Cara + Callum | June 2024
“Sarah, as soon as we met you we knew you were going to tell our story and we are so pleased you did. The script was so ‘us’ and everyone commented on how brilliant you were! ”
Before making my way over to my cosy haven Healey Barn for Cara and Callum’s wedding, I first dropped in at one of my FAVOURITE parts of a wedding day: the bridesmaid pre-party. And Cara’s friends did not disappoint; there was gossiping, there was giggling, there were pastries, the kettle was on, the prosecco flowing too, and the lovely Sarah Linfoot make up artist was working her magic.
I’m a JOJI celebrant: Joy of Joining In. Try and stop me.
Images by Pennick Photography
Cara and Callum are such a gorgeous, contented pair and that’s how the wedding felt - the muted, white flowers adding to the chilled cosiness. There were fab personal touches too - I told guests all about the pair’s first date, meeting for coffee and cake at Mason + Rye in Fenwicks (chosen because Callum had banged on to Cara about how good the cake was), and then their friends and family got to experience it for themselves in the wedding cake. And not just one cake, but a selection of their three favourite Mason + Rye flavours.
Guests were greeted to live music from singer Remy CB as they arrived, and he sang La Vie en Rose as Cara walked down the aisle with her great uncle Bill. Bill put the “great” in great uncle, what a dear babe.
One thing I love about Cara and Callum (and I love loads about gorgeous Cara and Callum) is that when I suggested we could pop a bottle at the end of their ceremony, they said “Yeah, but…could we do it at the beginning?”. So, only five minutes into the ceremony I popped a bottle of prosecco, toasted the nearly-weds, and then they got to have a chilled sit down with a chilled glass of fizz each as I told their love story. Great plan, wish it had been my suggestion.
When (little) things go wrong in a wedding they (sometimes) - please note both brackets haha - end up being among the best and most memorable parts. Cara’s bridesmaid Amy had chosen a poem for the couple, and their friend Ben had been asked to read it. HOWEVER when I glanced down at my folder I saw “Amy” and mistakenly invited her up to read it. She looked panicked. PANICKED and UNPREPARED. And that’s when I realised my mistake, inviting Ben up instead. It was a light, funny moment as Amy let out an audible sigh of relief to laughter from the room.
The whole ceremony was so light and joyful, full of laughs as we recounted Cara’s mum stalking years back on Callum’s Facebook before her daughter had even been on their first date, holiday disasters the couple have endured, and all the - many - times Cara thought her boyfriend was about to propose and…he didn’t.
But flowers, poems, prosecco and holiday stories aside, the icing on the cake - if you will pardon the pun - was how into each other they are. That giddiness you witness when both the bride and groom feel like they are each the lucky one.
“You go the extra mile to make sure everyone is as comfortable as possible and we are so thankful we found you.”