This deeply personal summer wedding in North Wales has us feeling all the emotions. Ffion and Richard celebrated their most special day in a stunning location laced with sentimentality. Ever since she was a little girl Ffi had always said she would get married in her grandmother’s family home located just outside Bodfari. With a wonderfully picturesque setting, nestled at the foot of a mountain and surrounded by rolling hills, the couple let their love of nature and their adoration for all things retro and shabby chic inform their marquee wedding aesthetic.

Featuring a show-stopping bridal look with an ornate twist, bridesmaids in elegant neutrals, a rustic palette with pops of burnt orange, fluffy pampas grass and dahlias playing a starring role, delightfully unexpected furniture sourced from charity shops, and a stunning sugar flower cake, there is so much to love and the imagery by Fox & Bear Photography is absolutely gorgeous.

So let’s begin by getting to know our fabulous Welsh couple more. Ffi is from Ruthin and Rich is from Trefnant and you likely won’t guess where they first met. Ffi tells us, “We met on January 26th, 2018, in North Wales Police Headquarters. Rich being a gentleman held open the gate for my police intake to walk through. We smiled at each other and a few months later we were inseparable.”

We absolutely adore their engagement story. Ffi explains, “It was one of our van trips down to Devon – we stopped off in a little log cabin in Hereford. While dressed in scruffs and having a cup of tea on the balcony Rich proposed. It was a week before the country went into lockdown and we think he had Covid when he proposed.”

As for the vibe of their big day, they wanted a very personal, chilled, family-orientated, and untraditional celebration. “We always knew we wanted to celebrate our wedding at Hafod y Parc. The place means a great deal to us and we spend so much of our time there with it being the heart of the family. Ffi’s grandfather passed away in 2019 and it was important that his spirit would be with us.”

Ffi looked phenomenal in her glamorous fit and flare gown by Maggie Sottero which had a statement crystal-encrusted back with the same ornate embellishment on the sleeve cuffs. She added a pair of ivory bridal shoes with chunky heels from ASOS and a pearl headband.

Ffi made her entrance to Annie’s Song by John Denver. A highly sentimental song featured during the ceremony which was I’ll Walk Beside You. Ffi’s uncle, the renowned opera singer David Lloyd, had performed the very same song at her grandmother’s wedding.

The couple made the way to their reception in their camper van which was dressed with foliage and bunting. The delightful details started right out the gate, literally, with the cute and quirky wedding signage.

The bridal party looked immensely elegant in champagne bridesmaids dresses while the men opted for dapper navy check suits which is a very popular groomswear style trend with ties in the same neutral hue and buttonholes made from dried flowers. Ffi and Rich even had a floral collar made for their fox red labrador too.

Those looking for a sustainable and unique table plan idea take note, as the couple displayed theirs on an old door. So cool! The reception space was rustic yet airy with wooden tables and festoon lights overhead. Burnt orange napkins featured in the tablescape styling along with mini cacti and wooden display stands which were made from branches from the nearby trees.

Old science tables from a local school were dotted around the marquee along with grasses collected from hedgerows. Guests received old rustic keys as wedding favours which had been collected from members of the family and antique stores.

The couple wanted the marquee to feel like a real lounge so Ffi collected sofas, rugs and coffee tables from Facebook Marketplace and charity shops. Not only that but for guests who fancied a cuppa, Ffi and her grandmother sourced China tea cups and saucers from charity shops too.

Fluffy ferns and fresh foliage married beautifully with the warm orange and cream shades in the bouquets.

Their guests who were staying the night and camping had their very own pitch sign with their name on it, what a fabulous wedding memento!

Ffi had a buttonhole made for her dear late grandfather with a tag labelled Taid, which means grandfather in Welsh, and she placed it in his workshop which is still on the grounds and made a very special location for their wedding photos. Someone pass the tissues!

As for their words of wisdom when it comes to planning a wedding, they say, “Enjoy the full experience. Do as much as you can yourself, the joy of planning and preparing provides months of enjoyment and brings the family together.”

Their summer wedding cake which was covered in colourful sugar flowers was a stunning sight to behold. Ffi’s uncle and brother sweetly surprised them with a song after the speeches.

Ffi’s second-look wedding outfit was dazzling as she changed into pearl-dappled jumpsuit. Ffi and Rich celebrated tying the knot by going on an adventure in their campervan to Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and France which was an “incredible experience”.

A huge congratulations to Ffi and Rich and thank you for sharing your superb wedding with One Fab Day. A special thank you to Fox & Bear Photography for the wonderful imagery, you can see even more in the gallery below.

Tying the knot? Check out more Real Weddings for inspiration!