We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
Emily married Russell on 25 October 2014 at Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, near the village where Russell's mother grew up. They had been together for 7 years, and the proposal came 18 months earlier on a ski slope in Austria, while the couple were away on holiday with friends. The décor was rustic and autumnal; they wanted the day to feel especially personal and unique, so they handmade all the decorations, and tried to include close friends and family in the proceedings wherever possible.
All images by Ed Godden, edgodden.co.uk
For more wedding inspiration, order your copy of ELLE Wedding now
My wedding dress was the 'Constance' by Claire Pettibone. As soon as I started looking for dresses, I was immediately drawn to her boho and nature-inspired designs.
When I saw the 'Constance' up close in a shop, I completely fell in love with the intricate lace and delicate design. After finding out the dress was a sample and half price, I bought it there and then, even though the wedding was still 15 months away!
Anticipating that I would be standing up most of the day, I wanted shoes that were practical and flat.
I found a pair of wonderful handmade tan leather and woven canvas shoes on Etsy.
Russ wore a tweed suit from Walker Slater and double-buckle brogue shoes from Russell & Bromley.
My bridesmaids were my three oldest and dearest girlfriends. I wanted them to wear mismatched dresses, but none of the colours I wanted were in fashion at the time; so we were forced to look beyond high street shops.
On the day though, all our efforts paid off and we complimented each other brilliantly.
I originally planned to make the bouquets myself, but after finding some beautiful bouquets online, I decided to buy them from Shropshire Petals.
Looking back now, I'm so glad I did because the flowers were beautiful and I don’t think I would have had the time.
Russell’s family still have a cottage in North Yorkshire, and after spending many weekends there, we decided on this location because it held many happy memories for us.
The Yorkshire Dales also provided the perfect backdrop for our theme: rustic and autumnal, which reflected our love of nature and seasonality; and we chose Fountains Hall, situated in the abbey estate.
Being 'given away' solely by my father did not fit comfortably with my feminist ideals, so I was really pleased when mum offered to join us down the aisle.
We share a really varied taste in music and started the ceremony with some classical pieces. A guitarist played Air by Bach as I walked down the aisle. It’s a song that brings back happy memories from my childhood.
The décor was rustic and autumnal. We had hessian table runners, dried flower wreaths, old jam jars tied with lace, and a table plan with embroidered leaves hanging from a tree.
I spent the weeks leading up to the wedding hand making all the decorations with the help of Russ and my bridesmaids. It was a lot of work but seeing our vision realised on the day was worth all the effort.
The wedding lasted 12 hours altogether and we didn't want our guests going hungry. We offered canapés at the reception, a 3-course meal for the wedding breakfast and a selection of local cheeses and biscuits later on.
The food was served by Yorkshire Party Company who really excelled in terms of taste, service and professionalism.
For our first dance, we wanted something original and not too soppy, so we chose A Real Hero, from one of our favourite movies, Drive.
We asked the band to play I Will Wait For You by Mumford and Sons immediately after so everyone could join in to something more upbeat. All our guests eagerly hit the dance floor and danced round us till the song ended.
Where To Go Wedding Ring Shopping In London
28 Of The Best Wedding Photographers In The UK
Everyone Is Obsessed With Marriage Right Now
The Elle Guide To Buying Wedding Wine