Sarah and Rob have always been a creative and slightly quirky couple, so when they decided to marry, it seemed fi tting that their Big Day should be marked with something amazing, yet a little out of the ordinary!

Rob and I met fi ve years ago when I went for an interview as a primary school teacher in London. Rob was already working there and I guess you could say our eyes met over the staff room table! For me it really was love at fi rst sight. I was so taken with Rob’s crazy curly hair and his slightly bohemian ways. He was fun and laid back, had done lots of travelling and was so interesting. At fi rst we went out in a group with the other teachers –where we would sit and talk about music and our love of festivals. I fell for Rob more and more and knew he was a kindred spirit. Luckily it wasn’t long before he invited me out alone to the cinema. I liked him so much by then that I even forgave him turning up on that fi rst date wearing jogging bottoms with holes in them! I can’t remember the fi lm we saw that night because, despite the joggers, I was enthralled by this lovely man.

Bride: Sarah Burnett, 29Groom: Rob Gardner, 33

Home: South East LondonVenue: St Mary’s Church, Walken, Herts

Date: July 30th 2011

WELCOME TO

WEDSTOCK

We always had such fun together, whether we were having a quiet drink, chatting or sticking a tent in the car and going camping. Things moved really quickly for us. Within a year we were living in a fl at together and then we bought our own place. I knew Rob was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and I could see us marrying and having a family, but though I dropped huge hints about tying the knot, he’d just smile slowly and say: ‘Stop going on about it.’ That’s the thing with Rob, he likes doing things at his own pace and in his own unique way.

Sarah Burnett, 29 Rob Gardner, 33

A double celebrationOne weekend Rob and I went to a goldsmith’s fair where a friend was exhibiting. I knew something was going on as he encouraged me to try on rings, but I tried to hide my excitement. One ring in particular stole my heart -– an enormous opal – but though it fi tted perfectly it was very expensive, so I put it down. A month or so later, in October 2009, Rob and I went to visit our friends Sally and Dave. They live in the country and we took a lovely walk through the woods. Rob and Dave kept trying to separate Sally and I, but we were having fun running off and hiding from the boys in the bushes. At one point I was behind a tree with my bottom sticking out when Rob tapped me on the shoulder. There he was holding the opal ring I’d fallen in love with. He told me he loved me and wanted to marry me. Of course I burst into tears, though these soon turned into gales of laughter as he explained that he felt he’d actually proposed to my bum! Unknown to me, Rob and Dave had planned the whole day and Dave was at that moment proposing to Sally too! Thankfully she said yes, so it was a double celebration and typical of the four of us to have a champagne picnic in the middle of the woods on a freezing Autumn day!

Time flies when you’re having funRob and I decided to marry in the Summer of 2011 which meant I had 18 months to plan the event. That seems like ages, but boy I needed all that time! The fi rst thing to choose was the venue. We must have looked at dozens, but they were all too formal and I was getting worried about fi nding the perfect place. It was only when Rob’s mum Carolyn suggested I try Church Farm where she’d bought her Christmas turkey that I struck gold. Though the farm had never hosted a wedding reception before,

it was just the sort of place I’d dreamt of, with pretty views and plenty of space for our guests to pitch their tents. Rob and I wanted a country church wedding followed by an outdoor festival type party with a live Ceilidh band. We’d been overjoyed when Vicar Mike Leverton, a friend of Rob’s family, agreed to marry us at the gorgeous St Mary’s Church in Walken. It was so quaint, two minutes away from Rob’s family home and Rob’s dad Stephen rang the bells there so it was perfect! Thankfully the Farm agreed that they would let us have our reception there on our chosen day – July 30th - as well as supplying an afternoon tea, organic food for a BBQ, bacon butties in the evening and breakfast the next day, so ‘Wedstock’ as we named it, was all systems go!

The dress doesn’t impress!Oh dear, don’t mention shopping for the dress - what a disaster! Not only had I had nightmares that I wouldn’t find anything to wear, but when I finally bought a gown in the sale at Bicester shopping village, I got home and realised I hated it! It’s still hanging unused in my wardrobe now! Thank goodness I saw ‘the one’ in a magazine a few weeks later. With its strapless sweetheart neckline, pearl studded bodice and feathered skirt, it was perfect, so it was swiftly off to Anoushka G at House of Fraser in London where I bought it while pretending to Rob that I was buying his Christmas present!

