A Marquee Wedding at a Childhood Home in Cheshire: Speeches in the Garden and Sparklers After Dark
When the speeches at Rachel and Bert’s wedding were held outside, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Behind the speakers were deep green shrubs, pink flowers and an old brass-topped lamp post. This was Rachel’s childhood home in Cheshire. From a church full of roses to sparklers on the dance floor, the day was filled with family, friends and the most beautiful décor.
A childhood home wedding in Cheshire
In a year that saw us up and down the country most weeks, there was something particularly touching about this one. With a seemingly endless list of Cheshire wedding venues, Rachel and Bert weren’t short of options, but there was never any doubt where their day would take place. Having seen it unfold, you’d be hard pushed to find anyone who would doubt their choice for a second.
The grounds gave us a little of everything. There was lush planting, an archway cut through a tall hedge, trees strung with fairy lights, and a white marquee with windows onto the garden. Organised by the always fantastic Debbie and Andrea of Fabulous Together, it was the kind of flawlessly executed day we feel privileged to be part of.
Map wallpaper, a vintage car and a shower of petals
Some of our favourite morning frames came on a staircase papered with old maps, as Rachel came down in her strapless lace gown with her long veil trailing behind. Outside, by a white vintage car, a page boy and a flower girl in a crown of roses got a huge smile from her before the ceremony.
The church was all stone arches, stained glass and candle chandeliers, with cream roses on the pew ends. Bert, in a morning suit and a blue tie, couldn’t stop grinning, and the two of them walked back out of the door under a shower of petals.
Speeches in the garden, a party in the marquee
Even the weather played ball, with speeches planned for outside, which is always a plus. Guests gathered round in the sunshine for raised glasses and big laughs. In the marquee, a hanging installation of foliage and white flowers floated over the tables, with calligraphy table names, gold-edged menus, pastel roses and candles everywhere. Even the canapés had style: sausages on sticks, served on trays of grass.
After dark, glass orbs with tea lights hung among fairy-lit branches, and light-up “I DO” letters glowed beside the dance floor. Rachel and Bert’s first dance on a black and white chequered floor turned into a party, with sparklers held high under a starlit ceiling.
We always try to capture the atmosphere and personality of every day we shoot. Rachel and Bert made our job all the more enjoyable by putting so much of themselves into theirs.
Why we love a marquee wedding at home
If you’re thinking about a marquee wedding at a family home, here’s our honest take after Rachel and Bert’s day:
- It means something. A childhood home carries memories no hired venue can, and that comes through in the photos.
- A great planner makes it work. A home wedding has a lot of moving parts. With Fabulous Together running the day, Rachel and Bert could simply enjoy it.
- Use the garden. Speeches outside, an archway in the hedge and lights in the trees gave us variety without anyone leaving the party.
- Plan the evening light. Candles, hanging tea lights and a starlit marquee ceiling make the night-time photos glow.
Planning your own marquee wedding in Cheshire?
It’s always a fantastic feeling to work with the best suppliers in the business, even more so when they’re also friends. We couldn’t have been more pleased to see Rachel and Bertie have the perfect wedding day. See more of our marquee weddings, summer weddings and Cheshire wedding photography, or get in touch to check your date.
