Indonesian & Irish Fusion Garden Party Wedding

A Fun Filled Indonesian & Irish Fusion Garden Party Wedding at Ed’s Parents House near Oxford

I was introduced to Sian and Ed to photograph their garden party wedding by the amazing Claire Louise (thanks Claire!). We met in Ed’s restaurant which was soon to become both my and my families favourite London eating experience – Le Bab. Seriously, if you’re ever near Kingly Court in central London you’ve got to check it out.

Sian and Ed’s wedding was a great example of a couple just doing things their way. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly and I had an absolute blast!

What was your favourite part of your garden party wedding?

Ed: When we walked into the meal as a newly married couple – being celebrated by everyone. (Sian note on this: what Ed means is that everyone was looking at him…)

Sian: The ceilidh was a highlight, it got quite raucous. But not as good as the massive sing-along/dance session with my family sometime around midnight. Oh – and the fireworks!! And the dog interrupting us during the ceremony. All of it.

What made you choose Ed’s parents’ house for your wedding?

The ceremony and party were held at Ed’s family home near Oxford. Most of our friends and family have great memories of time spent there (mostly parties), so it seemed natural to host the day at a place that means so much to a lot of people. Meant Bintang (the dog) could be there too!

What made you choose the details and styling for your garden party wedding?

Ed: I always wanted to do something that fused my two heritages, so I chose my outfit based on a traditional Javanese jacket and my groomspeople chose individuals batiks to create their suits. In terms of styling, the house and garden were always the main feature, so we made sure that we made the most of that.

Sian: Ed’s mum helped create the bouquets out of flowers from the garden and used lavender to decorate the tables, I loved it. A local florist helped with the larger arrangements, which looked stunning in the marquee. We never fussed over cutlery or anything like that – and I am glad we didn’t.

Do you have any advice for other couples planning their wedding?

Ed: Make sure you are doing things for you, and because you want to do them.

Sian: Agree with that completely, there are so may traditions that didn’t sit right with us and having the space the question these was important. I would also focus on everything that comes next (the actual marriage) rather than get bogged down in the details of the day.

One last thing, remember to book a taxi should you be rushing off for a 6am flight the next day for your honeymoon. Calling 5 different taxi companies at 3am isn’t that much fun. But landing to messages from friends and family and hearing about all the details of the day makes up for it!

What was it like working with Matt as a wedding photographer?

Matt was recommended by Claire Reynolds, who helped us organise the wedding and ‘ran’ the day itself. We loved the look of his portfolio online, it was relaxed and full of fun and joy. We know we wanted to capture fun or intimate moments and the feel of the day and he did just that. After meeting Matt, we both felt very relaxed and (I hope) were upfront about what we wanted and he was really open to our suggestions.

To be honest (Sian speaking here) I barely noticed Matt from the ceremony onwards! And he captured some terrific moments – we bloody love looking through the photos. All the time. Everyday.

Did you have any Entertainment on your Day?

Fiddle Paradiddle did the ceilidh – they were fab and didn’t mind that everyone had already had too much by the time they started playing and so it all got quite rowdy. Friends helped us create a playlist for the rest of the night – it was perfect. Finally, a big shout out to all the other suppliers that made Hannah and George’s Winter Wedding so Amazing!

And finally a big shout out to all of Ed and Sian’s awesome wedding suppliers!

Wedding Planner: Claire Louise Creates | Makeup & Hair: Jack Grand & Natalie Danielle| Evening Wedding Dress: Charlie Brear and Bride & Alter | Cake Artist: Manu Canales & Anna Glover | Band: Fiddle Paradiddle | Catering: Rare Food | Marquee: Joseph Benjamin marquees 

If you’re planning your wedding and looking for a wedding photographer I’d love to hear from you!