I had the pleasure of marrying Steph and Teddy this summer at The Beacon in Tunbridge Wells. Their day was quite literally picture perfect – the most gorgeous styling set across a fabulous backdrop… (for anyone looking for a stunning wedding location, the Beacon is THE ONE, FYI.) England even pulled out all the stops with some sunshine.

A whirlwind romance, they met one night at Shoreditch House and have never left each other’s sides. They have yet to do things by halves, either. Their baby girl Rumi was born 5 months before the wedding. It was special having her there to share the day with them. She even got involved in the ceremony as they held her onstage during the ring warming.

The ceremony was unique and personalised, honouring Steph’s Iranian roots with a blessing in Farsi by her uncle. A gospel choir serenaded them down the aisle and sang throughout. Their friends did a sketch they’d written themselves mid-ceremony. They wrote their own vows, and Steph read a poem she’d written for Teddy when they first met.

I caught up with Steph about their day.

How did you find out about celebrant ceremonies and what made you decide to have one?

We always knew we wanted something that was really personal. Most of the weddings we have been to we felt the ceremony's were the boring bit. Once the bride walks down it's a bit of a drag until the vows, we wanted it to be completely different and unique to us.

How was the process of creating your wedding ceremony?

We thought about what we wanted to include, my family comes from Iran so I knew I wanted to pay homage to those roots and include blessing in Farsi, I also knew i wanted it to include live music and more of a celebratory feel. I took those ideas to Roxy and then she discussed including our story to really make it authentic to us. Everything just fell into place.

Looking back at the day, how did the ceremony feel?

The ceremony was our favourite part of the wedding. Every guest said it was the best ceremony they had been to. It felt so special and unique, joyous and completely interactive with our loved ones.

What was the most special part of your ceremony and why?

For us the most special part was having our 5-month-old up there with us, the choir sang Blinded by Your Grace, while we had our guests passing our rings around wishing us good luck. It was totally magical.

Tell me about your vows?

At first we didn’t know where to start and it felt mammoth, but once we sat down and wrote a list of all the things we love about each other it was pretty easy to create them. I included a poem I had written for Teddy early in our relationship too, that was a lovely surprise for him.

What would you say to couples considering a celebrant ceremony?

We hugely recommend a celebrant ceremony. It gives you so much room to create whatever you want, of course you can keep it traditional if you want. There were certain traditions I wanted to keep in such as my dad walking me down the aisle, but it's so exciting being able to share with your guests a really unique experience you know they won't have seen before.

How did your wedding ceremony tie in with the rest of your wedding day?

Our ceremony set the tone for an epic day, the love was in the air and it was clear to see everyone was really connected. That was due the ceremony being so interactive and fun.

How did your ceremony go down with you guests?

Guests couldn't stop telling us it was by far the best ceremony they had been to. There was lots of tears and happy emotions.

How would you describe the vibe/style/look & feel of your day?

It was really important to have a relaxed vibe for us. We wanted everyone to feel comfortable and themselves, we really didn’t want it to feel stuffy. Aesthetics and the details were really important, and we wanted to create a Mediterranean holiday vibe in the heart of the English countryside, so we used fruits within the floral bouquets and lots of wicker and stone. We made an Aperol Spritz station and had lawn games for the kids. The weather also was perfect, so it really felt like we were abroad.

What's the best piece of advice you would give to other couples getting married?

Don't be afraid to personalise your wedding. I had doubts at times during the planning that it might be a bit cringy telling our story or talking about our relationship, but our guests absolutely loved it and made them feel a part of it. On the day it felt so great to have them involved and so present.

Tell me about your wedding location. How did you decide on the venue?

I found The Beacon as it popped up on Instagram way before we got engaged. I stored it in my brain and when Teddy popped the question, I knew we had to visit this place. It was the only venue we saw and immediately we knew it was the one. It was so great to be completely on the same page from the get-go.

If you could do the day all over again, is there anything you’d change?

We wouldn't change a single thing, we loved every second of it... we'd love to do it again but maybe as guests so we can enjoy all the little details we weren't able to!

Steph and Teddy’s wedding suppliers:

Photographer: Girl and Glass

Florist: The Mirror and the Veil

Stylists: Luna and the Lane

Bridesmaid make up: Lydia Pillbrow

Bride & Maid of Honour Make up: John Corcoran

Videographer: Matt Brady

Gospel Choir: CK Choir Gospel Choir