Alice and I have photographed a few weddings at Burgh House this year but none have been as laid back as Danielle and Konrad’s. They both arrived at the same time as their friends and family, said hi to each other and admired each other’s outfits, got on with the business of getting married in front of a small group of their close family members, had a lovely dinner and then went straight off for their mini moon.
Here’s the day in their own words.
The Beginning
we were set up on a blind date by a friend in our 2nd year of university, in Brighton. The pub we met at that night was called The Hope, and is now called the Hope and Ruin. We’re praying our future doesn’t go the same way!
Konrad proposed on holiday in Brazil, just over a year ago. We had planned the trip over the World Cup and just had an incredible time! We moved around a few times and it was during a stay in Florianopolis off the coast of Brazil that Konrad proposed – I had just had a shot of really harsh homemade cachaca on a lunch trip up the coastline, which looking back had probably helped to calm my nerves, Konrad on the other hand was not drinking and was barely touching lunch, knowing what he was about to do!
Scroll down to the bottom for the rest of Danielle and Konrad’s wedding story.
The Venue
Burgh House was one of the first places we saw and it just remained our favourite! We really wanted the venue to feel homely and intimate and so many of the venues we saw would have felt too big with our small-ish group of close family. I also liked the fact it was run by a charity and kept so beautifully; I wanted to be a part of it’s history. We also loved the wisteria.
The Outfits
Danielle: I studied textiles at uni so I thought it was be a great project to design and print my skirt and get my creative juices going again! Me and my dad spent some time drawing flowers, he drew all the orchids, and I did all the bolder parts and pieced the pattern together. I roped in some good friends from uni too and we had a really fun day back in the studio printing the 6 panels needed for the skirt.
I was so lucky to find Charlotte from Wilden Bride, who consulted with me on the print to work out how the vision for overall skirt design could be achieved. Once the fabric had been printed, Charlotte made the skirt and my lace top with impeccable skill, she’s a genius! It was really important to me to wear something I felt myself in, and I feel so proud of what a team of people helped create, so thanks guys!
Konrad: I had an old blazer in the wardrobe that I loved the colour of, it was a pale grey/blue and I always wished I had bought the matching trousers. So I tried to find something similar and was prepared to get something custom made. By chance I was lucky and stumbled on the perfect suit on the high street. In case Danielle forgot to plan for her ‘something blue’, I wore a blue silk pocket square.
The Flowers
We popped in to a florist local to Burgh House, thinking it would be a good starting point to talk to a professional about what we could do. Sayeh from Galton Flowers understood exactly what we wanted and gave us total confidence – she took care of everything right from that appointment – it was a dream.
The Ceremony
We tailored our vows. We really wanted the day to be about us in the context of our families, and not for them to simply be witnesses. So we added in a part where the parents stood and agreed to take us in to their hearts, it made us feel more confident to know our nearest and dearest were there to support us.
The speeches given by Konrad’s parents and by his brother Max were one of the best parts of the day – so heartfelt, genuine, and thoughtful. We were grateful that we had an opportunity where they could share those memories and feelings with us.
The Photography
We booked Laura for a few reasons! We saw her amazing work from a couple we knew who’s wedding album was just incredible, and who couldn’t recommend Laura enough and having met Laura we were sure she was going to be great to work with, her whole approach was perfect – honest, interested, and clearly passionate! On the day Laura really made an effort with all our guests and had taken note of the things we had told her – she was a hit with everyone!
The Reception
We decided to have a simple lunch following our ceremony, and postpone the mad dancing bit for a few weeks later!
The Words of Wisdom
Many people said this to me, and I listened, but I didn’t fully appreciate the importance of it. You must do what is best for you as a couple! If you have a clear idea of what you want to do, or if you don’t want to do a particular thing, just trust yourself and go with it. Sometimes the desires of others can feel like a compromise, so spend time planning to make sure you weigh the decisions up with care. Also, try to be present in every moment on the day so it doesn’t fly past in a flash!
The Credits
Wilden Bride // Zara // Reiss // Galton Flowers // Burgh House // Yasmin Momoniat // The Liquorice Press
“Thanks to Konrad’s mum, Hilary for the cake, Danielle’s mum, Carolyn, who made the lavender place settings for the lunch table and thanks to family that flew in from the USA and Germany, and of course to our incredible parents for their help, unwavering support and patience over the last few months! Special credit to those that helped with music, the live stream, and the explosion of ‘Just Married’ decorations on our car!”
