When all you need for the perfect wedding day is your closest friends and family
Tell us about the proposal – how and where did it happen?
In Central Park, New York, whilst on a surprise Christmas trip from Greg.
What was your first step in planning your wedding?
As soon as we got back, we went to explore different wedding venues and Holmewood Hall was the first thing we booked in January.
Inspiration: Did you use blogs or magazines for ideas?
I used a variety of different sources for ideas/inspiration, but I found Pinterest the most beneficial. Pinterest was where I got most of my ideas for our wedding theme and where I have many boards for different aspects of the wedding such as table décor, bridal makeup, groom attire etc. I really wanted burnt orange bridesmaid’s dresses and was able to source many providers through Pinterest.
What were your wedding “must have’s”?
We wanted a wedding venue which catered for all guests and of all ages. I remember how important it was on our search for wedding venues to accommodate our elderly guests and provide a space for them to relax in the evening whilst we boogie on down on the dancefloor.
We also looked for a wedding venue which was rain-proof, meaning that if it did rain (which is likely with British weather) we wouldn’t feel disappointed or crammed in a small venue. We needed the WOW factor!
Wedding budget: how did you organise your wedding budget?
The wedding budget was considered, hence we went for a midweek wedding to save costs, but we never really utilized a wedding budget spreadsheet to keep on top of it all. We did however make sure we did not go over the top with the budget and always planned to spend within our means.
Wedding venue: how did you search for a wedding venue?
Guides for Brides was fantastic for browsing wedding venues. I found it a good starting place for our search alongside recommendations from friends and families.
What made you choose your wedding venue?
Greg will never admit to this, but when we walked into the Great Hall at Holmewood Hall he had a tear in his eye and was just stunned by how spectacular it was. It was at that moment we both knew this was the venue for us.
Styling your wedding: how did you personalise your big day?
With Covid-19 unfortunately changing our wedding day plans, we were not able to fulfil the full wedding day experience which meant we were only allowed the wedding ceremony and a toast on the day. We will be celebrating our day properly next year with all our guests.
Our theme is a royal one, with a strong emphasis on crowns, navy and gold. We have crowns to decorate with flowers for our table centrepieces. I was able to purchase some second-hand vases and jars for table décor from sellmywedding.com which go well with our wedding theme and also are great for our budget.
We loved the fact that we don’t need to decorate the wedding venue as it is just beautiful the way it is. We only planned the majority of the decoration to be on the tables.
For our wedding cake, we came across Heart & Soul Cakes in Essex and tried her truly scrumptious Rhubarb and Custard cake. We were sold and incorporated this and other summery flavours into our wedding.
Wedding photographer: how did you choose your photographer?
We found our photographer, Juan Muino, via a search on the internet for a local photographer. We loved how natural his photos looked and then were sold when we went him as he is just amazing! He was so accommodating given our plans changed and we had to split our wedding over two dates. We are truly lucky to have Juan as our photographer and look forward to having him there for our wedding part 2 next year!
Wedding suppliers: how did you choose your suppliers?
I went to a local wedding fayre at the East of England showground with my mum and sister and was blown away by a violin and cello couple – The Chapel Hill Duo. I then dragged my hubby-to-be along to see them in Spalding weeks later with his broken ankle! I also came across a stall at the wedding fayre for Shades of White (a bridal shop in St Ives) which is where I brought my wedding dress from. Wedding fayres are good to gain ideas and it opens you up to things you would have never considered before! Also, I would have never considered going to St Ives for my wedding dress if it wasn’t for coming across them at the fayre.
Early this year, I wanted to surprise Greg with a Gospel choir so spent many hours searching on the internet for a choir. I came across GetGospel and instantly knew they were the ones I wanted!
Describe your wedding attire
My wedding dress was actually picked by the lady who helped us in the bridal shop. Both my mum and I picked dresses for me to try on and none of them quite hit the spot, however, the lovely lady who helped us during our visit took on board what we liked and picked a few for me to try… and she couldn’t have got it any more perfect!!
What accessories did you wear on the day?
I wore the veil I purchased at the bridal shop and a hair piece I purchased online after hours spent trying to find a piece within a reasonable budget. It also meant waiting a while for an offer to arise to save some more money. I also brought my shoes at a discount for just £20 from Rainbow Club.
