This rustic Swarling Manor wedding with Emma and Rob was stunning! With glorious autumnal sunshine, mild temperatures and picturesque golden trees. Emma and Rob also created some very cool DIY details in amongst such a beautiful country house and barn. Check out their day below.
First names: Emma and Rob
Ages: 28 (Emma) 29 (Rob)
Wedding date: 22.10.16
Venue: Swarling Manor in Petham in Kent
How did you guys meet, tell me all?
We met via our good friend and now best man Andy, intially we were looking for a flat share as a group of three, however that didn’t happen. Rob and Andy were playing an acoustic set at a local bar and I went along to meet them and to meet Rob for the first time. We got on really well; I knew I liked him when he agreed that I could get a ginger cat for the flat called Geoffrey. When we did move in together as a couple, a year down the line, we did eventually get a ginger Geoffers (fun fact Andy and his wife have a ginger cat too).
Rob and I were friends for about six months, both confessing to other pals that we liked each other, but too afraid to make a move, when my step dad was taken ill on holiday, Rob came over to take care of me and we ended up having three first dates in one day; coffee in town, a meal out, and a trip to the cinema before confessing our affections for each other.
We have been inseparable ever since.
How did you get engaged, is there a cool story?
We got engaged on Sandgate beach, near the flat we share on a clear crisp night in March 2015. Rob and I are both teachers and both had to work late that night, I’d had a parent’s evening and he was teching/ running a school dance show.
I knew something was going to happen fairly soon, I’d seen him snooping on the very helpfully bookmarked engagement rings I liked on Etsy, and that morning there had been a delivery notice snatched up and popped in his work bag.
I’d gotten home at about 8pm and collapsed on the sofa ringing my mum to share my suspicions, she then interrupted me to tell me that her work phone was ringing and it was Rob (they work at the same school), I was even more suspicious then, but since they work together, it could have been an error with the sound and lighting equipment and so I tried to quell my excitement.
Rob rang about half an hour later, he claimed to have had a terrible day, he hadn’t left the school building since 8am and now wanted to get some fresh air, he asked me to meet him outside the flat to go for a walk.
We met outside the flat and all my hopes were quashed, he’d had a terrible day and wasted no time telling me all about it on our walk to the beach. Once we’d set foot on the beach he turned around, said that it had all be a lie, the day had been great and then dropped to one knee and proposed. I responded in a classically elegant fashion by sobbing loudly. Newly engaged and a bit overwhelmed we went home to ring our parents.
My poor dad had the fright of his life when he got a call at 10pm on a Thursday evening from his sobbing eldest daughter, I did eventually get the words out and everything was a celebration from there on out!
What made you choose your wedding venue, did you look at many?
We had a list of about seventy venues that we whittled down, although once we looked around Swarling we knew it was perfect for us. It was the outdoor, with a barn, Kentish venue of our dreams. The day we visited it was a wet and windy May day, but we both knew it was the one, and then we met our caterers that were so warm and friendly they cinched the deal!
What was the inspiration/theme of your wedding?
We’ve both said we had no inspiration per se, we are quite an old fashioned couple, loving vinyl records, books and the Kent countryside. We wanted a wedding different to the norm (ish) and chose dark emerald green with ivory and copper as our wedding colours. We are both pretty crafty and it shows in the wedding (we hope). Lots of people have described us as quirky, although we are never quite sure why.
What is your first song and why?
Our first song is ‘Dearest’ by Buddy Holly. There were many contenders for our first dance but this clinched it due to the fact that Rob has called me dearest since we first got together. We listened to a couple of cover versions of this song but decided that the original was by far the best for us.
What would be your number one tip to other couples planning their wedding?
Don’t do it whilst doing teacher training! Honestly, the best advice we have is to not underestimate how much there is to do, but also not to be cowed by convention. We’ve done things our way and we’ve been really lucky to have amazing support from out friends and family, but there are times when it’s been overwhelming, granted it’s mostly because I love crafting everything, even if I don’t have the time for it.
Check out Emma & Rob’s beautiful Autumnal Swarling Manor Wedding below.
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Wedding Suppliers
Hair stylist: Trimmings Salon
Website: https://www.facebook.com/trimmingsprohairandbeauty/?fref=ts
Make up artist: Wendy Mitch (a personal friend)
Brides dress: Perfection Bridal Maidstone
Website: http://www.perfectionbridalmaidstone.co.uk
Bridesmaids dresses: Amazon and ali express, altered by my Aunt Sarah.
Suits: Asos and then varied, we wanted a rustic mix and match look.
Website: http://www.asos.com
Florist: Rosina Horton, a family friend
Cake: We are lucky enough to have two, Rob’s mum, Kim Field has baked us a beautiful cake and my grandmother Dorothy Standing has made a more traditional cake for us too!
Caterer: Chives Catering
Website: https://www.chivescaterers.co.uk/#whatwedo
Band/DJ: Ben Russell, a personal friend
Stationary: Home made
Videographer: David Standing (Uncle).
Are you looking for a wedding photographer? Would you like someone who photographs it in an alternative, fun and natural way? Fancy seeing your wedding pictures on my Instagram and on other cool wedding blogs? Get in touch and let me know all about your day! I need to know the date, ceremony and reception details and most importantly all the ideas you have!
Let’s chat about your day!
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I am a Kent wedding photographer who has been featured within Your Kent Wedding Magazine, Rock n Roll Bride and Your Sussex Wedding Magazine, with images also published in the The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, The Independent, The News Of The World and many other large newspapers and magazines.
