Wandering Wedding Dress in England
England hadn’t been very high on our wish list of places to visit. But before I upset any of our English friends, hear me out first as to why. My only understanding of England had come from the English people I knew in Australia.
They used to tell us that it was dreary all the time. That they didn’t like the weather, the beaches, the food or the people. To put it into context though, these were all people who had chosen to move to Australia.
Here’s something I have learned after travelling the globe for the past five years…people can get sick of anywhere, even if it’s paradise! And I’m pleased to say this is what we discovered about England.
We first stayed in a picturesque little town in Suffolk. There we got to wander through paddocks and soak up the English countryside. Together with staying in a home that was built in the 16th century. How amazing is that! And the churches…wow! What can I say?
For the remaining two weeks we were in a little town near Southhampton. There we got to experience just how good the English health system is (wasn’t part of our plan) and even more of the friendly English hospitality.
You can read more about the different locations we visited in England, what to do, where to go, and more importantly, what to eat and drink by visiting my Courage to Travel website.
Needless to say, after having a month of the most incredible summers days, good hearty pub meals, and being surrounded by the English good manners, we just had to do a wandering wedding dress photoshoot in England.
One foggy morning
I knew after spending only a few days in Diss, England that I wanted to have a wandering wedding dress in England photoshoot. Everywhere you looked there was so much natural beauty.
We had been walking in the fields surrounding Diss which was quite a foreign experience for me. In Australia, if you walk on another person’s property, especially in the outback, there’s a high chance you will get shot at. In England, farmers actually provide trails for you to walk on. Totally fabulous!
I had noticed a solitaire tree in the middle of a field. It was so picturesque the way it stood there on its own in the field of green. I knew I wanted it to be included in at least one of my photos.
One day, I happened to wake up super early and look out the window. There was a dense fog that had settled on the town. I could barely make out the church across the street. As I watched it gently wrap around the outer walls and steeple it hit me…the fog on the field with my tree in it would be stunning!
Jumping out of bed I began to wiggle into my dress while waking my rather reluctant husband. Quickly I painted my face and attempted to put some curl into my hair (which quickly dropped the second I stepped outside). Then off to the paddock we ran!
Not to be left behind, the adorable Pippin (who we had been entrusted to our care) had to come too. His personality is an abundance of energy, cheekiness, and love. We just had to have him in the pics. I personally think he stole the show!
England, your churches are breathtakingly beautiful
As the fog began to rise we next went to one of the little local churches to attempt to capture its glory. Such grandeur, elegance and oh so much history within their walls.
It was too early to be able to go inside so we made the most of the outer walls. Wandering through the outer gardens Pippin and I came across headstones that dated back hundreds of years.
A lot of them you could no longer read the details. Worn down by the elements. It left me wondering who they were. What was life like for those who had been here before us?
As I stood in the doorway, tiny against the enormousness of the church. I couldn’t help imagine what it might have been like to have been married here. How many women had stepped through that doorway on their wedding day? Feeling that delicious concoction of nervousness and excitement.
The wandering wedding dress in England
It wasn’t long before the chill of the air took its toll on those of us who weren’t wearing a winter jacket (wedding dresses aren’t that warm just FYI). The fog was lifting and later the sun would again grace us with its presence for yet another English summers day for us to enjoy.
Needless to say, we only took photos in the two locations for the wandering wedding dress in England photoshoot. But I am sure you will agree that they were worth getting up so early and nearly freezing our beegeebies off for!
I would have liked to have taken some pics at some of the famous English landmarks like Big Ben, Windsor Castle and the White Cliffs of Dover. However, for this trip, we didn’t visit London except to venture through it and instead we enjoyed having a more local experience. After having such a wonderful time in Diss and Sherfield on Loddon though, we will be sure to be back to take in all the sites another time.
Following are a few pics taken in the garden of the church. England has such an amazing range of shades of green in the fields and trees. The gardens we got to see were some of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. England, you surprised us and we will definitely be back soon!
My favourite tree…
There was something enchanting about this tree. Standing alone in the field. Surrounded by a blanket of green and with a single path leading to it. It was so mysterious and yet inviting.
I wondered why it had been spared when all the other trees around it had been taken down. Maybe that was where the owner of the land used to sit and watch his flock or protect his field.
As the fog gently lifted this tree cast a wonderful spell over me. I felt childlike, curious and filled with possibility. This tree became my magical tree that Pippin and I would visit every day.
Pippin – the real star of the photoshoot
Let me introduce you to the adorable Pippin. A Fox Terrier with a personality that is impossible not to fall in love with. He is well behaved and responds to all the usual commands but it is his sassy, cheeky and affectionate nature that makes him so memorable.
We wanted to experience England by living like a local rather than a tourist. We prefer doing this when we visit a new country because you get to have a completely different adventure. Plus, the joy of a four-legged fur baby companion.
By utilising the fantastic housesitting services available at Trusted Housesitters we were blessed to be chosen to look after Pippin. Each day he showed us around his town walking through fields, across streams, and past historic buildings dating back hundreds of years.
We took him with us to each of the pubs and nearby towns we visited. He loved the drives in the car and when it came to the wandering wedding dress in England photos, we couldn’t go without him.
In my mind, Pippin truly was the real star of the show and he stole a little piece of our hearts. If you would like to find out more about how you can ‘live like a local’ in various places all over the world visit Trusted Housesitters.
In loving memory of Ted
Imagine our surprise when our second housesit in England was also caring for a Fox Terrier! Now, this may not seem strange to some people but Fox Terriers are actually quite rare. So, we really were super blessed.
Our second housesit was with Ted. He too, just like Pippin, was adorably sweet-natured. Yet, he had a cheekiness to him as well. Ted was younger, just two years of age, well behaved, and such an affectionate little fellow.
We absolutely loved spending time with Ted and his fur and non-fur family and will cherish the memories we have forever. In fact, we have said that if we ever decide to ‘settle down’ in one place, we would love to have a Fox Terrier. And we would be blessed if he/she is anything like the lovely Pippin or the adorable Ted.
Unfortunately, Ted was only in this world for a short time. He passed over the rainbow at a very young age due to health issues. So, it is with a heavy heart that I dedicate this post to our little friend Ted. We will miss you forever little buddy xo