Claire and Gareth’s Sussex Wedding Reception at Hendall

Claire and Gareth held their wedding reception at Hendall, following their wedding ceremony at the Holy Trinity Church in High Hurstwood.

What a wonderful wedding this was; filled to the brim with glorious florals, tall ‘wow factor’ table centrepieces, cool wedding transport and excellent entertainment.

Claire and her three bridesmaids stayed with us in The Barn accommodation the night before the wedding and had a relaxed night in ahead of the big day.

Gareth and most of their guests had all booked to stay at The East Sussex National Hotel which is about 15 minutes away from Hendall and offers over 100 bedrooms, a spa and is set on a golf course too; so plenty to keep everyone busy over the weekend’s festivities.

On the morning of the wedding, the fabulous Kate from Hero Hairstylist and Make up artist, Lydia Pankhurst arrived early to Hendall and began preparations in the cottage with the bridal party.

Claire made the most stunning Bride; a real beauty. In a wonderfully tailored dress from Fross Bridal in Uckfield, and her hair in an elegant up do, she really did look breathtaking.

Once the girls were ready to depart, Claire’s brother drove her to the Church with the photographer and videographer leaving slightly ahead of her, to capture their arrival.

The service was conducted by the Rev. Mark Ashworth and the photographs show just how beautiful the church was and how happy this handsome couple were to finally become Husband and Wife. Gareth’s face, as she met him at the end of the aisle, says it all really!

Behind the lens was Sophie Duckworth, a Surrey based wedding photographer who offers personal, emotive and relaxed wedding photography. She is a very talented photographer and we think these images really sum up her style and relaxed approach to photographing such special moments!

Working alongside Sophie, behind the other lens, was Olly Wilkes who was in charge of filming their wedding. Offering bespoke, dynamic and creative videography, this creative duo are bound to please Claire and Gareth with their final photographs and wedding montage; we for one, can’t wait to see more.

Whilst the service was taking place, there was no rest for us and the other wedding suppliers in the Stone Barn. Jeanne from the Wild Orchid (one of our recommended suppliers) was filling the barn with the most incredible floral creations. The Bride’s vision for high impact floral centrepieces was effortlessly brought to life by Jeanne and her creative eye for detail.

Elizabeth Caton Catering (Lizzie and Charlie to you and me) where in charge of catering for this lovely pair. An italian theme ran throughout the three courses for wedding breakfast and into the evening reception too, where these talented chefs created a showstopping pizza table for guests to dig in to.

After the ceremony, Gareth and Claire left the Church, showered with confetti by their guests and departed, ahead of everyone else, in a stylish open top vintage MG. The guests waved them off as they headed out for a drive in the country lanes to spend some quality time with one another newlyweds.

Meanwhile, their guests made their way directly to us, where the sun was shining and we welcomed them to Hendall with reception drinks served on the terrace. Everyone was relaxed, soaking up the sun, whilst an acoustic guitarist/singer serenaded the guests.

Their wedding cake was an absolute masterpiece. Created by the hugely talented Hollie’s Little Cakery, based in Tunbridge Wells, this four tiered naked cake, lavishly decorated with summer fruits, sat atop a wooden crate and made the most incredible impact. We are so lucky to see some really talented suppliers within this industry; this cake really was a piece of excellent craftsmanship.

Not Your Average I Do were back once more, having installed a fairy light swag in the beams above the wedding breakfast tables and dancefloor. We love seeing these pretty lights high above the dining tables and dancefloor; it always makes the barn look so romantic.

For their evening reception, Claire and Gareth had booked James from East Sussex DJs. James is one of our recommended DJs and didn’t fail to disappoint. All their guests were having such a great time on the dance floor and the bar was well stocked keeping the party atmosphere flowing.

At the end of the evening, all of the guests, including the happy couple, left Hendall for the East Sussex National Hotel by coach. A sparkler send off from the main entrance to the coach, concluded Claire and Gareth’s wedding reception and we loved every minute of their happy happy day!

Thank you both for being such a lovely couple, trusting so well in your suppliers (and choosing them most excellently too) and for allowing us to host your wonderful wedding; it was a real treat for us.

Special thanks must go to the lovely Sophie Duckworth for these incredible photographs!

Their Suppliers

Venue – Hendall Manor Barns

Caterer – Elizabeth Caton

Hair – Hero Hairstylist

MUA – Lydia Pankhurst

Bridal: Fross Bridal

Photogapher – Sophie Duckworth

Videographer – OW Productions

Wedding Car: Webbs of Weybridge

Florist: The Wild Orchid

Musician: Ollie – via Tailored Entertainment

Cake: Hollie’s Little Cakery

Lighting: Not Your Average I Do

DJ: East Sussex DJs