13/09/2026
When Katie Green married Tom at Southwood Hall yesterday we knew they would celebrate with gorgeous touches of the most befitting shade with a little golden glow added by her perfect man š. Katie knew exactly how to say goodbye to her Green era with a stunning scheme throughout the barn echoed in every thoughtful detail.
Months had been well spent spent curating a wedding scheme that fealt lush, romantic and beautifully layered against the warmth of Southwood Hallās brick and oak, finally coming together as the scene was set on Friday afternoon. Crisp ivory linen provided the perfect backdrop on the tables where every place setting had of course been so thoughtfully considered. Gold-rimmed charger plates were framed by gold cutlery adding the perfect touch of understated glamour whilst preparing to catch the warm candlelight. Lengths of softly rusched fabric rippled in the centre of each table adding texture and an almost effortless, gathered softness. Through the folds, trails of fresh green eucalyptus wound their way between delicate white blooms from Blush & Bloom Florals in cut glass bud vases in verdant tones bringing the feeling of the garden right into the barn. Gorgeous green napkins from KWF brought beutiful depth of colour to the tables, echoing the willow-green chair sashes tied in generous bows along the wooden chairs. Then there were the little details that made you want to lingerā¦ green cut-glass tumblers, gold rimmed wine goblets, delicate cut-glass tealight holders and glowing candles, all nestled amongst the foliage. Tall, elegant geometric glass lanterns added height and structure, their gold frames contrasting beautifully with the softness of the greenery.
Above it all, the barn glowed beneath its twinkling lights and hanging lanterns, with warm amber light dancing across the brick walls the final accent to complete the look. Green, ivory, gold and candlelight ā a little bit botanical, a little bit glamorous and completely beautiful. šæāØ A scheme that proved that when it comes to wedding styling, itās the little details that make the biggest impression. We donāt know where Katie got her attention to detail from but maybe the signage in the bathrooms and the trio of baskets filled with all of lifeās essentials gave us a clue š
The grass is always greener at Southwood Hall and our beautiful grounds were finally lush after the long hot summer ready to provide such a perfect backdrop to their day amidst the arrival of their guests. As guest after guest arrived in stunning outfits our guest list had clearly adhered to the request to wear shades of green; jewel tones and forest greens, pastels and jade. Relishing the opportunity to add extra glamour our guests blended perfectly with the scheme of the day, completing Katieās wedding vision.
Of course, happily grazing in the Cartshed on the most amazing stylish breakfast spread the bridal squad were busy preparing in soft sage PJās ready to don the required hue. Florals were soon delivered where gorgeous white blooms were framed by loose foliage and our brides bouquet was finished with a gorgeous golden broach.
Having checked final preparations in the barn bacon rolls were on the menu for the groomsmen preparing in Butlers before our Groomsmen looked equally dapper reappearing in the barn in their tailored suits courtesy of Slater Menswear. With buttonholes neatly secured and one final look over from mum, the gents made their way to the top of the aisle to await Tomās Bride.
Itās the Brides prerogative to be fashionably late and in this case fashionable was the key word. Miss Green wowed in her gown looking every inch the modern bride in a dress that was the perfect balance of elegance, romance and effortless glamour. The softly sculpted strapless bodice hugged her figure perfectly with delicate ruching sweeping across the neckline and a beautifully defined corset-style waist. From there, the smooth satin-like fabric flowed into a sleek silhouette, gently skimming her figure before falling into a graceful train. Cascading from the waist in soft, fluid folds her train created movement with every step, bringing an almost ethereal quality to such a stunning contemporary gown. Finished with a long, flowing veil, Katie looked sophisticated, timeless and utterly beautiful ā proof that sometimes the most elegant dresses are the ones that let the bride herself take centre stage. š¤āØ
Gathered at the front of the barn it was finally time for their wedding to begin. Gorgeous mother of the bride Diane was escorted to her seat on the arm of her son with an emotional āgoodbye Katie Greenā shared and a hat well placed to disguise the tears in her eyes. Registrar Rebecca encouraged guests to their feet as the moment had arrived for their grand entrance. As Roni and Luke lead the way our bride was destined to hit her mark perfectly on queue as she arrived framed in the barn doorway and made her way along the aisle under Sam Race - Venue Decorationās gorgeous ivory drapes framing their ceremony space whilst perfect lyrics made it clear just how perfect these two are for one another.