What did your partner wear?
I saw grooms wearing bowties on Pinterest and was hooked! We considered a gold bowtie and navy suit, to go with the theme, for the Groom, with the groomsmen wearing the matching gold tie.
Tell us about your Bridesmaids, Groomsmen and their outfits
Unfortunately, I could only have the Maid of Honor (my sister) at our wedding ceremony which meant my other four bridesmaids could not attend. I purchased a navy dress for her to wear a couple of weeks prior to the wedding from Monsoon to ensure she felt comfortable as she just had had a little baby.
I originally purchased personalised boxes from Etsy for three of my bridesmaids, which had their names on the outside of the box and ‘Will you be my bridesmaid?’ inside the box. In the box, I placed some little gifts such as little cans of the cocktails we had planned for the day.
I had so much regret not asking two more of my close friends to be a part of my bridal party, so I asked them soon after with their bridesmaid dresses. I couldn’t imagine the morning of the wedding not having all my bridesmaids there and knew I would have massive regret if I didn’t make it happen. (One of my main bits of advice is to make sure you do exactly what you want).
What was your biggest wedding splurge?
During lockdown, I knew I would regret not having a videographer. This came about from a few friends saying the only thing they regretted not having on their big day was a videographer. I came across Ed Bray on the internet and was so glad that I did! He has been amazing from start to finish and was happy to help out with our split wedding over two days. We knew as well that many of our guests would not be able to make it for our wedding ceremony due to social-distancing restrictions and thought that a video of the ceremony would allow those who couldn’t attend to feel like they were there.
What was your biggest wedding saving?
We saved on the vases and table décor from sellmywedding.com and also from buying reduced-price mirrored plates for the table centrepieces from a local florist. It is always worth looking around for a bargain!
What was your ceremony like?
Well… very different! We were restricted to eight guests due to government guidelines but had to include the videographer in this number. We didn’t know our vows beforehand, so it was a complete surprise on the day. I absolutely messed up my vows and called Greg by his middle name! Let’s just say… we look forward to trying again next year!
My dad was able to walk me down the aisle (with the help of Anne from Holmewood Hall) but it was very much touch and go. It made it extra special that my dad was able to walk me down the aisle. We originally had planned to walk down the aisle to the Chapel Hill Duo playing, however live music was not allowed.
Tell us about your drinks reception and wedding breakfast
We had a toast with our seven guests in the grounds which was lovely and intimate. Holmewood Hall went out of their way to make it was normal as possible and ensure we had a lovely time. No wedding breakfast unfortunately but again can’t wait until next year for the celebrations.
Did you have a band or DJ for your evening reception?
All the celebrations have been postponed to next year, which includes the gospel choir performing during the evening as a surprise for the guests. We then look forward to the provided DJ by Holmewood Hall for a boogie on the dancefloor!
Tell us about your first dance – what song did you choose and why?
I did consider using the gospel choir for our first dance or even one or two first dances (because we are greedy haha). We are fortunate to have another year to decide on the song, but we have a shortlist of songs that are all potentials!
Based on your own experience, give us some top tips…
My main tip is… make sure you have the wedding you want and not to try to please other people. You can put so much time and effort into trying to please everyone else at the expense of your own happiness and satisfaction. It is your special day and yes it is important to consider your guests but definitely put yourself first!
I have also realized how much time I have spent stressing about the wedding and every finer detail to then have a wedding that was completely not what I planned but I couldn’t have loved more! It made it clear that I had forgotten the importance of a wedding, getting to marry the man of my dreams, and focused on details that don’t really matter! Who cares about the napkins being navy or the confetti matching the colour theme?!
“If we could do it all again, we’d…”
I would not spend the many hours I did stressing and worrying about everything wedding that just wasn’t necessary.
Purchase & Hire – Tell us who your suppliers were:
Wedding attire: Shade of Whites
The accessories: Rainbow Club
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Victoria Lou Bridal
Other outfits: Moss Bros
Wedding rings: Browns
Wedding cake: Heart & Soul Cakes
Photographer: Juan Muino
Videographer: Ed Bray
Band/disco/DJ: Get Gospel/ The Chapel Hill Duo
Wedding favours: The Ribbon Co (ribbons for favours)
Flowers: Mrs Bees’ Flowers
