I do so love seeing and sharing how couples celebrate their love all around the world, and today’s wedding comes all the way from Belgium. Pieter-Jan & Helene’s celebration is a timeless affair with understated decor but a beautifully warm color palatte – it is a masterclass in understated elegance!

As is often the case, finding the perfect venue was the couple’s first priority. “Our starting point was the location. We knew straight off the bat that we wanted to find a location that personified who we are as a couple. We were looking for something that would reflect cosiness and warmth.

When we stumbled (almost by accident) onto the old barn at Kasteel van Hoen, we were sold. The fact that it also had a ceremony room with a huge fireplace just made it even more perfect.

From there, we decided on oxblood, (dark) olive green and gold as our wedding colours. This was reflected in the invitations, the table setting, PJ’s suit, the (mismatched) bridesmaids dresses, the groomsmen’s bow ties and the flowers. “

THE DRESS

“I chose a dress by Pronovias. It took visits to three different bridal boutiques to find the perfect dress, but I knew this was the one the moment I put it on. It featured a figure-hugging design with slight mermaid, had a high neck but low back and featured delicate (though minimal) beading on the front and back. As accessories, I opted for delicate drop earrings and a faux fur stole to get through the November chill.”

FAVOURITE MOMENT

“On the wedding day, Helene’s mother surprised her by gifting Helene the ring that was given to her by Helene’s father when Helene was born. The caveat was that this ring should be passed down through generations when daughters get married. Featuring a small diamond and sapphire stone, it was the perfect ‘something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue’! Needless to say, it was an incredibly special mother-daughter moment. “

THE FLOWERS

“The flowers (protea and eucalyptus) were a nod to the time Helene spent in Australia when she was growing up. “

THE GROOM’S ATTIRE

“I opted for a tailor-made three piece suit in dark olive green. It was designed by Café Costume and reflected everything I was looking for in a suit. It was a wonderful experience to choose the suit together with my mother. As finishing touches, I added an oxblood bow tie and eucalyptus boutonniere. I also found the perfect black wedding shoes with an oxblood stripe around the lip of the shoe. Oxblood socks finished the look for me.”

THE CEREMONY

“The ceremony itself was PJ’s idea, and was done by the Flying Pastors. These guys are a comedic duo who have perfected a humoristic approach to the wedding ceremony, whilst still allowing for the romance to shine through (e.g. with the exchange of the rings and the vows). However, the laughter from everyone attending during the ceremony was one of the highlights of the day!”

SPLURGE & SAVE

“We just wanted this day to reflect who we are as a couple. We were looking to incorporate warmth, cosiness and an overall warm feeling thoughout the day.  We splurged on the photography, the food and the entertainment, as these to us would make or break our wedding. We saved on wedding transportation as we wouldn’t need this anyway (we were able to get ready at the location itself, and both the ceremony and dinner/evening celebrations were held there).”

THE CAKE

“We did not have a wedding cake, opting instead for a variety of local dessert pies as this is a long-standing tradition within Helene’s family. Additionally, we had a full dessert buffet (including chocolate fountain!) so everyone could find something to their liking.”

WORDS OF WEDDING WISDOM

“Make it your own. The more you make this day a personal one, the more you’ll enjoy it when everything (finally) comes together!”

THE PHOTOGRAPHY

“Our photographer Jessica Van Duren we found on Instagram. Immediately when coming across her feed, we LOVED the overall vibe and romantic feel of Jessica’s photos. We met her before the wedding and straight away felt that click, which is ever so important when you have someone sharing each and every moment of such a special day with you! She made us feel incredibly at ease when we were taking the pictures, and knew just what to say to get that perfect shot. As the pictures are really the biggest way we will be remembering the wedding, we are super thrilled that we chose Jessica as our photographer – the photos are just amazing.”

VIEW THE GALLERY

Isn’t it lovely?? All that greenery! As always a heartfelt thankyou to the happy couple Pieter-Jan & Helene for allowing me to share their big day with you, and to their photographer Jessica Van Duren for capturing is all so perfectly! If, like me, you are completely in love with Jessica’s style of photography be sure to pop over to her website photography.jessicavanduren.nl as well as find and follow her on Facebook & Instagram.

Or if you love the timeless romance of this wedding, then you might want to see Jenn & Teague’s earthy & elegant wedding at Rigmor House, Alex & Ian’s wedding at Salisbury House, or Alex & Amanda’s romantic celebration in the mountains of North Carolina! And you’ll love Matt & Kelly’s greenery filled affair at the Chandelier Ballroom!

Amy
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Credits & Contributors

Photography – Jessica Van Duren || Venue – Kasteel van Hoen || Floral Design – La Sensa || Stationery – Silke Danneels || Wedding Cake – Global Cuisine Catering || Rentals – La Sensa || Linens – Global Cuisine Catering || Hair & Makeup – Le Visage || Wedding Dress – Pronovias || Groom’s Attire – Café Costume || Bride’s Shoes – Jimmy Choo || Bridesmaids Dresses – Various (I only gave them a color palette to choose from) || Headpiece – Pronovias || Catering – Global Cuisine Catering || Entertainment – nine2five DJ’s || Rings – Martens Jewels || Groom’s Shoes – Floris Van Bommel