And now for something a little different…Because we’re creative people, Rob and I wanted to do as much as we could to make our wedding personal, unique and colourful, so once the venue and dress were sorted and I’d settled on Karen Parker (a truly lovely and talented lady) for the photography, we really went to town, encouraging our family to be involved too. My sisters Katy and Emily were to be my bridesmaids, and Katy, a fashion graduate, made their raspberry dresses. We teamed these with bright orange shoes and big orange fl owers for their hair. Rob chose a fl oral shirt from Marc Wallace and his best man (Dave of course) and his ushers wore Ted Baker suits with bright pink hankies and trilby hats. I’d been buying vintage china for months and Rob and I made cake stands – they were three tiers held together with sherry glasses, we also made the bunting, place name cards and table numbers. My dad Rod, made the cake, and Rob’s brother Andy, a

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find anything to wear, but when I finally bought a find anything to wear, but when I finally bought a find anything to wear, but when I finally bought a gown in the sale at Bicester shopping village, I got gown in the sale at Bicester shopping village, I got gown in the sale at Bicester shopping village, I got gown in the sale at Bicester shopping village, I got home and realised I hated it! It’s still hanging unused home and realised I hated it! It’s still hanging unused home and realised I hated it! It’s still hanging unused home and realised I hated it! It’s still hanging unused in my wardrobe now! Thank goodness I saw ‘the one’ in my wardrobe now! Thank goodness I saw ‘the one’ in my wardrobe now! Thank goodness I saw ‘the one’ in my wardrobe now! Thank goodness I saw ‘the one’ in a magazine a few weeks later. With its strapless in a magazine a few weeks later. With its strapless in a magazine a few weeks later. With its strapless in a magazine a few weeks later. With its strapless sweetheart neckline, pearl studded bodice and sweetheart neckline, pearl studded bodice and sweetheart neckline, pearl studded bodice and sweetheart neckline, pearl studded bodice and feathered skirt, it was perfect, so it was swiftly off feathered skirt, it was perfect, so it was swiftly off feathered skirt, it was perfect, so it was swiftly off feathered skirt, it was perfect, so it was swiftly off to Anoushka G at House of Fraser in London where I to Anoushka G at House of Fraser in London where I to Anoushka G at House of Fraser in London where I to Anoushka G at House of Fraser in London where I bought it while pretending to Rob that I was buying his bought it while pretending to Rob that I was buying his bought it while pretending to Rob that I was buying his bought it while pretending to Rob that I was buying his Christmas present! Christmas present! Christmas present! Christmas present!

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tree surgeon, offered to supply a trailer to take us from the church to the reception.

The big dayThe months before the wedding passed so quickly! Two days before I went to a fl ower market where I bought some lovely wild fl owers to make my bouquet and button holes. I chose lavender, daisies and raspberry, pink and green roses. I also decided to do my own hair and make-up. The night before I stayed at the Wellington Hotel with my girlfriends and we had a leisurely breakfast the next morning. The wedding wasn’t until 1.30pm but I was up at 4am because I was so excited. At 6am I had a bath and then another one an hour later because the bathrooms were so spectacular! It was a half hour drive to the church, so at 1pm my dad, resplendent in his suit with electric blue shoes, picked me up in his white transit van – it was hysterical, such a great touch. Neither of us were nervous, just so happy. As we reached the church and walked towards the door we heard the strains of Here Comes The Sun by George Harrison being played on the guitar by my friend Tal. We had to stop quickly so I could brush away the leaves which my feathered gown had collected, and then we had a quick hug and in we went. Like the whole day, our marriage ceremony was unique. We chose modern vows, but our songs were special to us - When I’m 64 by The Beatles, Lord of The Dance and Caulifl ower’s Fluffy – a harvest song that the kids at school loved. My best friend Elizabeth did a reading - The Owl and the Pussycat - and Rob and I walked out as man and wife to It Must Be Love where at which point the whole congregation burst into spontaneous singing. I was ridiculously excited and happy, grinning and laughing. Both Rob and I thought we’d cry, but there were no tears, just an overwhelming feeling of joy.

Pimp my ride!As we came out of the church showered in confetti, there it was – our ride to the reception - a pimped up trailer! It had straw bales in a horseshoe shape, a willow arch at the front and a wooden roof with bunting covered in little wicker hearts. The inside was fi lled with throws and cushions and trailing behind were some beer cans – it was brilliant! We climbed in along with the bridesmaids with our guests following behind in their cars. All the way to the farm, passers by took pictures. It took around 20 minutes and we loved every second.

