We're looking back to the summer this morning for Lauren and John's idyllic English country garden wedding. Taking place in two parts, our couple were married at St Mary's Church, Horsham followed by a small reception at the brides family home in Horsham. Once restrictions had lifted, the reception/party took place at Knepp Castle Estate in West Grinstead (just outside Horsham.)

Lauren chose a beautifully classic, elegant Jesus Peiro dress for her wedding, Style 160 from the 2020 Cala collection. With its elegant off-shoulder portrait neckline and full ballgown skirt with pockets, the dress was just perfect for Lauren, who styled it with a sleek, simple up do and a sparkly belt.

Read on to find out more about their day in Lauren's own words, with photography by Helen Cawte

Jesus Peiro 160 wedding dress

I went for the Jesus Peiro 160, with a large petticoat, Jesus Peiro satin edged veil and a Jenny Packham belt. I felt like a movie star! I knew I wanted a 'go big or go home' style skirt - as it would suit me the most. The neckline was the elegant, timeless style I was looking for. When Emma starting referencing the kind of silhouettes from the first series of The Crown, I knew we were on the same page.

I'd seen the belt from a different store before I found the dress and I knew they would be perfect together.

I brought my Mum with me first of all, and had my sister on Zoom - everyone asked "Did your Mum cry?" but no, and I knew she wouldn't! At the end of my first appointment, Emma mentioned there was a Jesus Peiro trunk show the following month, which was the perfect opportunity to bring my sister along with me for final approval. We loved the atmosphere on that day, Emma and the team had gone to such an effort to bring some joy back into the process amidst a pandemic. I managed to get my hair done by the lovely Sharon Roberts and make up done by the wonderful Carolanne Armstrong.

Dress Shopping

Dress shopping hadn't felt particularly joyous for the most part due to social distancing, masks and not being allowed more than one guest. Miss Bush was the third store I'd visited. The first store was off-putting with their Size 8 samples, the second I could feel the quality of the dresses wasn't what I was looking for. Miss Bush made me do my homework before I arrived with the questionnaire asking me about the wedding, what I looking to try on - apparently my answers has amused Emma. The Jesus Peiro Trunk Show was the absolute highlight.

The transparency in communications from Emma & the team were critical - she kept all brides updated with her newsletter and the Facebook group were friendly and helpful too.

Willow and Rosie helped ensure the dress fit perfectly - and told me to stop my pre-wedding diet, otherwise the dress wouldn't fit correctly! (it was nice to have them stage an intervention.)

Styling

I knew a "sparkly belt" was top of my accessories wish list, I did a lot of research to find the right one. The Jesus Peiro veil was simple and elegant - just perfect when worn with the dress. I chose Rainbow Club Bambi heels - which had a block heel (perfect for a marquee wedding) and were so comfortable. They also got totally trashed in the mud at our wedding reception, so I'm glad I didn't spend huge amounts on shoes.

An English country garden Summer wedding

We knew from the outset we wanted an English Country Garden Summer Party theme for our day. When Boris announced in February 2021 that our wedding date of 5th June would be restricted to 30 guests, I had a total meltdown - all credit to John, who took the reins, liaised with the suppliers and managed to re-book the entirety of our wedding party to 7th August. Planning a wedding in a pandemic is not something I would recommend to anyone. I spent the entirety of 2020 thinking "oh we'll be fine in 2021", but that wasn't the case.

We decided to proceed with our Church ceremony and a small reception for family and close friends in June, our next door neighbour Brian conducted the Church service for us - which was very special. It meant I could really relax and enjoy our August reception.

Neither of us are very creative, so we got in contact with Sam at Deco Noir, who we'd met at Goodwood Revival, and she was entirely responsible for making both June and August look beautiful, alongside the wonderful Felicity & Gayle from Lady Lissy Floristry. We had the dream team.

The best bits

I think being able to catch up with friends and family that we hadn't seen in a long time was our favourite part of the day. It was so nice for everyone to have something to look forward to and to enjoy after 18 months of disappointment. My Scottish family especially enjoyed it, as restrictions had been so much stricter there. To see all the hard work we'd put in to making the two days special for everyone come to fruition was amazing.

Lauren's Advice

Trust the experts - Emma and the Miss Bush team have a wealth of experience and knowledge, as have your other suppliers.

Suppliers

Styling: Sam at Décor Noir
Food: Carole at The Naked Food Company
Photographer: Helen Cawte
Stationery: Lisa at Paperknots
Make Up: Emily Clare (June) and Carolanne Armstrong (August)
Hair: Lulu’s - Hair By Lucie
Bridesmaids Dress: Fenn Wright Manson (Alexia dress)
Bus: Southern Transit
Church - St Mary's Horsham
Dancefloor - hired from Sussex Marquees
Entertainment:DJ + Silent Disco via Toast Live
String Quartet: Ossia via Toast Live
Flowers: Lady Lissy Floristry
August venue: Knepp Castle Estate
June Marquee: Out Is In
August Marquee: Inside Outside
Videographers: Elliot and Aidan at Mowgli Media
Bridal robes: Made Your Day