The one where everyone cried. Staffordshire wedding.

emotional sister of bride hugging groom

Rustic wedding at The Ashes in Staffordshire.

As rustic barns go, The Ashes in Staffordshire is stunning and Sian and James chose it as the setting for their wedding on May 31st.

The Ashes is a gorgeous barn wedding venue at the foothills of the Peak District national park. It has most things you would want from a venue, golden fields of corn, a pond and stone courtyard and a manor house…not to mention the highland cows. (-A personal favourite!)  

The more weddings I get to be a part of, the more I am seeing how personal they can be and at times it can be hard to stay detached from all the emotion the day carries. This wedding was the most emotional one I have been at to date. James had a bit of a wait for his bride to be, who was composing herself just outside the barn. The photo of them both just as they are reunited at the end of the aisle is one of my favourites. During the ceremony I couldn’t count how many people were crying (even my camera wasn’t big enough to hide my tears). Both of their Mums managed to get through readings that they had written, then Sian and James (just about) got through vows they had personalised.

Maggie Sottero and Jenny Packham bride.

Sian wore a Maggie Sottero gown with some sweet as Jenny Packham shoes and James sported a tweed jacket with (much to his prior avoidance) elbow patches, finished off with a flat cap and a pocket hanky detailed with an o.s map of where they live. Unusually the flowers were all dried which really added to the rustic/relaxed feeling to the day.

Host-a-roast Wedding breakfast.

There was a picnic and pints theme to their wedding day as guests drank different real ales and had a ‘host-a-roast’ for the wedding breakfast – one person from the table was given a chefs hat and apron and then had to carve and serve the other guests at that table.
When it came to the photos they had both previously mentioned to me how much they would like a photo with the Highland cows that roam around in the fields at The Ashes. Awesome idea I thought, I too love Highland cows. Do Highland cows love having their photo taken though? Not so much!

Highland cows 1 – Rosie 0
All day I kept half an an eye on them, watching and waiting to see if they would come down close enough for us to grab a quick picture….. .waited and waited and waited….
….Then just at the evening was getting in full swing and Sian had thrown off her shoes, there they were, making their appearance at the fence. So Sian, no shoes, James and I darted outside to get them…..here they are.
Highland cows 1 – Rosie 1