Hayley & Mattie

colville barn
Essex

Hayley and Mattie first came our way thanks to one of our past couples, Hayley was a bridesmaid at their wedding and it’s such a lovely way for things to come full circle! They’ve already seen how we work and they obviously felt we were a good fit for their big day.

The morning had all the usual wedding-day buzz. Stem + Stem were busy weaving their floral magic, the Colville Barn team were setting up the ceremony space and barn, people dashed back and forth to cars with suit bags, and somewhere in the middle of it all a bagel breakfast spread appeared and bottles of fizz were also being popped. Mattie was tucked away in one cabin while Hayley got ready just a few metres away in another, which only added to the excitement!

As guests began to arrive, welcome drinks were served from the sweetest retro Citroën truck, which went down an absolute treat. Mattie was being hugged from every direction, you could tell how ready everyone was for the day. Meanwhile, Hayley had the best vantage point, spying out of her cabin window at all the action while putting the finishing touches together.

Guests were then led through the orchard and across the field to the outdoor ceremony. The walk itself felt so special, like a little procession and then suddenly everyone stepped out into this incredible open space where the ceremony was set, as you can imagine with 200 people gathered, the setting had such a wow factor.

After the “I do’s,” we gathered everyone for some group shots in front of the Tudor courthouse (a pretty unbeatable backdrop, if you ask us). Once those were ticked off, Hayley and Mattie dashed across to meet the rest of their guests at the barn. The cheer that went up as they arrived was incredible, just add in canapés and bubbles, and it was the perfect welcome.

Dinner began with some seriously lively Israeli dancing, which had everyone up on their feet and properly set the tone for the night ahead. Then came the speeches, all seven of them! And each one was as thoughtful, funny, and heartfelt. It’s rare for that many speeches to keep a whole room gripped, but they absolutely nailed it.

Because outdoor confetti wasn’t an option, we created a little moment for Hayley and Mattie just before their first dance and it was magic! The dancefloor filled instantly and didn’t empty once all night. It probably helped that Hayley grabbed the mic for the second song and serenaded everyone, which was such a ridiculously cool bride move!