When is a wedding not a wedding? When it’s a festival . . . or in this case a Festiball! All weddings are unique but this has to be the most unique, different and unusual wedding I’ve ever been to. Mr & (and the new) Mrs Ball treated their guests to an insane festival inspired wedding (hence the Festi-Ball moniker).
The day started as any normal wedding would with the preparations of the bridal party followed by the wedding ceremony, which was at St Mark’s Church, Great Wyrley. Jo looked absolutely stunning in her Rosetta Nicolini dress which was from Berketex Birmingham. After the ceremony the congregation proceeded to Springslade Lodge on Cannock Chase where the Festiball began and the guests were treated to an amazing array of music. How many weddings have you been to where the proceedings were started by a 30 piece brass band performing with an opera singer? The festival theme ran right through the proceedings with Springslade Lodge being tuned into a mini Glastonbury for the day. Helping to complete the festival vibe was an amazing tipi, provided by Elite Tents, which housed a bar dining area and live music stage.
This wedding didn’t have a traditional wedding breakfast, instead there was an array of festival food including pie and mash from Pieminsiter, crepes from Original Crepes and an ice cream van! The evening buffet was a cheese and pickle affair using the lovely “cheese” cake supplied by Stamford Cheese Cellar.
As well as the aforementioned Amington Band and operatic tenor Richard Lloyd Owen guests were also treated to music from a band made up of wedding guests (the snappily named The Bradley’s vs Eddy & Sleeves), Samarkand, the brilliant Anthony Doyle and a storming headline slot from the Rocky Road Band. There was also a guest spot from the groom’s uncle who used to be a member of 70’s glam rockers Mud, which of course meant a rousing rendition of Tiger Feet.