Tomās nerves had been growing but his smile lit up the room when he saw his bride and she was beaming too as she made her way to his side. The light flooded the barn from the giant glass gable behind and the lightness continued throughout their ceremony - Tom was sure to look over his shoulder to make sure their were no objections to their ceremony before Darren gave his daughter away with the first āI Doā of the day. The most confident of hand slaps saw our couple finally facing one another ready to pledge their marriage vows before two more were heard and lots of kisses were shared!
A gorgeous hand painted flute was filled with Prosecco and Grenadine alongside a malt over ice ready to receive the new Mr & Mrs Darnell where nerves could finally be put to rest. Guests gathered on the terrace armed with green and golden confetti ready to flutter in the breeze where Daniel Lightening Photography was in position to capture every magical moment.
Magic moments continued with Darren showing off his skills with cards and canapes - could he make things magically disappear as well as George managed the same trick with those duck bonbons? Equally magically the barn was transformed from ceremony space to dining room in the blink of an eye. As guests made their way into the Barn the ambience was completed perfectly by the timeless playlist curated by Katie and Tom. In the soft candlelight, guests mingled as they found their seats while the Southwood team were on hand with wines to pour.
Chris, Father of the Groom and talented entertainer was the perfect man to hype up our crowd for the grand arrival of the Bride and Groom. Mr and Mrs Darnell danced their way through the crowd as āYou make my dreams come trueā blasted throughout the room. Once seated, it was time for the speeches to commence.
Darren, charming Father of the Bride, had been nervous in the lead up to his speech, but he neednāt have been. His warmth and love for Katie and Tom shone through as he shared sweet memories and thanked those who had travelled from near and far to celebrate his precious daughter and her new husband.
Of course a huge thank you was owed to his darling wife Diane because without her his very special gift would never have arrived thirty years ago. From the moment Katie was placed in his arms, a tiny bundle, he knew his life would never be the same again. In that moment his default setting was altered, immediately set to āokayā, āyes Katieā and of course, most importantlyā¦ āHow much?ā. Across the years theyāve shared such fond memories; the dance shows, the holidays and all of the everyday moments in between.
Katie may be under the illusion that sheās Darrenās favourite child, and heās willing to concede that sheās definitely his favourite daughter š with her beauty, unmatched kindness and wicked sense of humour weāre not surprised!
And, Tom? Darren let out an exasperated sigh. Reminding himself that this is the part heās supposed to say something nice about his new Son in Law, it didnāt seem too tough of a job! Tom has always fit so well in to the Greenās family, as have the Darnellās overall. The excitement of parties, fun trips and barbecues to come is something that Darren looks forward to sharing, making more memories with his growing family.
With thirty six years of marriage under his belt, Darren was very well placed to offer some wise words of advice to the new Mr and Mrs Darnell. āItās okay to make mistakesā, he claimed ālearn from them and grow together along the way. Listen to one another, forgive one another and keep choosing one another every single day. Fall in love with one another over and over againā. And just in case he needs it, a bottle of Whiskey was presented to Tom from his new in-laws. The terms were laid out (no returns, no refunds Tom!) and a toast was shared to Katie and Tom, in love laughter and happiness š„
Next our cheerful Father of the Groom, Chris, was kind enough to share some words on behalf of his son and Tomās new wife Katie. Proudly introducing his Daughter in Law Katie, the room fully agreed with him as he commented on how beautiful she looked. He went on to acknowledge Katie is also a woman of many talents; wedding planning being one of them. No stone had been left unturned in the months leading up to their special day; beautiful designs, numerous spreadsheets, long discussions, reviews, further discussions and reviews, and (just a fewš) emails to the Southwood Team. Even Tom put his arts and crafts Btec qualification to good use, completing his tasks under the careful direction of Katie š¤£. To see Katieās vision come to life on their special day is truly incredible. It couldnāt have happened without the generosity and support of their families, their Bridal party and the talented suppliers theyād enlisted. A well deserved toast was once again raised to Katie and Tom!
