Silke and Bart's Barn 64 Wedding Party

Wedding Date:

Silke wears the Brooke Gown

Captured by Leentje Loves Light

What was your wedding venue (ceremony & reception) and why did you choose there?

We’re anything but ordinary: we didn’t want a classic wedding day where you need to do things according to some sort of unwritten rules. We wanted to focus on the people around us, the ones we love the most.

We chose to have our party in an open and airy barn in the middle of fields and forest with no neighbours around. That allowed us to party all night long, and it was epic! By choosing this location we were also able to customize everything; the food, the vibes, the decoration, what we wanted and when we wanted it.

The beautiful weeping willow tree next to the barn served as the perfect backdrop for our ceremony. Another big plus were the glamping tents. This way we were able to host our closest friends and family and spend more time with each other over breakfast the next day.

Did you have a wedding theme/style? If so, tell me about it please.

I’m not really keen on categorising or using certain labels. I really go for what I like, more importantly what felt right. Eventually we just mixed a lot of elements from different styles. Modern, chique touches like my wedding bouquet, minimal lines in my gown, jewelry and updo. It felt right to counterbalance this with some wilder, bohemian touches.

How did you and your now Husband meet?

We met in October of 2018. My friend Katrien and me often got together on a Sunday for a cosy night full of cooking, some wine, and to have a nice dinner. One night, we made so much food, we invited the neighbour, Bart.

We were chatting away and I liked him well enough, just not in any special way. Bart told my friend he was blown away by me that night and wasn’t able to eat or sleep since then! It was real puppy love from his side. When I got a text message from him, I didn’t jump on the invitation of having dinner together. But slowly but steady, we got to know each other. Eventually I did say yes to that dinner, and also yes to a day of shopping in Amsterdam, and also to a very spontaneous trip to Dubai. Since then, I was in love.

What is your proposal story?

Bart wanted to propose in Spain. And then Covid-19 happened…

We talked about getting married before, but I didn’t expect it before the end of 2020. In September 2020 we wanted to spend some time with just the two of us on the Greek Island of Zakynthos. We were so ready for a lovely time until we arrived at the airport and realised there was no flight leaving.

Bart moved heaven and earth. He fixed a flight via from Brussels to Vienna and from there to Zakynthos. That night, we landed on the island. On our third night we had a romantic dinner. Everything was just perfect and so idyllic. The view over the sea, the moon was shining bright. Suddenly Bart stood up and said he wanted to order a bottle of wine. I saw him speaking with our waiter, and when he came back to our table, he offered to make a photo of us. Bart stood up again, and suddenly went down on one knee.

I was confused, thinking it was a joke but when I saw the ring, I realized. This is for real, and forever. Even though we talked about getting married, I really did not see it happening that night. It really caught me by surprise!

How did you hear about Prea James Bridal?

Funnily enough, I didn’t! When I visited my bridal shop, The Ivory Club, I was not prepared at all. In my mind, I was going to walk down the aisle in a French style lace gown. I wanted something with an open back and a wide skirt.

Turns out my bridal shop doesn’t even have such a style, and that turned out to be for the best. I was pleasantly surprised by the dresses that they pulled for me. I knew the Brooke was my gown from the moment I wore her. My mum and friends told me to look around some more, to try other dresses, to think about it a little longer. I was convinced: I was going to walk down the aisle in the Brooke gown.

From where did you purchase your gown?

The Ivory Club (Antwerp, Belgium)

What do you love most about the gown?

Everything. Bart is the love of my life, but Brooke comes second! The fabric is just incredible and feels so luxurious. The silhouette is elegant, feminine and sexy. It felt like this gown was made for me and my body type. I felt incredible.

Are there any special details about your wedding that you would like to share?

Fun fact: we booked this venue before he proposed, haha! We loved it and due to the exclusive nature of the venue, only a few weddings are allowed. We knew we wanted to get married here so why wait and risk the chance of not being able to celebrate our special day in the barn

Were there any details that you (and friends and family) made yourselves?

Our wedding planner is the best so we left it to her to decide about the details.

I’m fortunate enough to have two incredible friends that really helped me shape this wedding. Kathleen, owner of Pas Manger Pas Dessert, created all the bespoke stationary for us. Nathalie, and her two sisters, founded Juna Fae. A unique concept: stackable rings from recycled gold and lab grown diamonds. Fine jewellery with a conscience. They designed our wedding rings. Another good friend of ours offered to lend us his fathers’ old timer. That way we could arrive in style to our dream location.

Finally, Do you have any words of wisdom for couples planning their big day?

We had two separate days for our party and our civil wedding. I highly recommend doing it this way.

Planning everything on one day feels just so incredibly busy and cramped, like there’s no time to truly enjoy your day when you need to go from one place to the next in a limited amount of time. Added bonus: you get to wear two different dresses, and have two parties!

I also want to add how important it is to work with like-minded vendors. This makes organising and planning everything so much easier.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

It’s so important that you can celebrate your day the way you like it! You do you.

WEDDING VENDORS

Photographer: Leentje Loves Light

Amazing photographer, always looking for the best light and real emotions.

Videographer: Mulya Effran

Hair & Makeup & earrings: Paloma Bridal

My biggest shout out goes to her. Laura is incredibly talented. She and her team offer an experience for brides who don't identify with mainstream aesthetic and who are tired of seeing the same looks over and over again. Laura loves the ironic in the iconic - and vice versa, is all about relaxed meets refined and loves to walk on the line between classy and cool. And above all, Laura really is the sweetest!

Stylist/Wedding Co-ordinator: Wonderweddings

Joke is the best, could not have done this without her. People often asked me if I was stressing about the preparations for the wedding … I was not, not ever. Because I knew she got my back. She understood what we wanted to create perfectly.

Stationary: Pas Manger Pas Dessert

One of my best friends and very talented in creating the most beautiful designs.

Florist: Bloemen Marge

She made my bridal bouquet out of nothing more than orchids. Simple but so powerfull and classy.

Catering: Kurieus

We LOVE good food. Our concept was ‘sharing dinner’ and they were by far the most original in their suggestions of the menu. And they didn’t let us down. The food was delicious, all of our guests loved it.

Hire/Prop furniture hire: Wonder Rentals

Rings: Juna Fae

A small Belgian start-up by 3 sisters and one of them is one of my best friends. They stand for fine Jewelry with a conscience. They work with recycled gold and lab grown diamonds. Their stackable ring collection is stunning!

Bridesmaids Dresses: jumpsuits from Mango

Groom Suits: Atelier Munro DJ: Tim Grand

Not just a DJ but a real artist! He plays a great variety of styles, can perfectly read his audience and plays their music, combined with live piano solos. He’s brilliant!