Leah and Stephen's romantic October wedding at Ashridge House blended timeless elegance with rich autumnal tones, set against the venue's historic charm and iconic architecture.
Real wedding
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Please can you tell us a bit about yourselves – where you're from, how you met, etc.?
Leah is from the West Midlands and Steve is from Surrey. They first met in 2018 after Leah finished University and joined the recruitment consultancy where Steve worked in the City of London. They hit it off instantly and became good friends, and in 2019, decided to start dating. That summer, Leah ended up in the hospital for 3 days with suspected sepsis and Steve rushed back from a family holiday in Cornwall to be by her side. Talk about in sickness and health from the get-go!
Flash forward to January 2023 – the couple is living in Germany and decided to take a holiday to Northern Finland. Steve proposed after a private 3-course dinner cooked under the stars as they waited for the Northern Lights to appear!
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Please can you tell us a bit about the venue and location – Why did you choose Ashridge House?
As they reside in Germany, planning a wedding from abroad was no easy task. Leah had a list of requirements: A "stately home" / old English type of venue, something with a hotel on-site to make it easy for anyone flying in, enough space for about 100 people, and lots of natural light. Steve's requirements were: whatever Leah wanted!
Upon viewing Ashridge House, they knew it was the perfect backdrop for their special day. It met all of Leah’s requirements, and the couple absolutely fell in love with the grand architecture, secret doors, winding staircases, and elegant gardens.
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Did your wedding have a theme / colour scheme? Please tell us about the overall aesthetic, inspiration, and flowers.
Leah explains: “I absolutely love the Autumn season and with us having a mid-October wedding (12.10.24), I knew I had to incorporate some beautiful oranges and rusts in the flowers and my bridesmaids dresses. With us getting married on the grand staircase and it being located centrally, where guests go past all day, I wanted to make sure it was decorated with loads of flowers and leaves. The perfect spot for not just our ceremony, but also our cake cutting, family photos and for guests to get some great selfies! The florist, Tanya Davies from Apple Blossom Flowers, did an incredible job of bringing my vision to life.”
She adds: “Ashridge was the perfect venue to encourage guests to "dress to impress" and get their best tuxedos and floor-length dresses out! Because the House already had so many beautiful details and such a rich history, it doesn't need loads of "dressing up". I wanted to keep the decor timeless and ensure that the time of year, venue and wedding all blended together smoothly. I'd always said, "I want a romantic ceremony and then a serious party!" and that's exactly what we got.”
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Photography: Lauren Mitchell Photography
Florist: Apple Blossom Flowers