A blog from my team member Laura from her recent wedding at GIldings Barns:

"These newlyweds had met in a previous life 20 years earlier and the Covid pandemic had thrown them back together.  One of the most beautiful things to have come out of that strange time in our lives!

James and Shelley chose Gildings Barns, a gorgeous Barn tucked away in the Surrey countryside, to celebrate their relationship surrounded by their friends and family. En route to the venue that morning the heavens opened, however by the time I arrived the rain had stopped and the sun was bursting through the clouds ready to shine down on this sunny happy couple!

The colour theme for the day was 'pinks and purples' and as it was October there were super cute pink and purple pumpkins dotted around the space! As well as gorgeous pumpkin carriages for candles to light the space. When I arrived the last preparations were being made by the Browns Catering team and Emily from the Gildings Team and the DJ Paul were all busy setting the scene.

We were all pleased to see the sunshine breaking through! I set up my bits and pieces, readied the signing table and reading stand and made sure the ceremony space was ready for James and Shelley! James arrived with plenty of time to go and his Best Man, Chris, was helping him prepare his speech, he had some guidance with him but was planning to speak from the heart! James was unusually calm and excited for the day ahead, he's always full of energy and it was lovely to see him ready to make his commitment to Shelley on this special day.

We gathered the guests in the barn ready for Shelley's arrival. She and her bridesmaids arrived in a vintage VW Camper (which as you can imagine took centre stage after the ceremony for the photos)!! I went to greet Shelley before she joined us in the ceremony space, and I literally gasped when I saw her dress, it was stunning!!

She was nervous for her big moment but excited to get started! Her bridesmaids were her three cousins Megan, Saskia, and Luci, with James' 8-year-old niece, Hayley, as their flower girl. They could not have been more supportive of Shelley, and they spent time helping her sort her dress and getting her ready for her big moment!

Hayley did a wonderful job scattering flowers down the aisle for Shelley and needless to say James was overwhelmed when he finally saw Shelley coming down the aisle! They greeted each other with a big hug and sigh of relief to be by each other’s side! At Shelley's request her Dad, Graham, was given an opportunity to not only walk Shelley down the aisle but to give his blessing to the happy couple before they made their commitment to one another in front of their family and friends. This is a twist on the traditional 'giving away' and poignant because he and the couple currently all live together!

Shelley’s cousin Megan read 'On your Wedding Day' as the only reading of the ceremony and I followed her by giving the guests some insight into James and Shelley’s love story so far, how they met originally and then how they got back together!

The couple exchanged vows and rings, James had been especially nervous about this part – I hope I helped reassure him, and he certainly didn’t fluff his lines at all! Janet and Susan the couple’s mums helped by signing a memorial wedding day certificate before I had the absolute privilege of presenting for the very first time Mr and Mrs J Dean!

Laura x"