enter James Fear Photography.

James was a complete balm for the soul! He came in with such boundless, fantastically chaotic energy that he completely lifted me out of my own head and reminded me to enjoy the moment. It was precisely what I needed.

Dave spent the morning at home in relative peace and quiet with my son, Harry.
They made a special trip to the barbers to have their hair styled before driving up to Elmore Court!

Dave is perpetually laid back and used to being in front of a crowd and so wasn’t subject to the same nerves that I was, luckily.

We had both thought to arrange gifts for each other for the morning, which was a lovely touch.

I arrived in the main house to a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and some thoughtful, funny words in a card, and I had left Dave my own words in a card along with a Hugo Boss watch (to help him keep an eye on the time!)

autumn bride on the morning of her wedding as the nerves set in
James Fear
First look father of the bride wearing long veil with pearls on an autumn wedding morning in the cotswolds
James Fear
bride wearing long cathedral length veil with pearls walks with father of bride walks down the stairs of mansion house wedding venue to her ceremony
James Fear
groom waits for bride at autumn wedding ceremony in a historic english country manor house
James Fear
autumn wedding ceremony confetti in a packet with mr and mrs bride and grooms names written
James Fear
bridemaid wearing black dress walks down aisle holding flower girls hand in an Autumn wedding ceremony at a country house in gloucestershire
James Fear
bride smiles at groom at the end of the aisle in beautiful autumnal wedding ceremony in a stately home in gloucester
James Fear
happy bride smiles at guests wearing starry hair clips at glamorous and moody wedding ceremony in the cotswolds
James Fear
bride and groom exchange rings at Moody october wedding ceremony with black candles and angel statues in historic country house in gloucestershire
James Fear
Children taking part in readings during wedding ceremony at a stately home in gloucester
James Fear
Children taking part in wedding ceremony readings at a moody october wedding in a big country house in gloucestershire
James Fear
Moody photo of historic stately home wedding ceremony with dark vibes in october
James Fear
Bride and groom grin happily at each other at the end of a beautiful aisle with angel statues in a historic mansion house in the english countryside
James Fear
autumn wedding ceremony with celestial details couple kiss signing register
James Fear
Confetti thrown at brides face as she laughs during october wedding ceremony in a cotswolds country mansion
James Fear
Moody photo of bride and groom confetti being thrown at faces in atmospheric october wedding
James Fear

Your wedding ceremony

The best part of the ceremony was looking into each other’s eyes as we read our vows and exchanged our rings. I really thought this would feel awkward with everyone staring at us, but cheesy as it sounds, he was the only one in the room to me.

Though I didn’t get to hear it as it was before the processional, the String Quartet played Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros. On a family day out to Dyrham Park years ago, Dave played a few bars of the song on the piano in the entrance hall, and the sound carried all around with people stopping to listen.
It’s a really happy memory for me, so it’s lovely to think of the guests hearing the same song.

During the ceremony, before we were married, my aunt Julie read out Union by Robert Fulghum, which felt particularly fitting for us as a couple. We had been together for such a very long time before getting married and we had so many conversations about things that are ‘when we are married’ which the reading talks about.

Our goddaughters Jasmine and Isabelle, who were just 9 and 11 at the time, did an amazing reading of The Lovely Dinosaur by Edward Monkton.
We wanted to make sure they had a special role in our day; they did such a fantastic job and had us smiling the whole way through.

The best part of the ceremony was looking into each other’s eyes as we read our vows and exchanged our rings.
I really thought this would feel awkward with everyone staring at us, but cheesy as it sounds, he was the only one in the room to me.

We bought Dave’s yellow gold wedding band on a shopping trip to Reading. I had dreamed of something bespoke to fit my pear shaped diamond halo engagement ring, so I enlisted Holly Robinson Jewellery, who turned a vague idea into a beautiful tiara-style white gold band which completely exceeded my expectations.

moody wedding photo of groom waiting for bride next to angel statues in ceremony room at stately home elmore court for an autumn wedding
James Fear
black and white photo of confetti throwing at a dark and moody wedding ceremony in october in old country house
James Fear
autumn wedding ceremony confetti shot at a stately home in gloucestershire
James Fear
groom in tux in front of angel statues at his wedding ceremony in a historic house in the cotswolds countryside in autumn
James Fear
bride laughs with her daughter just before the wedding ceremony
James Fear
mother of bride reading at an autumn wedding ceremony in historic house in england
James Fear
Bride and groom kiss in front of black candles and angel statues at their Moody October wedding ceremony in an old mansion house in England
James Fear
autumn light hits the groom waiting for the bride in beautiful stately home in the english countryside
James Fear
bride hugs daughter in loving embrace before getting married in wedding ceremony in stately home in the cotswolds
James Fear
autumn wedding ceremony ends with signing the register in english country house
James Fear
man in sunglasses playing strings at autumn wedding ceremony at elmore court in gloucestershire countryside
James Fear

How did you collate your eclectic wedding playlist?

