A Sage Green Countryside Wedding at The Ravenswood | Emma & Darren

Emma and Darren picked one of the hottest days of the year for their wedding at The Ravenswood, and hardly a cloud showed up to spoil it.

With 95 guests gathered across the venue’s grounds, the day moved from a relaxed, sunlit morning of getting ready through to a ceremony at the Little Castle, portraits down by the lake and boathouse, and a reception that ran long into the evening.

Guests were welcomed by crates of white flowers and a hand-lettered sign made by Emma’s nieces, setting the tone for the rustic, sage green styling that ran through the day.

It’s exactly the kind of personal detail that makes a wedding feel entirely its own.

Getting Ready

Emma and her bridesmaids got ready together at The Ravenswood, the room full of laughter, croissants, and hair and makeup artists working through the morning heat.

Emma wanted natural, candid moments over posed ones today, and that spirit was there from the very first photos. To say that the getting ready room was busy and chaotic was an understatement!

The Ceremony

Emma and Darren chose not to see each other before the ceremony, but Emma did have a first look with her dad, Richard, who walked her down the aisle under clear blue skies to The Ravenswood’s Little Castle… the same spot where they’d exchange their vows shortly after, backed by the sound of a live cellist and a reading from Emma’s mum.

Confetti followed straight after, guests lining the path back from the Little Castle in the midday sun.

Portraits in the Grounds

With the heat of the day at its peak, Emma and Darren slipped away to The Ravenswood’s lake and boathouse for a few quiet minutes together before the reception – two of the spots they’d specifically asked to have photographed.

The Reception

Andy, the day’s toastmaster, led Emma and Darren into the wedding breakfast to a room full of napkins waving overhead – a proper, noisy welcome into married life.

Speeches

Four speeches followed the meal – from Emma, her dad Richard, Darren, and best man Simon – with plenty of laughter around the top table. Darren’s son Ethan, his best man, wore his grandad’s watch for the day, a small detail that meant a lot to the family.

Cake Cutting and the First Dance

The semi-naked three-tier cake, finished with white roses and eucalyptus, was cut before Emma and Darren took to the floor for their first dance to John Legend’s “Conversation in the Dark” – guests circled around them for the whole thing.

A June Wedding at The Ravenswood

From a scorching morning of getting ready to a first dance as the evening cooled down, Emma and Darren’s wedding at The Ravenswood was full of the kind of small, personal touches that make a day feel entirely its own – hand-painted signs from two nieces, a cello and a reading from Emma’s mum during the ceremony, and a grandfather’s watch worn by the best man. The heat never let up, and neither did the fun.

Suppliers

Venue & Catering: The Ravenswood (in-house)
Celebrant: West Sussex Registration Service
Hair: Toni & Guy, East Grinstead
Makeup: Claire Field Bridal
Florist: Helgaz Flowers
Videographer: Musk Photography & Films
Cake: Peek-a-boo Cakes
Band: Funky Junky
DJ: JPC Events
Toastmaster: Andy
Styling & Decor: Mulberry Events

Planning a Wedding at The Ravenswood?

If you’re getting married at The Ravenswood and are looking for a photographer who knows the venue well, I’d love to hear about your plans.

Also photographed at: South Lodge ▸ and Highley Manor ▸

More real weddings at The Ravenswood: A Summer Wedding ▸ and Chloe & Josh’s Christmas Wedding ▸

Getting married at The Ravenswood yourself? Take a look at my dedicated page for the venue and find out what to expect from the day.