There’s no place like home. I’m an incredibly fortunate man, I have my health, my amazing wife and a little place by the sea. Driving up to the lodge in Suffolk is a wonderful experience. Regardless of how long it’s going to take, I know when I get there I’ll be greeted by calm and tranquillity. The gentle swells of the sea and the undulations of the clouds create an ever changing landscape which is a sight to behold. Having lived in the city for a number of years it appears I have forgotten much of my youth; the time spent outdoors. How sad is it that for the last ten years I have spent more time inside than out, there’s something fundamentally not right about that. The landscape moves and changes. Colours come and go, the tunes of birds hang on the wind and edible treats can be found on long walks. I need to get out of the city.
Suffolk is an incredible place, life happens at a different pace and a sense of calm washes over me within seconds of arriving on the coast. Sunny days eating fish and chips at Aldeburgh, wandering through Snape Maltings looking for new furniture or long walks on the beach, I never get tired of spending time there. There’s never enough time to do all the nothing you want! If you ever fancy a visit, local knowledge is key. Seahawks in Leiston do the best fish and chips, I know because I’ve sampled every outlet :).
Of course the bride and groom are the stars of the show. But then there’s this wee one…
A simple joy of a coastal region is that the weather is constantly shifting too, even if it rains it never seems to last long and then you’re greeted with that stunning light that only occurs post heavy rain. Which is what makes Suffolk the perfect place to hold a wedding. More specifically, the Marsh Farm at the White Dove Barns Suffolk. It’s charming, beautiful, expansive yet cosy. A perfect wedding venue.
The aim of any venue is to provide it’s clients with an amazing experience, White Dove Barns is no exception.
When planning your wedding, don’t underestimate how much time everything will take to arrange and organise. Even if there’s only a handful of planned tasks, I guarantee something new will pop up. On my own wedding day, after meticulously hand writing place cards, I left them all at home. Everyone was of course thrilled. With this in mind, it’s good to know that when you get married at the White Dove Barns, you have a whole day before the wedding to prep and set up, ahhh, I can feel the stress melting away. Relax those shoulders, have a cup of tea. The beauty of this is that all of your guests can get involved the day before too, it makes for a much more meaningful few days as the catch up chat can move on to deep bonding conversation. Throw in a few drinks and everyone will be best friends before the wedding day has even begun!
Lucy and Andy decided not to get married at the barn, instead saying their vows at the nearby St. Mary’s Church in Ditchingham. Then returning to the barn in the afternoon to carry on the celebrations. As I mentioned earlier, the beauty of coastal regions is that the weather is always in flux. Constant sea breezes move the weather along at a steady pace, a brief shower hear and there is to be expected, but respite will always come. We nipped out into the gardens after one said shower to capture a few couple shots on the jetty. Another example of love in action. Posing is never necessary. Get two people in love, put them in a lovely setting with some good light and the rest falls into place. No direction, no poses, just genuine affection.
The wedding licence at the White Dove Barn allows you to get married with up to 128 guests in attendance. Another big win. Accommodation on site. Up to forty guests in twenty bedrooms. This is mega, having all of your nearest and dearest on site is brilliant for the morning prep. Everyone begins to feel the nervous tension and the excitement builds throughout the morning, it’s electric.
