Ian & Danielle live in Abu Dhabi and planned their entire wedding from over there! I did the same back in December 2009 when we tied the knot in Cape Town, South Africa. Planning a wedding long distance, is definitely not for the faint hearted and I thought Ian & Danielle did a fantastic job! When I met Ian & Danielle for the first time during the venue visit, I realised how much the wedding and tying the knot meant to them. They had been together for a while and travelled together all over the world, before ending up in Abu Dhabi (for now). It was here that they decided that it was time to make that eternal promise to each other, in front of the people they love – their family and friends. When we met up again a few months later for their ‘seaside’ South Bank Engagement Shoot in London their Cadburys Purple, (the official name for the shade of purple they love & incorporated into the entire day) wedding, was just around the corner and I couldn’t wait to photograph what promised to be a family orientated English Country Wedding, full of love with a touch of vibrant circus!
On the 4th of June 2011, I set off with my second shooter for the day – Eddette, who spent the morning hanging out with the guys, while I spent time with the ladies getting ready at The Hare & Hounds Hotel (also the reception venue). Big shout out to Eddette for all her help on the day and for keeping me awake during the drive back home!
I loved all the DIY that went into Ian & Danielle’s wedding. Their families had lovingly hand crafted various things to add a special touch to the day – fun ‘photobooth’ props (moustaches, lips and pearls-on-a-stick), painted purple & white wooden signs, the seating plan made up of handwritten cards, clipped to white string, set into a white, swept frame and home made bunting to decorate the venue! Ian & Danielle also brought some of the ‘old’ into their ‘new’ wedding with old photographs of their parents & grandparents taken on their wedding days, displayed in the entrance hall of the venue, with a sign next to it saying “All you need is love”….and really, that is all you need!
Here are a few of my favourite photos from Ian & Danielle’s colourful, fun wedding. Thank you for allowing us to share the day with you, Mr & Mrs McEwan, here’s to a love that is sweet like chocolate and everlasting!
Ian & Danielle’s wedding was featured in the November 2011 issue of Perfect Wedding Magazine!
If you’re stopping by, please leave Ian & Danielle some love in the comment box at the end of the post.
Suppliers:
Venue: Costwold Wedding Venue: The Hare & Hounds Hotel
Bride Dress Style & Designer: Peaches from Augusta Jones
Bridesmaid dresses: Coast
Bride’s wedding scent: Paul Smith Rose
Bride’s shoes: Schuh and Dune (Mrs McEwan had not one, but TWO pairs of fabulous shoes for her wedding day – one pair for the day and one for the evening!)
Groom’s shoes: Ted Baker
Wedding Cake: Ian’s mum (one talented lady!) The top tier was fruit cake (kept for the christening), 2 tiers were Red Velvet with a cherry filling and one tier of french vanilla with a cherry filling. YUM!
Flowers: Debbie from Webbs Flowers Bristol, who gets a special mention – in Danielle’s own words: ” Debbie was incredible, especially as she had to deal with us being in Abu Dhabi and we only managed to see her twice before the day”. Danielle’s beautiful bouquet – love the colours and mixture of flowers! Some info on her bouquet in her own words: “The flowers were Purple Anemones, Purple Lisianthus, Deep Red Peonies and Orange ‘Circus’ Roses – these were as a nod to my circus heritage and also in honour of my mum who had the same roses at her own wedding. I also carried a single red rose in my bouquet for my mum. Ian had a purple Anemone buttonhole and all the groomsmen wore matching Circus roses (same as my bridesmaids except the flowergirls who had anemones)”
Bridesmaid gifts: Monsoon Compact Mirror
Danielle’s dad’s Je’taime cufflinks: Danielle found these in Dubai and they were perfect for her french papa!
Hair Stylist & Make up Artist: : Isabel While of The Bridal Styling Co
Bunting: Fabric was chosen by Ian and Danielle in Dubai and then brought home to the UK, Ian’s Nanny took charge of making the bunting with Ian’s mum.
Wooden signs: Ian’s brother Rob McEwan (who wore the storm trooper cufflinks), he was also the Videographer
The Frame with the table placements: The frame was purchased online. Ian and Danielle’s dad (Roland) set up the frame & Danielle wrote all the names on little cards by hand and then attached them to the string with the help of her maid of honour – Hannah (Ian’s sister)
Invites: Danielle & Ian designed these themselves and had some help from Ian’s brother (Andy), a graphic designer. They were then letter pressed by Piccolo Press
Framed family photos: Ian & Danielle told me that they had 3 reasons for having the framed photos of their parents & grandparents on their wedding days (above). They are both very family orientated and wanted to show the different types of family weddings which led to Ian & Danielle’s very existence! They also wanted to honour some of the people who couldn’t be there to share the day with them, but in a happy, upbeat way and how better than by celebrating their wedding days – the happiest days of their lives! Lastly they wanted to remind their guests that even with the mixture of backgrounds and family history in the McEwan & Santus families, it’s true – “All you need is love” -love can overcome anything, if you just believe in love!