Down on the Farm…Arriving at the farm was amazing. The sun was shining and it looked fantastic. There were straw bales for seats, our bunting was strung up, there were games

– connect four and hook a duck. As the guests began to take their seats for a lovely high tea of homemade cakes, fi nger sandwiches, cup cakes and scones - with the traditional glass of champagne too of course! Rob and I just stood and looked and took it all in. I couldn’t help beaming. It looked better than I could ever have imagined - all the hard work had been worth it. After the speeches everyone milled around enjoying the fun and fabulous live music from our Ceilidh band, Licence to Ceilidh. As the sun went down the farm prepared a wonderful BBQ with sausages, salad, home grown potatoes and amazing, freshly baked bread. The music fi nished at Midnight but the evening carried on for Rob and I, and around 60 of our guests who had arranged to camp alongside us. Changing into white joggers and a white cardigan knitted by my mum, Andy started up a camp fi re and we sat around as someone played a guitar and we tucked into bacon butties. Rob and I fi nally headed back down the lane to our bridal tent at 3am, still gloriously happy and the evening warm and still. It had been a truly magical day and no one, least of all me and my new husband, had wanted it to end. Not even a hearty breakfast the next morning in the farm café and two glorious weeks in the Maldives for our honeymoon could top it. I just wish I could do it all again!

HOW SARAH PERSONALISED HER FESTIVAL INSPIRED WEDDING

• The place name cards were tiny windmills which I made, as well as the table numbers which were on giant windmills.

• The bunting was all made by Rob and I - some of it was using fabric from Rob’s baby blanket and he actually did most of the sewing for this.

• The table cloths were from our Grandma’s.• The favours were knitted cupcakes which I made

throughout the year. • The edible cupcakes were made by my friend Elizabeth,

my mum and my sister.

Recreate Rob and Sarah’s wedding

Photographer: Karen Parkerwww.parkwinphotography.co.uk

Bride’s dress: Anoushka Gwww.anoushkag.com

Groom’s suit: Ted Bakerwww.tedbaker.com

Groom’s fl oral shirt: Marc Wallacewww.marcwallace.co.uk

Reception:Church Farm, Ardeley

Marquee: Big Top Marqueeswww.bigtopmarquees.co.uk

Entertainment: Licence to Ceilidhwww.licencetoceilidh.co.uk

tree surgeon, offered to supply a trailer to take us from tree surgeon, offered to supply a trailer to take us from tree surgeon, offered to supply a trailer to take us from the church to the reception. the church to the reception. the church to the reception.

The months before the wedding passed so quickly! Two The months before the wedding passed so quickly! Two The months before the wedding passed so quickly! Two The months before the wedding passed so quickly! Two days before I went to a fl ower market where I bought days before I went to a fl ower market where I bought days before I went to a fl ower market where I bought some lovely wild fl owers to make my bouquet and button some lovely wild fl owers to make my bouquet and button some lovely wild fl owers to make my bouquet and button holes. I chose lavender, daisies and raspberry, pink and holes. I chose lavender, daisies and raspberry, pink and holes. I chose lavender, daisies and raspberry, pink and green roses. I also decided to do my own hair and make-green roses. I also decided to do my own hair and make-green roses. I also decided to do my own hair and make-up. The night before I stayed at the Wellington Hotel with up. The night before I stayed at the Wellington Hotel with up. The night before I stayed at the Wellington Hotel with my girlfriends and we had a leisurely breakfast the next my girlfriends and we had a leisurely breakfast the next my girlfriends and we had a leisurely breakfast the next morning. The wedding wasn’t until 1.30pm but I was up morning. The wedding wasn’t until 1.30pm but I was up morning. The wedding wasn’t until 1.30pm but I was up at 4am because I was so excited. At 6am I had a bath and at 4am because I was so excited. At 6am I had a bath and at 4am because I was so excited. At 6am I had a bath and then another one an hour later because the bathrooms then another one an hour later because the bathrooms were so spectacular! It was a half hour drive to the were so spectacular! It was a half hour drive to the were so spectacular! It was a half hour drive to the church, so at 1pm my dad, resplendent in his suit with church, so at 1pm my dad, resplendent in his suit with church, so at 1pm my dad, resplendent in his suit with electric blue shoes, picked me up in his white transit electric blue shoes, picked me up in his white transit