CHELSEA & SIMON
A Beautifully Personal Autumn Wedding at Rudge Farm
Chelsea and Simon’s September wedding was a beautiful celebration of family, treasured memories and wonderfully personal details. With a rich autumnal colour palette of burnt oranges, deep reds, soft whites and natural greens, their day was filled with warmth, character and thoughtful touches.
Dried floristry, delicate bunny tails, pampas grass and touches of sunflowers brought a lovely seasonal feel to the celebrations, while soft, flowing ceiling drapes added an elegant contrast to the rustic surroundings.
From a deeply personal walk through generations of family memories to a relaxed outdoor feast and speeches beneath the open sky, Chelsea and Simon created a wedding that was entirely their own.
A Beautiful Morning at Rudge Farm
The morning began with Chelsea and Simon getting ready separately in two of Rudge Farm’s holiday cottages.
Chelsea prepared for the day in Hayloft Cottage, where she chose to share a particularly special moment with her dad. Just outside the cottage, the two enjoyed a beautiful first look before the ceremony, creating a treasured memory together.
Chelsea looked effortlessly elegant in a classic-inspired wedding gown, featuring a bandeau-style neckline and delicate dropped cap sleeves, finished with a gorgeous veil.
Meanwhile, Simon was getting ready in Thatcher’s Cottage. His darker grey tweed-style jacket and contrasting tweed waistcoat were complemented by personalised cufflinks, a beautiful vintage-style pocket watch and a dried floral buttonhole.
Chelsea’s dad wore a suit that coordinated beautifully with Simon’s waistcoat, another thoughtful detail that brought the wedding party’s styling together.
A Walk Through Generations of Family Memories
One of the most touching features of Chelsea and Simon’s wedding was the beautiful memory walk they created along Rudge Farm’s nature trail.
As guests made their way towards the Lower Meadow, they were invited to enjoy a collection of family photographs displayed along the woodland walk.
From childhood photographs of Chelsea and Simon to treasured images of their parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents, the trail became a celebration of the generations and family stories that had brought them to this special day.
It was such a thoughtful way to include their family history in their wedding, allowing guests to pause, reminisce and share in those memories as they made their way towards the ceremony.
A truly beautiful personal touch, and one that made their wedding feel all the more meaningful.
Wedding Day Details
The Wedding Day Details
Wedding Date — Saturday 28th September 2024
Guest Numbers — 75–100 guests
Wedding Venue — Rudge Farm Weddings, Dorset
Ceremony & Reception — Rudge Farm
Wedding Preparations — Hayloft Cottage and Thatcher’s Cottage
Couples’ Portraits — Hive Beach, Dorset
Wedding Colour Palette — Burnt orange, deep red, white and natural green
Wedding Flowers — Dried bridal bouquet and buttonholes, with fresh flowers in bud vases for the reception tables
Marquee Styling — Satin-style crêpe ceiling draping, decorative greenery ladders and autumnal floristry
Personal Details — Family memory walk, DIY wedding decorations, striped deckchairs, outdoor speeches and a family-heirloom sword for the cake cutting
A Feast to Remember
Chelsea and Simon chose a relaxed and sociable approach to their wedding catering, with Asado Fire and Kitchen creating a beautiful outdoor-inspired feast.
Rather than traditional welcome canapés, guests enjoyed generous charcuterie boards, perfect for sharing and grazing.
For the main meal, an abundance of delicious food was presented on beautiful self-service boards and displays. With pork, chicken and salmon cooked over an open flame, accompanied by fresh salads and potatoes, the dining experience was as much a part of the celebration as the food itself.
Their wedding cake was a classic sponge with a cream filling, finished in a rustic semi-naked style and decorated with delicate dried floristry.
And when the time came to cut the cake, Chelsea and Simon introduced a rather extraordinary family heirloom: an enormous sword!
It made for a wonderfully dramatic, hilarious and memorable cake-cutting moment, perfectly reflecting the couple’s sense of fun.
From the Dorset Countryside to the Jurassic Coast
Chelsea and Simon also made the most of Rudge Farm’s beautiful location by visiting nearby Hive Beach for their couples’ portraits.
Just a short drive from the farm, the beach provided a spectacular backdrop, with the dramatic cliffs of the Jurassic Coast adding another dimension to their wedding photographs.
Beautifully captured by Kate Ventres Photography, their portraits brought together the romance of the Dorset countryside and the breathtaking natural beauty of the coast.
The Drinks Selection
Welcome Drinks — Ca’ di Alti Prosecco
Non-Alcoholic Alternative — Luscombe Elderflower Pressé
Table Wine — Red Table Wine — Les Olivers Merlot, White Table Wine — Garganega Pinot Grigio
Toasting Drinks — Ca’ di Alti Prosecco
Explore Chelsea & Simon’s Wedding Gallery
From Chelsea’s beautiful first look with her dad and the family photographs lining the nature trail to the romantic marquee draping, autumnal floristry, relaxed outdoor speeches and breathtaking coastal portraits, Chelsea and Simon’s wedding gallery is filled with meaningful moments.
Explore their photographs and discover the wonderful personal touches that made their September wedding at Rudge Farm so special.
The Wonderful Wedding Suppliers
Marquee — Taddle Farm Tents
Marquee — Taddle Farm Tents
Wedding Catering — Asado Fire and Kitchen
Wedding Photography — Kate Ventres Photography
Wedding Registrars — Dorset Registrars
Wedding Cake — Blossom Dream Cakes
Floristry — Dorset Dried Flowers
Decorative Ladders & Greenery — Winterborne Higher and Styling
Ceremony & Welcome Drinks Music — Live acoustic guitar, performed by a family member
Deckchairs — 50 blue and white striped deckchairs, kindly supplied by a family member
Personal Wedding Styling & DIY Details — Chelsea, Simon and their family
