As sought-after wedding photographers and videographers, Hannah and Ben from Steel and Oak are no strangers to Ash Barton. But they found themselves on the other side of the camera last December when they had their own wedding day here. And what a rock n roll wedding it was. We found a few moments in Hannah’s busy schedule to talk about karaoke, her personalised Vans and those Domino’s Pizzas!

So tell us where you met and how long you were together before you got married?

"We had been together nearly nine years on the day we got married. We met on Facebook. Ben added me as a friend, and we ended up going out for a drink with friends. And we’ve been together since." 

Tell us about the proposal. Who proposed to who?  

"We went away to New York together in 2019. It was by Manhattan bridge and Ben made me stare at boats for half an hour! He was struggling to do it, I think, and was acting super nervous! We went to the top of these steps to look over Manhattan. There were beautiful roses, which someone must have done already, and then he went down to tie up his shoelaces. I turned around to see him with a ring asking me to marry him. After telling him ‘no, shut up, I hate you’ I said yes! I think I was in shock ha ha!"

Why did you choose Ash Barton as your wedding venue?  

"We always used to have house parties with our friends, and we loved the vibe of having everyone together and making it a super chill day."

Were there any facilities at Ash Barton that really stood out?

"I loved the fact it has no curfew! A lot of venues end at midnight, but it was super important to us to enjoy our day as long as possible." 

How many guests attended your wedding and what was the theme?

"We had 45 guests and we opted for a cool, laid-back festival vibe with lots of bright colours. Our confetti came from Your Confetti. And the decorations from Jumbo Production."

Who did the beautiful bouquets? 

"The bouquets and the top table were done by Loolabells Floristry. And the button holes, cake topper and hair comb as well as the table flowers were done by The Bunch Club."

What did you wear? Where did your outfits come from? 

"I wore a gorgeous Moreilee wedding dress from Sassi Holfords, Vans that were hand painted, and a leather jacket from Nasty Gal. The bridesmaids wore dresses by Maya Deluxe and the flower girls wore dresses from UK Flower Girl Boutique. Ben wore suits from Zebel Bespoke in Exeter."

Who did your hair and make-up? 

"Hair was done by Yasmin Hull and make-up by Hannah Marie Rimes."

And how about your wedding rings? 

"My ring is from Kemps in Bridgwater. And Ben’s ring is from Rock Solid Rings."

Tell us about the day itself. What was the order of the day’s events? 

"We started our day at 1pm. It was pretty chill but organised as we hired a wedding co-ordinator for the day – Palm to Palm - which kept us all in check. After getting married we enjoyed canapés inspired by take-aways. We had some drinks and photos. And then we had our speeches before the food, which had street food vibes. We cut the cake and had the first dance. Then we had karaoke which was the best decision! Everyone loved it. And we finished the day off with Domino’s Pizza for our evening food."

We need to know more about the food! Who did the catering?  

"Dan’s American Kitchen did our food for the day. Because we wanted street food, we had a mix of Philly cheese steak sandwiches and burritos and hot dogs. And for our take-away inspired canapés, he mixed all our faves including Chinese and fish and chips! Our evening food was from Domino’s Pizza which I ordered six weeks before via head office and was a massive hit with our guests! FlyBar managed the bar."

And how about the days before and after the wedding?

"So before, everyone went to the grocery store and grabbed their own food to cook at Ash Barton. And then the day after it was just me and Ben and another couple, so we just cooked in the evening and chilled."

What was the wedding cake like? Who made it?

"We opted for a naked cake but wanted cool flavours. So we had funfetti, and red velvet, chocolate and lemon from Mrs Smudgers Kitchen."

What was the entertainment? 

"We had the amazing Coastal Discos for our karaoke and DJ. During the ceremony we had the singer Karl Ficarotta."

Presumably you didn’t do your own photography. So who did you choose?

"We had the brilliant Simon and Kiana Photography. And then Fire and Ice for the videography."

What was the most magical moment of the day? 

"Seeing Ben as I walked down the aisle in the old chapel." 

Anything go wrong or any mishaps?  

"Only one. My brother was supposed to give me away but unfortunately tested positive for COVID on the morning of the wedding. So my maid of honour stepped in and gave me away."

And how did you add a personal touch to your wedding?  

"My personalised Vans and embroidered veil by Rebecca Anne Designs. And we hired colourful streamers and had them installed around the barn. Ben and I also gave each other little notes on the morning of the wedding too."

What’s your advice to other couples planning a wedding at Ash Barton? Any top tips? 

"Don't stress over the little things and just enjoy the day as it goes so fast. Also hire a wedding co-ordinator for the day. It took so much stress off us worrying about it not flowing."

And finally. Would you recommend Ash Barton as a wedding venue? 

"Absolutely 100%! It was perfect for us. Honestly I cannot thank Simon and Henry enough for all their help leading up to and on the day!"

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