These newlyweds threw a stylish autumn wedding full of warm reds, oranges and plenty of Golden Hour sunshine…

Annabelle and Charles met through their work in aviation. “He’s a pilot and I work as cabin crew, it’s the typical scenario!” laughs Annabelle. “Our first date was at a little bar called ‘Traffic’, down the road from the airport.”

Charles later proposed in Grenada in the Caribbean. “It was on a balcony with the most gorgeous sunset behind us and, of course, a cocktail in hand,” says Annabelle.

Shopping for the dress

“My friend used to live right above wed2b’s Chelmsford store,” says Annabelle. “So, she would take a photo of the window display whenever it changed, and send me dress inspo. This store was the first and only shop I went to and I found my dress on the first visit!” 

Annabelle chose Kamille, a striking crepe sheath with a sheer lace bodice. “It was the fifth dress I tried on,” she says. “I knew straight away that she was perfect for me. Tight fitting and buttons right the way down the back - stunning! As soon as I put her on, the assistant said, ‘First thoughts?’ and I said, 'This is the one!'. I just knew. My veil, hair piece and jacket were all from the Chelmsford store too, along with my underskirt and belt.”

An autumn wedding

The couple chose The Ravenswood, a 15th Century house set in landscaped gardens in West Sussex, for their wedding on 24th October. “It was the first and only place we visited and, just like my dress, I just knew we had found the most perfect venue,” says Annabelle. “The building is 598 years old, and just as beautiful as ever. It had red autumnal ivy climbing up the chimney, open fireplaces and an all-round cosy feeling.”

The big day

“I got ready with my bridal party, mother and sister,” says Annabelle. “We had also buried a cooked sausage in our garden the night before the wedding (ever heard of that tradition?!). Despite it being the end of October, we had the most beautiful sunshine and no rain at all. My sister walked me down the aisle in place of my darling father, who is no longer with us. We had beautiful pieces played by a string quartet - The South Down Strings - and also a reading by Louise Cuddon called ‘I’ll Be There For You’.”

Let’s party!

“After the ceremony we did a confetti walk followed by Pimms and canapés, lots of laughter and mingling,” says Annabelle. “The wedding breakfast was a full turkey roast dinner with all the trimmings, Salmon to start and white chocolate cream brûlée to finish. We danced our first dance to Lionel Ritchie’s ‘All Night Long’ because this song seems to play whenever we are at our happiest. The universe seems to know when we are making our most beautiful memories and this song will play as if by magic!”

“An autumn wedding needs red and orange tints, so we had both colours for our bridesmaids with orange ties and socks for the groomsmen,” says Annabelle. “Charles wore dark red socks/tie to match my platform heels. I then changed into white and dark red Converse to dance the night away!”

A few cute personal touches...

“We made all of our own table decorations and favours in the same theme, plus the seating plan and signage for the entire event,” says Annabelle. “There were also hints of flying in there due to our careers, such as a ‘guest globe’ and tables named after the aircraft we fly on. But mainly it was little velvet pumpkins, log slices, aromatic orange and star anise candles, pine cones, orange slices, clear/brown bottles and foliage such as eucalyptus and bunny tails. We also made personalised newspapers about our love story, as well as personalised red and orange sunglasses. Our invitations were passports with boarding cards as reply cards. Lastly, as a nod to my new surname, Pringle, we also had to have a different flavour tube of Pringle crisps on each table!”

The best bits…

“The most memorable moment was the sparklers as the sun went down,” says Annabelle. “All our dear family and friends surrounded us in a big circle and it made the most gorgeous photos and memories.”

My top tips...

“Get married as early in the day as possible, as the time goes so quickly,” says Annabelle. “Also, it’s so hard, but try and remember it all. Smile all day, you are the centre of attention and in every picture. Be as organised as you possibly can. Pick lovely vendors who care about your big day. Capture that golden hour - they are the best pics!”

Annabelle and Charles’s Dream Team 

Photographer: Lauren Beth Photography 

Venue: The Ravenswood

Wedding dresses Chelmsford: wed2b

Florist: Tony Dunn Flowers

Cakes: Bakes by Shannon

Entertainment: JPC Events

Styling company: Mulberry Events

Hair & Makeup: Makeover Box

Ceremony music: South Downs Strings

Evening band: Millennium Bug at Function Central

Invitations: Feel Good Invites

If you would like us to feature your big day, like this autumn wedding, then please click here to share your story and photos with us and we’ll be in touch. Your nearest wed2bis closer than you think, click here for your nearest store and here for what to expect when you visit.