A Translantic Wedding: From USA to Rye
There's something quite moving about a family crossing an ocean for one day — and that's exactly what happened when Sarah and Henry brought their June Wedding to Rye all the way from Boston, USA
Sarah and Henry (Hank) wanted a religious Catholic ceremony, and they found it in one of Rye's best-kept secrets: the tiny St Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church tucked within the Rye Citadel, just off the cobbled streets of the old town. It's a building most visitors walk straight past, but for this family it became the setting for something enormous — a wedding day, and the first time some of them had ever set foot in England.
An Intimate Ceremony in the Citadel
There's a lovely contrast in marrying somewhere so small and so old. The Citadel church seats only a small number of guests, which meant every single person inside had travelled specifically to be there — parents, siblings, a couple of close friends who'd flown in alongside the family. No filler, no distant relatives filling out pews; just the people who mattered most, in a space with centuries of quiet history in its walls.
For the flowers, I kept things simple, with just two Urns on Pedestals, to be honest there is not much space for anything else. The Decor in the Church is ornate on its own, however Sarah really wanted a floral ceremony backdrop, Sarah loves all flowers and that was her brief, she wanted to keep it very English and Seasonal, soft and romantic. — In a space that small, the flowers don't need to shout — they just need to feel like they belong there.
The Reception at The George
From the hush of the Citadel, the day opened right up at The George in Rye — a short walk through the cobbled streets and into the warmth of the Ballroom, with lots of photo opportunities in the historic streets on the walk to The George.
We actually repurposed the urns from the church to the George whilst guests gathered for a drink in the sunny George Courtyard, and Dale Weeks ,the couples talented photographer took some wonderful shots of Sarah and Hank along the way.
We had set up the Ballroom early that morning whilst the Couple and their guests got ready, with full mantlepiece arrangements of seasonal blooms, including pink and lemon roses and peonies, nestled in smoke bush foliage, with the addition of meadowy elements Ammi Majus, pops of blue and white Scabiosa, blush Corncockle and Larkspur, we used trailing sweet peas, just because they smell amazing and add to the garden style vibe.
For the reception flowers we carried the colour scheme through the long reception tables, with loose, garden-style arrangements on the tables in the same flowers, with tall coloured candles in between. We placed the Urns from the Church on lower pedestals in the 2 large bay windows and added an arrangement for the bar.
Having worked at The George for over 4 years now, I love watching a day move between these two very different spaces — the time-worn, but picturesque Citadel and then the Ballroom's grandeur, with its crystal chandeliers and intimate house-party feel. It's one of my favourite things about weddings in Rye: within a few hundred yards you can go from centuries-old solemnity to a proper celebration.
Why Couples Travel for a Rye Wedding
Sarah and Henry aren't the first couple I've worked with who've crossed an ocean to get married here, and I don't think they'll be the last. Rye has that effect — the medieval streets, the church, the light over the Weald — it photographs and feels like nowhere else, and for a family wanting somewhere with real history and real intimacy, it's hard to beat.
If you're planning a wedding in Rye — whether you're arriving from down the road or from another continent — I'd love to help bring the flowers to life. Contact me to check my availability and to talk through your day.