Jess & Laura - Colourful, Stylish and Laid Back Wedding at The Shack Revolution
Laura and Jess brought SERIOUS energy to The Shack Revolution for their colourful, laid back and fun wedding last summer. We’re humbled to learn that they’d never been to Hereford before. Jess is from London and Laura is from Cardiff. Finding a venue close to the English/Welsh border was a major plus, but they chose us mainly because they loved the venue, and it’s industrial features!
The pair were super gracious enough to give us an insight into their creative thought process leading up to the wedding.
What attracted you to The Shack Revolution?
We really wanted a non-traditional wedding venue with lots of cool industrial features. We loved the character of the venue - the red brick, the barrel ceiling, the industrial concrete and wood. It was everything we were dreaming of!
“We wanted it to be colourful, fun, laid back and just a good party really!”
What kind of wedding did you have in mind, and did this change?
We wanted it to be colourful, fun, laid back, and just a good party, really! We didn't want a super fancy wedding with posh food and elegant music. We've all been to those weddings, and let's face it, sometimes they can be a bit dry and soul-less.
“We loved the character of the venue - the red brick, the barrel ceiling, the industrial concrete and wood.. It was everything we were dreaming of! ”
What were the most important factors for your wedding day?
To have lots of fun with our friends and family, listen to good music and have a dance, and the decor to look colourful, fun, and stylish.
What's Your Favourite Memory from the Day?
The ceremony! We asked one of our best friends, Stuart, to be our celebrant. He was absolutely brilliant. The guests and we were all in stitches, and it was so personal to us. We thought we might be nervous, standing in front of everyone and speaking, but honestly, it was so much fun that we didn't want it to end!
“Make it reflect you as a couple, rather than just following what a traditional wedding might look/feel like.”
Were there any stressful moments, and if so, how did you overcome them?
There actually weren't any stressful moments - we wouldn't change a thing. It went so smoothly from start to finish, which is a testament to the team at The Shack. Jacob and the crew were brilliant, seamlessly supporting any furniture changeovers, expertly running the bar. It was all perfect.
If you could give one piece of advice to couples planning their wedding, what would it be?
Have fun with it, and make it reflect you as a couple, rather than just following what a traditional wedding might look/feel like. Also, make a mothership of a spreadsheet. We had a membership with Bungalow by Pink Palms. We did lots of online workshops, which really helped us find our style and refine our planning; plus, it was fun, and we got to meet lots of other like-minded couples.
What is your favourite feature of The Shack Revolution?
Too hard to pick one! Aesthetically, we LOVE the lean-to, the black and white mural, exposed brick, living wall, and slanted glass ceiling. It's all so gorgeous. But also, the staff were amazing. Whilst setting up the day before, they were so helpful and just said 'yes' to anything we wanted to do, which was lots of fun (cue disco balls EVERYWHERE!).
Why did you decide on a city wedding in Hereford?
We'd actually never been to Hereford before. We saw the Shack Revolution online, came to visit, and decided that was the place for us! Jess is from London, and Laura is from Cardiff, so it was nice that Hereford sits near the Welsh/English border, but mostly it was just for the venue.
How did you both meet?
Through an arts festival in Leicester in 2014. Laura was one of the Producers for UK New Artists, and Jess was one of the participating artists with her theatre company. To be totally honest, we were both quite drunk and barely remembered meeting. A couple of months later, Laura spotted Jess on a queer dating app and recognised her from the festival, and they reconnected there.
Things to know about Jess
She's a great footballer. Previously she played for Tottenham and Leicester City, and now she plays for Stonewall FC.
Sometimes she breaks out into improvised interpretative dance around the house
She plays the guitar and is also a really good songwriter. She has written Laura a song or two!
Things to know about Laura
She spent months on an internet stalking mission to find the exact headpiece she wanted for the wedding. It had been discontinued a few years back by the designer, but she managed to track down someone in Edinburgh who was willing to lend it to her through a rabbit hole of tagged Instagram posts
She has her own clothing brand, called 'Peachy'. She designs and embroiders tees, sweatshirts and hats and has sold hundreds of garments to people worldwide.
She used to DJ the Critical Mass bike ride in Leicester every month. She led the ride on a huge tricycle with a sound system on the back, blasting out tunes for the rest of the riders. The tricycle was so heavy that other cyclists had to give her a push up the hills.
How does it feel to be married?
Great! Although not much different from before, I guess. It's nice being able to say 'my wife'!