Whimsical Garden Wedding at Four Seasons Hampshire

Hampshire’s Four Seasons hotel makes for the perfect luxurious little wedding getaway, taking you away from London’s city pace in as little as an hour. As a wedding venue it has it all; quintessential countryside views, a gorgeous walled garden and exquisite interiors, so it’s no surprise S&F chose it for their spring celebrations. This wedding is Wonderland, elevated. Step into a world of elegant tea parties and sophisticated soirees at S&F’s garden wedding at the Four Seasons Hampshire and get inspired for your own wedding; the looking glass awaits.

The Four Seasons Hampshire – The Perfect Garden Wedding Venue

As far as outdoor spaces go, FS Hampshire’s 16th century walled garden is pretty special. It invites you in with its tidy lawns, carefully clipped box hedges and charming flower borders, drawing you into a space that feels intimate among the 500 acres of surrounding countryside. Moving inside, it’s easy to recreate the whimsical garden vibes in the light and airy spaces with their high ceilings and creamy walls, almost giving the illusion that the outside follows you in…curiouser and curiouser, as they say in Wonderland.

Afternoon tea party ‘welcome drinks’

It was the most beautiful spring day when S&F’s guests arrived for the wedding – looking back on their images, it’s hard to believe it wasn’t the height of summer. Guests were welcomed into the walled garden for a welcome drinks reception with a difference; rather than fizz and canapes on trays, they were greeted by their very own afternoon tea party. We traded the famous storybook milliner’s fantastical festivities for an elegant celebration, retaining the same sense of wonder and delight and an appropriate amount of cake.

There were no gimmicks; just gorgeous, high-end nods to Alice’s adventures including a welcome sign in the form of a looking glass, doubling up as a fun photo opportunity for guests. The floral decor was bright, playful and in perfect shades of spring pastels, bursting out of tea pots and china cups and weaving around bunches of grapes and piles of juicy peaches. Sweet napkins embroidered with flowers sat atop patterned plates, underneath which were charger plates woven into bloom shapes. 

S&F’s afternoon tea party welcome was fun, alive with endless exquisite details, and set the tone for the romantic rabbit hole guests were about to tumble down throughout the rest of the day.

Love the idea of a garden celebration? Contact Ella.

A garden wedding at Four Seasons Hampshire

The wedding ceremony followed, taking place further into the walled garden. Beautiful blue delphiniums and grapefruit pink garden roses lined the aisle, leading to a raised platform with a sofa and reaching chandelier florals. We hired in the perfect garden-style furniture from House of Furn, which is a factor couples often overlook – bringing the right furniture into your wedding can elevate it to something extraordinary. 

We were able to create a cosy breakout space with lots of soft furniture inside later in the day too, and the ceremony sofa remained a feature throughout. At dinner time we brought the garden vibes inside, switched up the colour scheme to include more blues and yellows, and added more floral chandeliers to sit above guests as they dined. 

To make it feel like a true elevated Wonderland, we added lots of little details reminiscent of the classic tale but with a modern, whimsical update. There was a message in a bottle table, surrounded by florals, where guests could leave heartfelt wishes for the couple; meticulously designed cakes that were almost too pretty to eat (all sugar flowers!); miniature desserts, and even a perfume station!

S&F’s wedding was the perfect example of how you can work with a theme for your wedding, without it being cheesy or over the top. Instead, we curated a day that delivered on style and elegance, but was also playful and lighthearted – and the Four Seasons was the perfect backdrop for it all. Get in touch if you’re planning your own garden wedding or celebration at FS Hampshire, and browse my portfolio for more inspiration.

Images by David C Photography