Tea for two: Emma and Jon’s vintage wedding and classic afternoon tea

After many adventures together, planning of their vintage wedding was another perfect opportunity for Emma Speed and Jon Heywood to work together on a project close to their hearts.

“A few months after we got engaged Jon and I went to volunteer in Cambodia, where we taught English in a small rural school for three months,” Emma, 27, says.

“It was a great experience for many reasons, and in terms of our relationship, really brought us together…  I came back to England feeling even happier that this amazing person would soon be my husband.”

So with a happy history of working well together, the Norwich pair took on the planning of their big day.

“I baked our wedding cake, we decorated the venue ourselves with the help of our best friends, and we made the menus, place cards and orders of service ourselves,” Emma says.

“The week before our wedding, our living room looked like a card factory! Again we were in a very stressful situation, but working together it became (mostly!) enjoyable.”

Emma and Jon, 26, wed at St Andrew’s Church Girton, Cambridgeshire on July 9, 2016 in front of 50 guests.

Sixty family and friends took part in the evening celebrations, including a classic afternoon tea served in vintage china, held at  The Secret Garden Marquee, Barton.

“We didn’t mind about things being perfect, we just wanted our wedding to focus on the important things; love, family and friends,” Emma says.

Photos courtesy of John Turner Photography.

Emma chose a beautiful lace gown, accessories and shoes from Norwich’s La Belle Angele.

Emma and Jon met at university, but didn’t become a couple until about six years later. Jon proposed in 2015 at a park in Brussles, where Jon had lived as a child, and which had special significance for his late father.

“We decided upon leaving charity donation boxes at our reception, so if people did want to kindly spend money on our behalf, it would be going somewhere more useful than to us.” Emma says.

The permanent marquee, part of the Burwash Manor Barns complex was the perfect reception venue.

 

“I think having a female best man, a bridal (unrehearsed!) speech, a wonderful busker for music, and non-uniformed bridesmaids made the day feel very natural. We had an afternoon tea, garden games, and showed a film on a projector in the evening for people who didn’t feel like dancing – we just wanted everyone to be relaxed and to have a fun day,” Emma says of their unique vintage wedding.