Last August, Team Elegante took Chicago-based Claudia and Dan and their loved ones to Hampshire’s ‘party palace’ for a weekend of celebrations against an elegant country house setting. Their three-day Avington Park wedding was luxurious, romantic and absolutely packed full of fun and dancing – and we’re taking you back there today to see what it was all about!
Claudia and Dan fell for Avington Park for a number of reasons, among them being its exclusive use status. This meant they could hire the estate for the entire weekend, beginning with a welcome dinner on the Friday evening and culminating in a Sunday clay pigeon shoot the day after their wedding. Another huge attraction was the river that runs through the grounds, and Dan loved the idea of arriving at their ceremony by boat! Finally, the impressive ballroom and beautiful grounds were the ideal backdrop for the celebrations.
One of the real show-stopping features of Claudia and Dan’s Avington Park wedding was the incredible floral artistry by Paula Rooney. Halfway through construction of their elaborate ceremony arch (which was planned to be outside) it started to rain, and we quickly swapped to ‘Plan B’ and brought it inside…and everyone agreed it might have been even better than the original plan! We always advocate for having a ‘wet weather plan’, and you can read our recent blog to see that alternative arrangements can be just as spectacular as the originals. Their beautiful arch provided the backdrop to their ceremony, written specifically for and delivered by Katie Keen of True Blue Ceremonies, and then remained in situ to frame their wedding cake.
Claudia and Dan chose a four-tier cake from MonAnnie cakes, featuring intricate sugar flowers to harmonise with Paula’s incredible florals. Firm favourite flavours such as lemon, chocolate and red velvet were available. Speaking of flavours, food and drink were very important to the couple and Adam Nathan Catering really delivered on a first-class wedding breakfast and amazing canapes! They even came up with a solution for Dan’s request to serve curry at the wedding (as a late night snack!). They were accompanied by The Cocktail Service keeping the drinks flowing throughout.
Curating the dinner space involved repurposing their ceremony florals to create meadows around the long banquet-style tables, which were dressed with yet more florals, candles and chandeliers hanging overhead. The overall look was romantic, rosy and luxurious thanks to tableware hired from Just 4 Linen and Crystal Hire.
One of the things that really set apart Claudia and Dan’s wedding from the rest was the level of entertainment. We worked with the Phat Cats, a roaming band who provided music throughout the drinks reception and wedding breakfast. Their guests were up and dancing around the tables and on the lawn, creating an incredible party atmosphere! We also booked a caricaturist and selfie booth (provided by House of Lemon) to maintain a playful element, and the entire weekend was an absolute riot.
We thoroughly enjoyed helping Claudia and Dan plan their Avington Park wedding, working with outstanding suppliers in a beautiful location to give them and their guests an unforgettable weekend. We were thrilled to see it featured over on Wedding Chicks recently too! If you’re ready to embark on your own wedding planning journey and organise the party of a lifetime, contact us here to get started.