Kat & Dean
April 2024
Photos courtesy of Jamie Caldwell Photography
See lots more lovely photos of Kat & Dean’s day in our gallery here.
Kat and Dean met at a festival in 2019 … though recollections vary! Kat says, “If you ask Dean I barged him out the way – allegedly!” The couple are originally from Hertfordshire/Uxbridge but moved to Devon in 2020. Dean, 32, is an engineer and Kat, 31, is a dog walker.
What was it about The Old Barn that made you choose it?
We were recommended The Old Barn by a friend as she had told us how amazing Joss was and she was not wrong!
Was it important to you that it was a ‘DIY’ venue?
We opted for a DIY venue because we wanted to create our special day from scratch and have the option to do pretty much whatever we wanted to an extent.
Did you have a large budget?
We didn’t have a huge budget but we didn’t pressure ourselves into spending on things such as the dress and rings as these were not overly important to us.
What theme were you aiming for?
We had a cowboy/western theme as we both love country music. We wanted the atmosphere to feel laid back and casual opposed to a more formal wedding.
What did you wear?
Kat: a white lace dress by ASOS from Tk Maxx (an absolute bargain!)
Dean: a stone-coloured suit from Next with a bolo tie
Tell us about the actual ceremony …
It might be controversial but the ceremony was the part we were dreading as neither of us are great with public speaking or being in large crowds. We chose to keep the ceremony as short as possible for this reason and the registrar, who conducted the ceremony, was fantastic with us and put our minds at ease explaining exactly how the ceremony would go.
Our 2 dogs, Scout and Lola, attended the ceremony as they are our babies. Lola walked with Kat down the aisle and Scout was our ring bearer. Having our dogs at our wedding was non negotiable which made it even easier to choose The Old Barn!
What about your food and drink?
We had North Devon Hog roast cater our wedding and they were fantastic – so many people said how much they enjoyed the food. In the evening we had a buffet with food all bought from Morrisons. The bar staff at The Old Barn were fantastic and kept good management on people not taking advantage of the bar tab!
What about music?
We hired Inspired Party DJ who was brilliant. We’re both music lovers so having great music was a big part of our day. They didn’t bat an eyelid at our strange playlist that included Dolly Parton, Darude and even Slipknot.
What was the thing you loved most about your day?
It’s so hard to pinpoint … but our families all being together was very special as we both have large families so it’s rare to see them all together.
What did your guests think of the dodgems?
Our guests were blown away! We had many people say to us it was the best wedding they had ever been to for this reason.
Are you glad you had the day you did?
We are so happy with our wedding day and wish we could experience it all over again. It was by far the best day of our lives.
Did you feel well taken care of by The Old Barn team?
Joss and her team went above and beyond and we can’t thank them enough for everything.
Are there any other wedding suppliers that you’d recommend?
Hair & Make Up – Colorseum
Flowers – Hidden Botanics
Photographer – Jamie Caldwell Photography
Banner – Banner Department
Bridesmaid Dresses – Six Stories