I was agonising over the playlist for the wedding breakfast and Dave suggested that we create a shared playlist on Spotify that we could both add to as and when we thought of a song.

This was such a good idea and we had hours of bangers in no time at all! There was a little of everything in there, from golden oldies to R&B to punk and nu metal.

Something to satisfy us and all our guests!

golden hour couple shoot in the autumn sunshine at country wedding venue in the cotswolds
James Fear

You had a bit of an alternative first dance?

Our first dance was to You Make My Dreams Come True by Hall and Oates.

We were absolutely dreading the first dance, we couldn’t think of anything more terrifying than slow dancing in front of a crowd for three minutes.

Instead, we bopped around like maniacs for a minute or so before encouraging our guests to join us!

starry night vibes for this rockstar couples first dance at soundproof eco wedding reception venue in the gloucestershire countryside
James Fear
starry night vibes for this rockstar couples first dance at soundproof eco wedding reception venue in the gloucestershire countryside
James Fear
wedding guests dance in front of starry night theme backdrop at october party wedding in the cotswolds
James Fear
Magical party wedding with starry details and lots of fairy lights in Autumn at elmore court
James Fear

You made your black wedding cake yourself?!

Our wedding cake was a simple two-tier vanilla sponge with a Biscoff buttercream filling.

It was covered in black ganache and wrapped with a black velvet bow.

Yes. I made it myself and am really pleased with how it turned out – even though there were one or two black-toothed children running about the reception after eating a bit too much of the icing!

This Black wedding cake with velvet ribbon was handmade by the bride herself for her magical moody wedding with dark details at a mansion house near halloween in october
James Fear
Bride sees her black wedding cake and crescent moon sign for the first time at her glamorous dark celestial autumn wedding reception in the cotswolds
James Fear
bride creates a black wedding cake herself for her witchy wedding in october with celestial details
James Fear
Black wedding cake for a black wedding theme close to halloween in october at a sustainable wedding venue in the english countryside
James Fear
Witchy wedding ideas from a real life october wedding with black wedding cake and celestial details at sustainable wedding venue elmore court in gloucester
James Fear
Bride and groom cut their black wedding cake in front of neon moon sign with autumnal flowers at an october wedding with halloween vibes
James Fear

Did you DIY any other wedding details?

I’m fairly creative – at least I have creative ideas, and I enjoy trying to execute them!
I took on making the signage and place cards for dinner myself.
I used clear acrylic which I painted black in the centre and wrote on the fronts with gold calligraphy markers.

It was challenging in parts and a bit time-consuming, but it was so satisfying to see it all come together on the day and slot in with the professional décor so seamlessly!

Our menu display featured a quote from Neil ‘Smithy’ Smith, and each of our tables was named after a character from our favourite comedy programmes.

The seating plan each featured a food-related quote

Pam Shipman from Gavin and Stacey;

“next thing you know, I’ll be known as Three Steaks Pam”

Kerry Mucklowe from This Country

“ate himself into physical decay… that’s how I want to go”

...and Martin Goodman from Friday Night Dinner

“lovely bit of squirrel!”

Black boho wedding with DIY details and funny signs from bride's favourite comedy for an autumn wedding in the countryside
James Fear
Bride made DIY wedding signs for her black and gold autumn wedding in a stately home in gloucestershire
James Fear

What were your wedding highlights?

After covid, the best thing of all was having all our friends and family in the same place after two years of being kept separate.