Best Man Ritchie had come extra prepared, with not just one speech but three! Like a snazzy game show host the choices were presented to Groom Tom to take his pick. Speech B meant we were in for sentimental words, with no mean tricks and (almost!) pun free. VThe heartfelt words were too much even for Ritchie, who needed to take a few minutes to gather himself as he was overcome with emotion. But with his brave pants on and some encouragement from the crowd, he felt blessed to be able to share some stories of his friendships. So many memories of Tom and Katie, all stemming from that first night in 2012 when he met Tom in a dingy bar in Great Yarmouth. Introduced via their friend Mr Russell, talented musician Tom impressed with his denim jacket and oh so cool haircut. Our duo hit it off and the rest is history!
And then he met Katie. Sheās always been one of the lads, a real joy to be around š Tom may not be keen on the spotlight, but on days like today itās all about him and fully deserved. Both Bride and Groom look amazing and provided their loved ones with an amazing day so far. Relieved that the spotlight was no longer on him, Ritchie toasted to our newlyweds, signalling the arrival of dinner.
Such a decadent feast had been chosen by Katie and Tom, perfectly matching the late summer season, and welcomed by their guests. A delicious dish of Mascarpone and herb stuffed chicken fillet was carefully wrapped in prosciutto and placed on a bed of risotto verde, garnished with cherry tomato and a tangy balsamic dressing whilst other guests had opted for tender roasted salmon fillet on potato galette, with fresh asparagus and zesty lemon dill sauce.
Choosing is never easy, especially when it comes to dessert! Instead our happy couple treated guests to a trio of Southwoodās finest sweet treats; a light and refreshing lemon posset, rich chocolate brownie and everybodyās favourite - Biscoff Cheesecake!
Full tummies meant the dayās formalities had come to an end, and there was a chance for guests to stretch their legs as they enjoyed the grounds, taking in the evening light. Dusk was falling, creating a romantic moodiness around the lawn. The festoon lights softly lit the terrace edge, allowing the children to stay outside and play for just a little it longer.
Weāre glad they didnāt burn off all of their energy, as inside the Barn the space had once more been transformed; this time into party mode! The dance floor was cleared for the arrival of Juke Showband and the lights were lowered, showing off the twinkling fairy lights in all of their glory and golden hughes from the uplighters our Groom had added. Our doting newlyweds eagerly greeted evening guests on the front steps as surrounded by a mix of flickering candles and lanterns congratulations were exchanged and our excitable guests made their way into the comfort of the Barn.
Before long the most heavenly aromas were filling the space, but what could it be? Sweet, sugary goodness that is instantly recognisable as seaside style donuts. Hot and fresh our guests marvelled at such a delicious treat. For those with a savoury palette there was plenty on offer; hot fresh pizzas made and cooked to order in our wood fired oven with a variety of toppings for guests to choose from, and of course chips too.
With snacks in hand energy levels replenished meant guests were well and truly ready to let loose on the dance floor! Katie and Tom led the way, performing a beautiful first dance, set to a gorgeous song written by our Groom especially for his wife sung by the band. We always knew that Katie and Tomās first dance would be impressive and it did not disappoint. They swayed with grace and ease that could only come from two artsy people like our newlyweds š
Their friends and family looked on with joy beforetaking the opportunity to join them on the dance floor for the final couple of verses. And once the dance floor was full, it just didnāt let up! The band kept the vibes high and we saw the best (and most questionable!) of dance moves right up until the final song.
Little by little, guests made their way into the night leaving the spectacular barn behind them its warm glow lighting the way home.
Remember Katie, your future may not be Green, but itās certainly bright! Congratulations Mr and Mrs Darnell, we wish you all the very best for your life together š
