Cressida and Orlando tied the knot in an elegant wedding in Oxfordshire. Cressida is a Brand Partnerships Consultant and Trainee Psychotherapist. Orlando is an Investment Director at an Asset Management business focusing on renewable energy. The two were set-up by a mutual friend. The blind date began at Swift bar in Soho, London, which turned into dinner at Colbert – and it was such a success that they met up the next day for lunch! When you know, you know…
The best part of our day was…
The speeches! My father, brother-in-law and husband all gave stand-out performances. Truly perfect, I couldn’t have wished for better. Witty, hilarious, warm and heart-felt, they all hit the perfect note.
We choose to get married at…
Wytham Abbey in Oxfordshire. This was our family home – my sisters and I all grew up there and my parents were married there, so it has a very special place in my heart. Orlando and I were married in the Church opposite the house, and our reception took place in the Abbey’s gardens on a beautiful, sunny June afternoon. It was just as my parents had done it 30 years before.
I knew I found ‘The One’ when…
I saw my mum’s reaction. She burst into tears and from that moment I just knew. It was the second dress I tried on, but there was no need to try anything else. The dress was perfect – it hung so beautifully and it just felt right. We were originally going to be married in September, on my 30th Birthday, so I wanted the long sleeves for an autumnal wedding. Due to Covid, we didn’t marry until June the following year, but the dress still worked in the summer’s sun.
The figure-hugging, almost mermaid style, made me feel confident and elegant. I’m still to this day trying to find an excuse to wear it again!
The most enjoyable moments of planning were…
Flower arranging. My mum’s friends and sisters got involved to help source and design arrangements for the tables using flowers from their gardens and from the nearby fields – we had roses, peonies and sweet peas. The house was filled with the most sensational smells and vibrant colours. We brought the English Countryside inside, and it was magical.
The hardest part of planning was…
Not being able to make solid plans! Our wedding date had to change 4 times, and our big day plans were constantly shifting to keep in-line with rules. In the end, we agreed to have a much smaller affair for 30 people so that our day could at least go ahead. Even though we couldn’t have all of our friends there, we had a wonderful time and a truly intimate celebration.
The best account to follow on Instagram for big-day inspo is…
Doggart & Squash – my friend runs the business and they cater for all kinds of weddings – they were my inspiration from start to finish.
My top three tips for any couple would be…
Pay for everything on a credit card (as opposed to making bank transfers or paying in cash). This way you are covered under consumer protection laws… we made this mistake and lost a lot of money when one of the suppliers went bust!
Try not to worry about things going wrong. Enjoy every moment together – it goes far too quickly!
Find time for the two of you leading up to the wedding where you don’t talk about wedding ‘stuff’. The preparations can be stressful and tedious and can distract from what’s most important.
If I was able to do it all over again, the one thing I would change is…
I would ask someone to film the speeches. I didn’t want a videographer, but I wish we’d had those moments recorded so that we could re-live those moments over and over again!
List of suppliers:
Venue: Wytham Abbey, Oxford
Caterer: Doggart & Squash @doggardandsquash
Dress: Suzanne Neville at The White Room @suzanneneville @thewhiteroomuk
Groom outfit: Favourbrook @favourbrook
Tableware: Couvert @couverthire
Photographer: M T Studio Weddings @mtstudio_weddings
Wedding rings: Wildsmith Jewellery @wildsmith.jewellery
Hair: Susie and Gabby Vincent – Oxfordshire Wedding Hair @oxfordshireweddinghair
