An opera aria closed the garden ceremony, sung by the maid of honour as guests sat out in the grounds at Oxon Hoath. That detail stayed with Jo and Jimmy’s June 2018 wedding, a summer day built around music, family speeches and a party that moved from the lawn to the marquee and then into the house.
Morning
The morning began in the bridal suite at Oxon Hoath, with hair and make-up underway from 8.30am. Jo got ready in the house while the rest of the day took shape around the gardens, the marquee and the ceremony space outside.
Ceremony
The ceremony took place in the garden at 1pm. Jo walked out from the house and down the aisle with acoustic music playing, before she and Jimmy married in front of their guests in the grounds. The maid of honour’s opera aria at the end gave the ceremony a clear, personal finish.
Speeches and Wedding Breakfast
After drinks and canapes on the lawn, guests moved into the marquee for the wedding breakfast from 4pm. The speeches were placed between the courses, with the bride’s father, Jo, Jimmy’s parents, the best man and Jimmy all speaking across the meal. The marquee was set with long trestle tables and a top table, keeping everyone close to the speeches as the afternoon moved into evening.
Evening
The cake cutting took place around 7.30pm before the party moved into the house. Jo and Jimmy had prepared a choreographed first dance and kept it secret from their guests, so that moment had a real reaction in the room. After that, the live band played through the night with DJ music between the sets.