The beauty of the Cotswolds is unparalleled. Famous for its rolling landscapes and historic, stone-built homes, it’s the perfect location for a stunning garden wedding. Zoe and Jacob thought this exact thing when they chose The Compton Gallery as their wedding venue. What’s more, their wedding was the very first for the venue! How exciting is that?! Zoe is a food stylist and knows what looks good. She showed some enviable design skills in the décor for the wedding. Their ceremony took place under the coolest safari-style tent and their reception featured tons of custom details like personalized tambourines for the guests, fruit and wine inspired centerpieces and artistic menu cards. Every detail was executed to perfection!
Not only was their wedding day beautiful, it was also incredibly emotional. We love what Zoe had to say about their special ceremony: Our ceremony was humanist and held by the best celebrant you could possibly dream of. We found Zina Birch after attending a wedding a few years ago that connected us deeply to a couple we barely knew. She gave us the monumental task of writing down ‘the story of us’ from the day we conceived of each other to now. We laced those 12 years into an incredibly personal and intimate ceremony with no holds barred. During the ceremony, Zina passed our rings along all our guests to be held, blessed, or spent a moment with. There wasn’t a dry eye!
So beautiful! Let’s take a walk in the garden shall we and look at the day through the lens of Nicola Dixon Photography!
How completely gorgeous does Zoe look in her Galvan London lace gown?! She modernized the look with ASOS shoes as well as the coolest Topshop jacket.
Safari Meets Garden for the Ceremony
The Compton Gallery is already a stunning venue, but Zoe and Jacob dressed it to the nines on wedding day!
Zoe told us a bit about their process of finding their dream venue: From the get-go, we knew we wanted to create something beautiful and nontraditional. We wanted to celebrate the 12 years of love we had shared after meeting quite young. It took us over a year to find the Compton Gallery. It’s possibly the most beautiful home I’ve ever been in, and it’s situated perfectly in a pretty valley in Gloucestershire. We wanted something elegant and relaxed, understated yet luxurious, and ideally in a location where no one had been married before. The Compton gallery ticked all the boxes.
Wild & Co Flower Studio took garden wedding flowers to a whole new level here! We’re loving this lush green moongate arch with just a hint of floral!
Total cuties!!
Loving the pops of orange rose petals! If you’re looking to do color in a sleek and modern way, think about choosing one stand-out tone and pairing it with white or green to make a big statement!
Each guest had a personalized tambourine that really got the party started! Zoe hand-lettered each one herself! It’s such a fun exit idea that can get your guests excited and ready to dance before the reception begins!
The happiest moment of the day was when Jacob and I entered the marquee together and all 120 guests had their tambourines in their hands, shaking them - It was the sound of pure love. I still cry thinking about that moment.
Head Over Heels for this Stylish Couple
Such a striking bouquet up against the greens of the English countryside! Also, we still can’t get over how stunning Zoe looks in that slinky gown!!
A Sleek and Modern Garden Party
Such a cozy garden wedding reception space! We love how Zoe and Jacob kept their lounge area minimal and modern!
Zoe described the vibe of the ceremony and reception spaces like this: We had large fire pits burning all day, and metal oil lamps lining the marquee’s perimeter. It was a chilly day and it added something spiritual to the occasion. We had African baskets filled with thick wool blankets, a huge Indian day bed and antique furniture piled with patterned cushions. We dressed the courtyard with potted hydrangeas, patina lanterns, and festoon lights strung overhead. Our playlist began with old Italian songs which spilled out onto the courtyard as guests sipped Aperol spritz and grapefruit gin and tonics.
Carousel
Carousel
Fruit in the centerpieces?? Yes please! We also love the soft pastel hues of the taper candles, napkins and area rug. The space looks so light, airy and inviting!
Here’s what Zoe had to say about the inspiration behind their reception decor: We dressed the tables in brass candlesticks, bowls of cascading muscat grapes, pedestal bowls of figs and, the odd guava, lemon or and black cherries. We took inspiration from Mediterranean feasts, long rambling alfresco dinners, and Italian tablescapes. We loved the idea of using fruit to dress the tables, and it also doubled up as part of our dessert.
Planning your own outdoor reception or garden wedding? Check out these 15 Magical Tent Decor Ideas to transform your space into something truly stunning!
In addition to their beautiful tablescapes, Zoe and Jacob had the cutest menu cards that tied the color scheme all together!
Lead with love, and enjoy every second.
Congratulations Zoe and Jacob! The GWS is wishing you both the very best!
photography: Nicola Dixon Photography // venue name: The Compton Gallery, Cotswolds, England, UK // florals: Wild & Co Flowers // wedding dress: Galvan London // bride's shoes: ASOS // catering: Klose & Soan // officiant: Zena Birch // bride's jacket: Topshop
Very beautiful and elegant. Congratulations to you both.
Gorgeous! Do you know the supplier name of the safari style tent for the ceremony? X
this is so beautiful <3
Georges!! This is very beautiful