It was extra special to be able to all be together after all the lockdowns and restrictions, and it made for an even better wedding party as we were all so happy!

dark wedding ideas from a real life party wedding with all the guests wearing black and a black wedding cake and starry night celestial details
James Fear
bride and groom laugh with their guests at whimsical wedding reception with black details and celestial decor for october
James Fear
grooms speech at modern wedding reception in the cotswolds
James Fear
wedding guests having the best time ever at party wedding with magical theme for october
James Fear
Party wedding venue with cool lighting and funktion one sound system for an october wedding in the cotswolds
James Fear
black and white wedding photo of happy guests post covid
James Fear
children playing at wedding post covid in black and white moody photos
James Fear
Guests and groom in black happily smiling at Magical wedding reception venue with celestial decor
James Fear
groom's daughter making a speech at child friendly wedding in an eco venue in the cotswolds
James Fear
moody photography of hipster wedding guests at a black wedding in a mansion house in the english countryside
James Fear
Cool bride and bridal party in black bridesmaids dresses holding up autumnal bouquets at dark and moody fun wedding in October
James Fear
bride and guests dancing at Party wedding venue with cool lighting and funktion one sound system at their autumnal wedding in the cotswolds
James Fear
magical wedding with children playing in the gardens of stately home venue in the cotswolds countryside
James Fear
autumn wedding speeches with black wedding cake and crescent moon sign at reception
James Fear
Grooms speech at a magical autumn wedding in October with black flowers, cake and candles and celestial decor
James Fear
Bridesmaids in black dresses with modern neon to the moon and back sign at an elegant black and gold wedding reception in the cotswolds
James Fear
speeches at sustainable autumn wedding reception venue in gloucestershire
James Fear
Party wedding with crazy dancing and bridesmaids in black dresses in october in a mansion house with soundproof reception for proper parties
James Fear
autumn wedding ceremony ends with signing the register in english country house
James Fear

Were there any wedding suprises?

The night before the wedding, my Maid of Honour surprised me with a video from Dave.

I had spotted her tapping away on her laptop and told her to get off it as nobody was allowed to be working, we were there to relax!
Little did I know that she was queuing up the video.
It was a collage of photographs from our years together, with sweet and funny anecdotes and memories throughout.

The most touching part was that the music accompanying the video was Dave singing my favourite song to hear him sing – Dakota by the Stereophonics.

It used to be a part of their setlist in his function band days, and I have always said that it made me fall in love with him all over again when I heard him sing it, but since leaving the band after the birth of our daughter I hadn’t heard him sing it since.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house!

What a relief they didn’t plan it for after my makeup had been done on the day!

moody photo of bride in long veil in the walled garden at wedding venue elmore court in the autumn
James Fear

What tips would you give to couples planning weddings now?

We’re planning on rewatching the video on every anniversary to remind us of our inimitable day.

Everyone tells you the old adages to take it all in because it goes so quickly etc. But honestly, taking ten minutes to ourselves was the best idea.


We snuck off to the house after our portraits were finished and while our guests were being seated for dinner.

In all the hubbub of getting ready, getting married, greeting guests, and taking photos, it was a small oasis of calm with my favourite person.

Oh and the best thing that we booked for our day which is more of a nice to have than a necessity was a videographer.

Peter from Velvet Wedding Studios was so lovely and unobtrusive, and it was so special to be able to relieve the day with our friends and family afterwards.

There are so many moments that you don’t see yourself on the day that a videographer will capture for you.

Watching the speeches that Dave, my dad and Dave’s best man Steve gave back over and over was my favourite activity for a long time!

We’re planning on rewatching the video on every anniversary to remind us of our inimitable day.

first dance starry night wedding theme
James Fear

Who made this perfect moody & magical autumn wedding?

Shout out to the incredible suppliers who created this wonderfully whimsical wedding with the perfect balance of darkness and light...

Celestial decor from Elizabeth James Events

Autumn wedding flowers by Corky and Prince

Moody photography by James Fear

Wedding dress & cathedral veil by Lace and Grace

Wedding dress designer Mikaella Bridal

Atmospheric string music by Bristol string quartet

Videography by Velvet Wedding Studios

Glamorous bridal makeup by Katy Pheiffer

Wedding hair by Gabbi Cobb

Wedding ring by Holly Jewellery

Wedding doughnuts by Pippin

Mark Jay wedding DJ

Festoon lighting by Every Event Hire

 

Thank you SO much Charlotte and Dave for sharing your absolutely magical wedding with us.

What a wonderfully creative bride. We are obsessed with your perfect pairing of celestial vibes and black touches, it just goes to show how much it pays off to stay true to your style when planning your wedding!

Super inspiring.

Big love,

Team E

xx

 

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