Ronnie and Josephine, the owners of Hawthorn Hideaway started planning for a romantic glamping retreat following Ronnie's diagnosis of cancer when their daughter Melody was just 1 month old, in 2014. Ronnie had previously worked in music as a Production Manager, a job he loved dearly, but being away in London Monday to Friday was no longer viable.

Their focus became about spending quality time together as a family, with Ronnie being able to enjoy the outdoors more. So they decided to create a glamping site, found Hawthorn Hideaway, in the beautiful in the Nottinghamshire countryside and the rest is history. From there, their ideas grew and developed and matured into what Hawthorn is today. A unique retreat for couples, with definite features of glamping that takes things to the next level of comfort, luxury and style. Their daughter Melody is now 10 years old.

When Vim approached them with the idea of offering weddings, this was a logical next step for Ronnie & Josephine. The concept behind the shoot was the ethos of sustainability, while supporting & promoting other small local businesses, to really show case what weddings at Hawthorn can look like. With several weddings already booked, just watch this space. This venue offers something truly unique for couples that want to wedding-their-own-way!

Sam loaned us two dresses by designer Lillian West & was on site to assist with fitting.

The fabulous owner at Dorothy Eloise, Sam, wants you feel at home in her Bridal shop, like you are 'visiting your sisters house for a cuppa'. She is down to earth, fun loving & will help you find the perfect dress in her shop, nestled at the hive beside the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. As her shop is so close to nature, she was the perfect choice to provide our bridal wear for the shoot,

When you step into Dorothy Eloise Bridal’s world, you'll feel Sam's genuine passion. With years of experience in the bridal industry under her belt, she brings a wealth of expertise & a warm and welcoming space for every bride to be who enters. Sam says 'At our shop, it’s about creating relaxed moments and helping you find the gown that feels uniquely you. Welcome to a bridal experience that’s personal, stress-free, and focused on celebrating your special day. Here at Dorothy Eloise we want you to feel at home, from the moment you step through our doors you become a part of our family. We cannot wait to make your bridal dreams come true'.

Sam's boutique offers a unique and homely atmosphere. She prides herself on allowing plenty of time for your appointment so you can explore her curated collections, each gown designed to reflect the timeless elegance of your very love story.

The 'groom' was dressed in a 'Ted' Mark Darcy suit, loaned from the Manager, Shelley, at Tickled Pink in Hatfield. We chose the 'Ted' suit as the colour matched perfectly with the woodland theme & Shelley provided a range of ties in complimentary, neutral woodland inspired colours. Tickled Pink offers a wide range of Marc Darcy to buy. Suits are available to try on in-store, in various styles and sizes & are regularly updated with the latest trends.

Shelley says 'Tickled Pink is your one-stop bridal shop, based in Hatfield near Doncaster, Yorkshire.  We’ve been in business for over thirty years and pride ourselves on fantastic customer service, amazing choice and excellent value. Our website gives you a glimpse into what we have on offer; from our beautiful wedding dresses, bridesmaids dresses, mother of the bride fashion and proms, to our suave grooms outfits, and stunning accessories'.

Vim is passionate about weddings, having worked a registrar for many years, before setting up her own Celebrancy business. The beauty of a celebrant-led service is that you can be really creative. As a qualified and experienced independent Celebrant, Vim will not only conduct your ceremony but she will turn your love story into an intimate and unique poem that she will read out to you and your guests as part of your ceremony. The best part of the poem is that you would have answered separately about your journey together, so hearing the final result in the form of a poem never fails to create the perfect foundation combining love, humour and sentiment.

She will also help you as a couple to write personalised vows to each other, either together or separately (if you want to surprise each other) so it's a wonderful way to truly personalise your ceremony. As a wonderful bonus, the printed version of your ceremony, personalised poem and vows, will be presented to you on your special day in a wonderful hand made keep sake box. So whether it's a sand ceremony ritual or if you decide to include hand fasting/tying, you can be sure that Vim will guide you through it all to make your ceremony reflect YOU in every way.

Roger, the one man band man, the legend & the man behind Automatic Fishcake. He says, there ain't no wedding like a Fishcake wedding! Offering a unique and enchanting ambiance to your woodland wedding & doubling as a DJ to cater to all your musical needs, Automatic Fishcake will make your woodland wedding rock! We asked Roger to come along and pose for us and sing the 'Bride & Groom' in and out of the Riverside ceremony.

Automatic Fishcake is available to hire for your Hawthorn Hideaway woodland wedding. Imagine live music resonating through the trees creating an unforgettable atmosphere, blending the beauty of this woodland setting with captivating live music. As a one-man band, Roger skillfully brings a sound that belies the fact it's all coming from a single performer. His repertoire spans various genres and eras, singing a mix of pop, rock, folk & punk, ensuring that every moment of your woodland wedding, from the ceremony to the evening, is accompanied by the perfect live-music soundtrack.

Romantic ballad as you walk down the forest aisle? Lively tunes to sing along & dance to around the haybales in the evening? Roger can tailor his performance your personal taste and & has an initiative understanding of how to read the 'room' or in this case the 'forest' to ensure your woodland wedding day flows perfectly, leaving you with memories to cherish for a lifetime. Your woodland wedding, with this incredible 'one man band' becomes not just an event, but a symphony that echos the beauty of nature and the power of love.

