So last Saturday, we flung open our barn doors as wide as they would go to welcome back our lovely couples and their families. The sun was shining, the lambs were bleeting and the hand sanitiser was flowing, alongside the tea urn.

It couldn’t have been a lovelier day to waft around the meadows, skip through our orchard and take in the 6000 twinkly lights that Hannah has strewn over every available beam in the ceremony barn, quite literally dazzling us all. Some ibuprofen and a quick lie down later and we were right as rain.

I’m Liz from Ruby-Roux Photography but also a Petal & Feaster so was there on Saturday and had the pleasure of chatting all things nuptial whilst eating homemade cake and taking a few snaps along the way. Katrina from Beautiful Belles was there too, toasting herself in a nearby field with her tent, Amber who is usually with us at these dos sent along her lovely wedding illustrations (if you would like her to do your invitations, menus, etc give her a shout ) and Creating Ceremony beamed herself in via technology to be there virtually. You can watch her brilliant video about having a ceremony with an independent celebrant here.

I had also had the utter joy of listening to Hannah’s “Health & Safety Briefing” which remains a highlight. To add context to those of you who may not know Hannah that well, she’s a relaxed sort. Health and safety has historically fallen into the more trusted hands of those team members who are more uptight. Namely me. I never leave the house without antibacterial handwipes, plasters and a defibrillator for which I have been endlessly ridiculed for years. So imagine my shock when Hannah scuttled over to me on Saturday, slightly flustered, with her very own health and safety briefing to ensure the safety of that day’s visitors.

It began as you’d expect. “Wear a mask indoors, socially distance, hand sanitiser is available, mind the pond, don’t eat the flowers….” I reread. Don’t eat the flowers? I paused and raised my eyes to Hannah’s face which peered back earnestly. I read on. Don’t rub the flowers on your body. I looked up again but her expression remained quite serious.

I felt the need at this stage to ask my usually laid back and completely no nonsense friend why we were telling grown adults not to eat the flowers or rub them all over their bodies. “Because they can be poisonous” Hannah replied. “Yes they can” I agreed, nodding my head slowly whilst wondering if perhaps Hannah had eaten some herself. “But people don’t usually eat them or rub them on themselves” I countered, wondering how I was having this conversation with her and her not with me and had I left her to her own devices too much during the pandemic?

Not picking up on the subtle nuances and social cues that I was giving her to guide her way out with some self respect, Hannah plundered on rambling about toxins and blistering skin reactions. I tried again, “yes but people don’t normally eat them Hannah, don’t you think it would be a little bit of a strange introduction to the day if I ask them not to eat the flowers or rub them on themselves?”

It later transpired her main concern was for visiting children, although she never actually explained that, which hadn’t helped matters and she seemed to still be telling people who didn’t have children so my concerns haven’t completely dissipated.

But her flowers, as ever, were magical and no one ate them or used them as towels. There were ladders covered in homegrown roses, foxgloves and lilies that somehow just looked like they’d grown their way up to the sun. Wafty, lacy cow parsley on top of old tin walls in the wonky barn with it’s ceiling of 6000 stars. Even the car park looked sexy.

So thank you to all our lovely couples and their families who came and spent a beautiful summer’s day with us. We loved seeing you, we loved hearing about all your plans and we can’t wait to be a part of them!

Photos by Elizabeth Ruby