Sarah + Huw | July 2025
“We couldn’t have asked for a better celebrant, Sarah was so personable...she brought bundles of enthusiasm and was genuinely interested in getting to know us and ensuring we had the best day. It was clear that everything she did came from a place of genuine passion.”
The bride, in Vivienne Westwood no less, walked down the aisle at beeeeeautiful Silchester Farm, mum on one arm and dad on the other, to one of the most heartbreakingly gorgeous pieces of music from - perhaps - an unexpected source. Disney’s Encanto. If you’re a parent you’ll recognise it: Dos Oruguitas (Two Caterpillars), it’s sweet and oh-so-moving. Especially played live on acoustic guitar in an al fresco ceremony festooned with pink flowers (courtesy of Stems Wilder).
The setting for part one of the ceremony…although we didn’t know at the time there would be a part two
It was such an emotional start to a beautiful outdoor ceremony. An outdoor ceremony that became an indoor ceremony (but more on that later).
There was plenty of champagne all day, and the proceedings began with a loved one reciting wedding reading You Are The Bubbles (by Rachel Bright):
Together, you are the bubbles in one another’s champagne
The morning sun through a window
The breaking of a smile.
Together, you are the one doughnut in the bag with more jam than all the others.
That photo where everybody looks great.
The know-all-the-words, sing-out-of-tune chorus of your favourite song.
Together, you are the beginnings of a big idea.
The twinkly bits that hang in the sky after the firework goes bang.
The cold, thin air at the top of a mountain.
The only two people in a crowded room.
Together, you are that unforgettable day of the holiday.
An accidental adventure.
Chocolate chip.
The last two pages of your favourite book.
A BBQ with friends.
The spray of the sea.
The nose of the cheese.
A kiss.
A hug.
A hold-my-hand.
A decision which, looking back, will seem to be the most excellent one you’ve ever made.
Together you are bubbles.
The unburstable bubbles of the very best things in life.
The only things any of us ever really need.
Beautiful photos by Lucy Darby Photography
One of my favourite parts in a ceremony is telling the story of how a couple first met, which stars had to align, which friends had to meddle, which dates, times and places had to intersect.
There was a part of Sarah and Huw’s meet-cute that got lots of laughs from their assembled friends and family, the story of how when Huw was approached by two random girls at a party (Sarah and her wing-woman friend) and was put on the spot and asked his “ultimate fantasy”, he gave a different answer to the other blokes there. He painted a picture of a future lazy Saturday morning with his theoretical future wife having a lie in, and him contentedly cooking pancakes for his theoretical future kids. Sarah was, obviously, immediately smitten. He’d mentioned the double girlhood kryptonite of carbs and naps.
Relaying the story during the ceremony was sweet and funny, but referring to it again right at the end - as we were all about to cheer the couple out - made me well up. Talking about how one day, perhaps not too far in the future, Huw will look around and realise he is living his dream: cooking pancakes for his children and his sleeping wife.
We moved into the cosy, dry barn for the second half of the ceremony
And I will remember Sarah and Huw’s wedding for all those lovely and funny and emotional moments, but the thing that will stick most in my mind is that theirs is the first ceremony where I have had the responsibility of making the decision of whether or not to move everybody inside, when the rain began to fall. It was such a weird feeling, knowing that the decision was down to me - but better a decision than none at all! Of course I could have asked the bride and groom but we were mid-ceremony, they were full of adrenaline, and I didn’t think it was fair to make them decide. Ultimately I looked across at Sarah - looking exquisite in her Vivienne Westwood gown - and thought “I cannot be responsible for you getting soaked!”.
But you know what? I had About Time in my head and we romanticised it all. Brollies up, Huw sheltering Sarah under his, guests scurrying in all their multi-coloured, dressed up glory into the dry barn. It was fun! It was unifying. And then when we’d all caught our breath and the ceremony began again I thought: how great that when the bride and groom picture their wedding ceremony they have two versions to reminisce about.
“We had originally viewed the ceremony as on obligation to get through, but it easily became one of our favourite parts of the day thanks to Sarah.”