A Tale of Love: Julia and Brad’s Enchanting Wedding 

Love stories often take on a magical quality, and Julia and Brad’s charming wedding in the picturesque Hampshire countryside, was nothing short of enchanting as they celebrated the next step in their story. Surrounded by the beauty of nature on their own land (where Brad also proposed!), Julia, a talented florist, took charge of the floral arrangements while Brad cleared the land, put up a tent and created lots of fun and games for their special day.

I should add that Julia and Brad had not one, but three wedding celebrations – yes three! First they held a ceremony on the side of a mountain in Banff, Canada – a place where they lived and worked together and where their relationship really blossomed. A couple of weeks later they took care of the legal registration of their marriage at Winchester Registry Office before their UK wedding celebration with yours truly! 

A Blossoming Love and a Floral Dream

Julia is an incredible florist with her own business (Heartbee Flowers), so of course their wedding was going to include an abundance of locally grown blooms! Flowers adorned every corner of the property – a place where they are now creating their own flower farm. Many of the flowers had been grown in Julia and Brad’s own garden or sourced from a local flower farm. From vibrant wildflowers to dahlias, the venue transformed into a fairytale, a testament to Julia and Brad’s passion for leaving the world a better place than they found it and a reflection of the sweet love they share. 

Flowers dotted the tables in the marquee and Julia created a fun flower pot table plan with table names and guests written on the side of terracotta pots planted with flowers and then set on an A frame. 

Arrive in Style!

Julia arrived right on time and drove herself to the ceremony – together with her mum and sister – in her fabulous purple 2CV. I LOVE 2CVs and purple is my favourite colour – they’re lucky I didn’t drive off in it after the wedding! 

A Bloomin’ Celebrant!

When I first met Julia and Brad I knew that they were looking for an intimate and relaxed wedding celebration that captured the essence of their story and who they are as individuals and as a couple. They also wanted to include family and friends who had joined them from all over the world. Their beautiful love story was filled with heartfelt anecdotes and a touch of humour.

Guests were invited to participate in a Ring Warming ritual before Julia and Brad shared personal vows and exchanged their love infused rings. 

Binding Their Souls

One of the most touching moments of the ceremony was the Handfasting ritual. Julia and Brad’s hands were delicately bound together with ribbons and fabric, symbolising their commitment to each other. One of the pieces of fabric was taken from Julia’s Mum’s wedding dress and it it was such a touching moment to see her lay the piece over the hands of her daughter and son in law. It was a beautiful reminder that their lives were now interwoven, and their destinies were forever connected.

A Blessing

The wedding took an unexpectedly emotional turn when Julia’s darling grandfather, a wise and beloved figure in her life, stood up to share a few words. His impromptu blessing brought tears to many eyes as he spoke of love and family.

Guests Become Family

Julia and Brad’s wedding was a collaborative effort that brought friends and family together as one big loving community. Guests pitched in with food and drink preparation. The spread was a testament to the power of togetherness. I loved their ‘Pimp Your Prosecco’ station too!

Laughter and Joy

After dinner guests were invited to smash a piñata full of sweets which Brad had hung up on his digger scoop! Ping pong and other games were dotted around the field and were the perfect way to bring young and old together. The evening ended with a bonfire and sweet treats.

Weddings don’t have to follow a set formula and Julia and Brad showed us that you really can do your day, your way! With Julia’s creativity, Brad’s ingenuity, a heartfelt ceremony, and the blessings of family, their special day will be etched in their hearts forever.

Julia and Brad’s wedding was a reminder that weddings really are about cherishing the love shared between two people and the love and support they receive from their community.

“Miranda was absolutely lovely from the moment I contacted her. We couldn’t have asked for a better person to marry us. Heartfelt, kind and sweet, Miranda made our ceremony feel really special and unique, intimate and fun! It was exactly what we hoped for!! There were tears but also lots of laughter! Thank you!!”

Photography by Katherine and her Camera.