Weddings

An Elegant Celebration at Careys Manor: Ella & Jay’s New Forest Wedding

For Ella, Careys Manor had always felt like a dream come true. “When I was little, my family would go camping in the New Forest, and I always thought Careys was the most beautiful building we drove past,” she recalls. When she and Jay visited together, he immediately understood why she loved it so much. They wanted a classy, traditional English wedding in a stunning setting - and Careys Manor delivered exactly that.

We caught up with the couple to hear all about their special day…

The bride and groom kiss in front of the registrars table and guests are seen clapping in the background

View of the lounge looking down the aisle towards the registras table. In front of the table is a large green and white floral decoration which appears as an 'H' as it runs along the table and has two high sides

Side view across the lounge with the white wooden chairs set theatre style with a central aisle

Guests are seated whilst the groom stands at the alter waiting for the bride.

The Bride and her father walk arm-in-arm down the aisle

The bride and groom leave the ceremony room. The grooms arm is around the bride

How We Met

Jay and I first met when I moved to Bognor Regis. He was the caretaker at the building I moved into, and we would often chat before I left for work. He worked night shifts at the time, so he would sometimes make breakfast ready for me when I woke up. Around that time, I went on a few really rubbish dates, and I would always come home to find Jay fixing something around the house. I’d complain to him about my day, and we’d chat for hours about every topic under the sun. Eventually, I realised that my evening chats with him were far more interesting than any date with anyone else.

The Proposal

Jay proposed when we were on holiday in Croatia. We had been together just over five years. We went for an evening walk to a beautiful church overlooking the town we were staying in, and he proposed right outside. There was even a very cute black cat that followed us the whole way and sat by while he proposed, photobombing some of our pictures. I’m a crazy cat lady, so we took that as a good sign!

Why We Chose New Forest Wedding Venue Careys Manor

I’ve loved Careys Manor for as long as I can remember. When I was little, my family would go camping in the New Forest, and I always thought Careys was the most beautiful building when we drove past it. When Jay and I started looking at wedding venues, Careys was the first place I considered. When we visited together, Jay immediately understood why I loved it so much. We wanted a really classy, traditional English vibe in a beautiful setting, and Careys gave us exactly that.

The newly married couple stand outside the main entrance with their guests either side, throwing confetti. The couple are kissing

The bride and bridesmaids stand outside and pose in a line with their bouquets

Outside of Careys Manor with the red carpet coming from the main entrance

The bride and groom sit on a bench in the garden, the groom kisses the brides forehead

The Details That Made Our Day

Flowers and Décor:

Jay is definitely the artistic one in our relationship, so I handed over the flowers to him right from the start! Together with the wonderful Laura of Blooming Marvellous Creations, he created the most stunning floral arrangements. They really did look (and smell!) like a magical fairytale garden. A particularly special touch was having my late grandparents’ wedding rings interlocked and tied around my bouquet by my sister – it was such a meaningful detail.

Find out more: Blooming Marvellous Creations

Photography:

We chose Az from Lemontree as our photographer. His style is timeless and elegant, and because he’s so familiar with Careys, he knew all the best spots for photos. He made us feel completely at ease, and we ended up with so many natural, beautiful shots.

Find out more: Lemontree Photography

Our Outfits:

I wore my dress from Brides & Bustles in Bedfordshire, and Jay’s suit was from Astares in Havant. We both wanted classic, elegant looks that would complement the venue and the vibe of the day.

The Manor Suite set for the wedding breakfast with high white floral arrangements

The image shows two wedding cakes, one pink and one chocolate

A view through the tables, showing white flowers and a curtained window

An Unforgettable Day

For me, the highlight of the day was walking down the steps to the confetti and seeing all our friends and family waiting for us straight after the ceremony. The nerves had passed, and I was just so happy to be Mrs Carter, enjoying a drink in the sunshine with all my loved ones.