When Ella met Merlin on a tennis court, neither imagined it would lead to a windswept proposal on Wimbledon Common and a stunning autumn wedding at Butley Priory:
"We met at work" says Ella "We both work in Tennis and actually met for the first time on a tennis court."
In October 2024 Merlin organised a long walk in Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common with a picnic. A very typical autumnal day, rainy and windy, Ella actually tried to postpone the walk to a different weekend, but Merlin was adamant. The proposal happened towards the end of the walk when they were having a picnic on a bench in the middle of Wimbledon Common.
Fast forward to November 2025, and Ella and Merlin tied the knot with a stunning autumn wedding at Butley Priory. From cozy candlelight to heartfelt traditions, their day was full of personal touches and seasonal charm. Here’s how they planned it—and Ella’s top tips for making your wedding stress-free and unforgettable:
Planning the Big Day
What inspired your wedding theme or style?
We got engaged in October and we both love autumn, the foliage at that time of the year is stunning and it's a very cosy atmosphere, so we wanted to incorporate that on our wedding day. Dark greens, lots of candles, and autumnal neutral tones for the flowers was the style we were going for.
How did you choose your wedding venue (and why Suffolk)?
We agreed that we wanted to get married in a place where one of us had grown up in or had a strong connection to (either Suffolk or Ireland). We went to Suffolk a week after getting engaged to see family (I grew up in Suffolk) and visited Butley Priory to look around and knew immediately that it was the venue for us! We didn’t actually view any other venues. Butley had such a cosy feeling to it; the great hall is stunning, and we both loved the fact that there is so much history behind the venue making it feel extra special.
Did you set a wedding budget and if so, did you stick to it?
We did have a budget, and we did manage to stick to it (just about!). Merlin loves a good Excel which made it easy to track costs etc.
Did you DIY anything, if so what?
We DIYed quite a lot; my mum was so helpful with that side of the planning. We had planned for around 110 candles along the tables during dinner all in different mix and match glass candle holders, so we spent a good 10 months going to charity shops every so often to collect different types of candle holders.
My mum also made the confetti throughout the summer from flowers in the garden. The confetti came out beautifully in the photos.
We also printed out photos of memories we had with everyone and placed them around the venue, which we thought was a lovely touch.
What did you plan for your ceremony?
We had two readings (read by my sister and Merlin’s brother), a ring warming and a moment of collect which are two Irish traditions.
The ring warming is a tradition where the rings were passed around the room and held by our guests before exchanged.
The moment of collect was a moment of silence to allow everyone to be present for a short period of time since we knew the day would fly by so quickly. This was a tradition from Merlin’s school in Ireland.
The Wedding Day
Your wedding day in three words:
Relaxed, warm and happiness
Your favourite moment of the day?
It's difficult to pinpoint a specific moment but probably the 10/15 minutes we had by ourselves after the ceremony sat on a lovely window seat overlooking the grounds at Butley Priory just to relax and take it all in for a bit!
What was your first dance song, and why?
Malibu – Mumford and Sons. We felt the lyrics were very fitting and the song wasn’t too slow so people could get involved
How did you feel walking down the aisle?
Nervous but also excited!
Tips for Future Couples
The one thing worth splurging on
The food, especially the evening food! Everyone loves a good meal at a wedding.
The one thing you could have saved on or done without?
Theres nothing that we did or had that in hindsight we thought wasn’t needed
How did you minimize stress on the day and on the run up to the day?
Delegate! We had a great group of bridesmaids and groomsmen who were happy to help and sort small bits out for us on the lead up and on the day of the wedding. This really helped take the stress out for us.
Anything you would do differently?
Nothing!
The Supplier Team:
Venue: Butley Priory
Celebrants: Richard Love & Cathy Couchman, Woodbridge Office
Photographer: Jess Sopher Photography
Mua: My mum!
Hair: Darcey from Vics Hair Salon
Flowers: Willow and Wolf Florist
Catering: Peter Harison Chef and Otis Breading (for evening food), Simply Handmade (macaroons)
Music: Jonny Ross Music
Bridal dress: Freda Bennet & Hannah Cummings (veil embroidery)
Groom’s wear: Coes
Stationery: Polly Pickle Design
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