The lovely Katie styled our 'bride' Ellen's hair and make up for both weddings. Choosing Katie as your hair and MUA means entrusting your bridal beauty to a professional who cares deeply about making you feel radiant and confident. Her commitment to creating a relaxed and enjoyable experience makes the preparation process a cherished part of your special day. Katie's goal is to leave you feeling like the best version of yourself, with a soft and romantic style that captures the essence of your celebration and leaves a lasting impression.

With a keen eye for detail and a gentle touch, Katie works closely with each bride to understand their vision and preferences. Whether you dream of loose, flowing curls adorned with a floral crown or a sophisticated up-do paired with a delicate makeup palette, Katie's expertise lies in crafting a look that complements your features, dress, and the overall theme of your wedding. She uses high-quality products and the latest techniques to ensure your hair and makeup remain flawless throughout the day, from the walk down the aisle to the last dance.

Based in Misterton, providing flowers and balloons for all occasions, Lisa has an amazing, creative talent for turning foraged foliage and flowers into amazing art-work, as well as providing traditional floristry.

For the Riverside shoot, Lisa created a stunning foraged-foliage 'hanging centrepiece' above the wedding table with a rustic flower center piece with moss, succulents, pine cones, grass runners, wooden place mats & candles. She also created an entrance way to the wedding area with a copper frame, decorated with more foraged foliage, as well as a riverside photo-spot with locally foraged pampas grass & eucalyptus. The finishing touches were the prettiest button hole for Rob from foraged flowers, as well as creating Ellen's stunning foraged-foliage bouquet.

There's a big trend this year towards sustainable weddings & both Ronnie & Josephine and Lisa were keen to embrace this developing concept. With this in mind, Lisa spent a day eco-friendly foraging around the site to provide the decor for the shoot. One thing Hawthorn has is plenty of foliage! Sustainable floristry, particularly the trend of foraging for foliage, is currently reshaping the way venders & couples alike think about floral arrangements and decorations for their weddings. This approach is deeply rooted in an environmental consciousness, seeking to minimize waste and the carbon footprint associated with traditional floristry & the wedding industry as a whole. It's also budget friendly, which is another bonus given the current cost-of-living crisis.

This trend leans perfectly towards the creation of more naturalistic, wild-looking arrangements that reflect the beauty and imperfections of nature itself. This is EXACTLY the kind of vibe Hawthorn lends itself to. Speak to Lisa about creating the vision for your wedding decor - You could even join her to forage for it in the days prior to your wedding, making your woodland wedding decor even more meaningful!

For the second ceremony in the yurt, Lisa created a simple white hydrangea bouquet & button hole set, that complimented this simple vow renewal perfectly.

Bev at rustic Moon has an Etsy store providing all manner of beautiful reclaimed crafts & decor.

Reclaimed gifts and decor hold a unique charm and sustainability appeal which is the perfect match for Hawthorn Hideaway. These items, crafted from materials that have lived previous lives - be it wood from old barns, fabric from vintage clothing, or metal from decommissioned machinery - carry with them stories of the past, adding depth and character to your wedding decor & styling. The uniqueness of reclaimed gifts and decor also lies in their individuality. No two pieces are exactly alike, offering a level of exclusivity and personalisation that cannot be found in mass-produced pieces.

If you are the kind of couple that wants products that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally responsible, by choosing reclaimed gifts and decor from Rustic Moon, you can play a part in this eco-friendly movement, making a statement about the importance of preserving our planet’s resources while surrounding yourselves with beautifully crafted items that resonate with history and purpose.

Courtney from the Fake Cake Company provided our 'cake'. As this was a styled shoot and not a 'real' wedding, we wanted a show stopper that looked the part, but we didn't need an actual edible cake! If you need a show-stopper for your event, then check out the Fake Cake Etsy shop.

Courtney says 'For one of our first events this year, we did a “day in the life” to show you guys what we get up to behind the scenes! Not everyday is packing orders, creating bespoke fake cakes & replying to business messages. Our days are starting to look a lot more like this! You get out, what you put in & we were more than happy to provide a fabulous show-stopper of cake to the wonderfully quirky Hawthorn Hideaway. You might ask why people want fake-cakes - but this is just another reason on the long list..... S H O W C A S I N G'

The cake certainly looked the part of the day!

The crockery and glassware was provided by Sammy, from Charlet Girl Catering & Claire & Victoria from Ansley's Handmade Chocolates make the be-spoke choccy wedding favours. These can be tailored to your wedding colours & theme. Sammy can also cater for you at Hawthorn Hideaway, but wasn't available on the day of the shoot. I've included some her own photos here too, so you can see her delicious creations.

Mark at Event Bales provided the rustic hay bales for the shoot, complete with cute hessian covers.

Mark says 'Our straw bales have been hired for lots of different events including weddings, engagement parties, country & western evenings and private parties of all sizes. Our straw bales have been hired to provide props for TV and film sets and obstacles for endurance races. In addition, our straw bales have been hired at short notice to provide safe pathways at waterlogged events where the weather has threatened to stop the event going ahead or risk the health and safety of visitors'.

Hawthorn lends itself beautifully to hay bales, completing the rustic wedding that so suits this venue.