Weddings

Chloe & Sam’s Intimate, Relaxed New Forest Wedding

The New Forest had always held a special place for Chloe and Sam, making it a natural choice when it came to their wedding. “We wanted something intimate and relaxed, surrounded by nature, but still elegant,” says Chloe. Careys Manor instantly felt like the perfect setting to bring that vision to life.

We caught up with the couple to hear all about autumnal New Forest wedding …

The bride and groom stop to kiss as walking up the aisle

Bride & Groom sit behind the registrars table, smiling at each other

Exterior shot of Careys Manor in autumn showing red ivy growing

Bride and groom stood at hotel entrance flanked by large beautiful hanging baskets

How We Met

We met at primary school, Sam joined my school in year 2 so we have known each other since we were 6 years old.

We definitely didn’t date back then – at that age, boys felt more like mildly annoying classmates than potential boyfriends. Years later, while I was working at a gym, Sam walked in one day and we stopped to chat, although it was a little rushed as I was mid-shift. We agreed to meet for a drink, which I thought was just as friends. Sam thought differently but neither of us said it out loud, so another five years passed.

Out of the blue, he texted to say he’d waved at me while riding past on his motorbike, only to realise that in full leathers and a helmet, I probably wouldn’t have recognised him anyway (I didn’t even see him). A few weeks later, he finally told me how he felt and we’ve been together ever since.

The Proposal

The proposal completely took me by surprise – I had no idea it was coming. We’d been together five years, and I honestly thought it might never happen. Sam isn’t the most romantic and is very practical, so I couldn’t imagine him planning anything elaborate.

But in February 2024, while skiing in France, he asked me to take a photo with him at a stunning spot on the mountain. Then, with the help of a friendly stranger, he got down on one knee. The ring was perfect, probably better than anything I could have picked myself, which is a miracle considering the “gift ideas” he’d sent my best friend for our five-year anniversary were… let’s just say, questionable!

He had asked my parents for their blessing just before Christmas, and my mum said the wait until February was some of the longest weeks of her life!

Why We Chose New Forest Wedding Venue Careys Manor

I started looking at venues almost immediately, knowing I wanted a New Forest wedding. The area is so beautiful, and we feel lucky to have it so close. With our busy work lives, I also wanted a venue that would take care of many of the big details, making planning as easy as possible.

We found Careys Manor’s website and quickly spotted the Complete Celebration package. It included food, some flowers, and even the DJ – everything we wanted for an intimate, relaxed wedding.

When we met Françoise, we instantly fell in love. The building, the stunning drive, and the flowers framing the entrance were all exactly what we had envisioned. Françoise’s experience really shone through, showing us photos from previous weddings so we could picture how everything would look.

It was the first venue we visited and we didn’t look anywhere else. That afternoon, we booked for the following year and finally had our date.

Bride and Groom Walk hand in hand in the garden

Chloe & Sam walk through an aisle of their guests throwing confetti at the entrance to the hotel

The Details That Made Our Day

Flowers and Décor:

Our florist was absolutely incredible. We chose Laura of Blooming Marvellous Creations, from Careys Manor’s recommended supplier list and from the moment I saw her Instagram, I knew she was the one. Speaking with her confirmed it completely.

Laura is so passionate about what she does and really listens. I’m not the best at visualising ideas, but she was amazing at sending examples of previous work in my chosen colour palette of red, white and green, with roses and eucalyptus along with Pinterest-inspired suggestions. She checked in to see what I loved or didn’t, which made the process so easy.

She also created all the candles for the aisle and tables, adding a warm, romantic feel that tied the whole day together beautifully.

Find out more: Blooming Marvellous Creations

Photography:

Our photographer, Nick Church, was an absolute gem. He’s so chilled out, yet professional and in control, which made the whole day feel incredibly relaxed. I had told him that Sam and I aren’t really “photo people” – posing for hours just feels awkward. Nick completely understood, so about 95% of the day was captured candidly, showing us with each other and our loved ones in the most natural way.

Most of the photos I didn’t even notice him taking. We had a short list of group shots and a couple of posed ones, but we were never away from our guests for more than 10–15 minutes which was perfect. Nick also captured video throughout the day and created a wedding film, which has quickly become my favourite way to relive all the fun and happiness of the day.

Find out more: Nick Church Photography

The Cake

The cake wasn’t a huge priority for us, so we went for a made-to-order one from Waitrose. It was simple, delicious, and much more budget-friendly, while still giving us the wedding cake we wanted. Laura even set aside some flowers for us to decorate it, and I added a personal topper from Etsy – it felt just right for our day.

Antony, who managed the day and the schedule, was nothing short of incredible. He worked tirelessly from start to finish, making the whole day feel effortless for us. He even made sure all our gifts and cards were safely in our room by the end of the night – nothing was ever too much trouble.

A Perfect Day

Our wedding day was genuinely perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing. Staying at Careys Manor the night before meant no wedding morning stress, and a massage at SenSpa the evening before was just heavenly.

Everything on the day ran smoothly. The food was outstanding, and all our guests raved about it. They loved having a choice of three dishes for the wedding breakfast, and in the evening there was a curry buffet — which was amazing!

I genuinely don’t have a favourite part as the whole day was literally so perfect. I always wondered if afterward I would feel the day was over hyped as there is such a big build up to a wedding and so much planning but it was chilled, fun, drama free and just filled with happy memories that I will cherish forever.