Sheila & Paul’s outdoor wedding at The Old Hall Ely on a very hot Summer’s day

As I sit here typing on a cold day in January it’s hard to remember how hot it was for Sheila & Paul’s outdoor wedding at The Old Hall Ely. But it really was! It was one of the hottest days of last Summer.

The couple chose to have their whole day at The Old Hall Ely, including a lovely outdoor ceremony in the gazebo overlooking the lakes. The day started at Sheila’s parents home, where she got ready with her bridesmaids and family. There were people arriving to wish her well. Sheila’s mum is Kenyan, so a few Kenya wedding traditions were incorporated into the wedding day. Once Sheila was ready to leave for the wedding she and her mum made their way through the house to songs and dance, followed by a blessing.

Paul had already arrived at The Old Hall Ely, ready to greet their guests. Sheila tucked herself away in the bridal suite and relaxed with her bridesmaids, waiting for the time to make her way to the ceremony.

Their outdoor ceremony was really special. They exchanged their vows surrounded by their loved ones in the beautiful garden setting. There were plenty of smiles, a little nervous hand-holding and lots of cheering when they were announced as husband and wife. They walked back down the aisle to flurries of confetti before joining their guests for drinks, canapes, garden games and ice cream! As a special treat (and it was well-received on such a hot day) Sheila & Paul had arranged for an Italian Gelato stand during the drinks reception. The queue alone made it clear how popular a choice that was!

After some time mingling and chatting with their guests I whisked the new Mr & Mrs away for a little time together and a few relaxed photos around the grounds. We then made our way to the beautifully decorated marquee for the wedding breakfast.

The marquee looked stunning. All thanks to the beautiful decor by Larkspur Floral Design, a cake to die for by Emily Harmston Cakes and pretty stationery by Paper Arrow Press.

Soon it was time for speeches. Touching, heartfelt and funny, plus a little embarrassment courtesy of the best men (I wouldn’t have it any other way for speeches!). After the speeches, Sheila’s family followed a Kenyan tradition of dressing the bride and groom with items to wish them luck and fortune in their marriage. They then danced and sang to wish them luck and encouraged all the other guests to join in. So much joy and a great way to kick the evening celebrations off.

It was still very warm as the party started inside so guests spilt out onto the veranda to enjoy the evening breeze and the last of the sun. And what a sunset we got! An absolutely stunning end to a really special day. I hope you enjoy Sheila & Paul’s Summers outdoor wedding at The Old Hall Ely. Make sure to scroll to the end to check out those sunset photos!

Suppliers

Venue – The Old Hall Ely

Hair & Makeup – Malkia

Brides dress – Burr Bridal

Grooms suit – Ted Baker

Bridesmaids dresses – ASOS

Flowers – Larkspur Floral Design

Cake – Emily Harmston Cakes

Stationery – Paper Arrow Press

Band – Mansfield Avenue

I hope you enjoyed this gorgeous outdoor wedding at The Old Hall Ely. If you liked this post, why not check out Yvonne & James’s outdoor boho wedding at South Farm.

Thanks for popping by.

Fiona x