Beth and Steve
02/09/2006 – Horsham Registry Office in Horsham, West Sussex
Slinfold Golf and Country Club, Slinfold, West Sussex
How and when did you meet?
We met eight years ago at a non-league football club we both supported. Six months after meeting, we became a couple.
How old are you both?
We are both 26.
Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?
Steve had apparently been planning it for years! On our 5th anniversary we went for a week’s break in the Yorkshire Dales. Steve hired out an Audi TT convertible, drove me to Malham Cove, read two love poems and proposed! He’d also arranged a fantastic dinner and a stay in a gorgeous B&B.
Did you have hen and stag celebrations? If so, what did you do?
I was supposed to have a ‘quiet night in’ at my parents’ house, but when I got there my younger sister had organised a surprise Ann Summers party complete with party games! Steve and his mates went to a local park to play sports, followed by dinner and the pub!
How did your groom help with the wedding planning?
We did everything together.
Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?
Yes, the girls on the forum were fantastic and I also used the table planner.
Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it
I bought my dress two years before for a work do. After Steve proposed, I looked for dresses but nothing came close to the dress I already had, so I wore it. It was a white evening dress with layers of organza and a tie-up back, decorated with silver stars. In my hair I wore diamantes, with silver and white ribbons.
Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?
No. Instead, my oldest sister was our witness, my younger sister arranged my hen night and my little sister did our reading.
Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?
Steve wore a purple velvet jacket with matching cravat and a white waistcoat – something he had always wanted to wear. Steve’s best man and our second witness was his best friend and his brother was our usher. They wore their own suits.
Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?
Civil ceremony.
Where did you hold your ceremony?
Horsham Registry Office in Horsham, West Sussex. It is set in a really old building in a picturesque street, so we got some wonderful photos.
Where did you hold your reception?
Slinfold Golf and Country Club, Slinfold, West Sussex.
Did you have any special wedding transport?
Steve’s dad is very proud of his Rover 75 so he drove my parents and I to the registry office and then drove Steve and I on to the reception. He decorated the car with ribbons and flowers to match our colour scheme.
How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?
We invited just over 20 to the ceremony and a further 30 to the reception. 30 extra guests joined us in the evening.
Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?
Stars! I am an amateur astronomer so stars were everywhere – my dress, the ribbon on my bouquet, the table plan, the cake, etc. Our colour scheme was silver to match the stars on my dress, together with purple to match Steve’s jacket.
How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?
All of the tables were named after constellations visible at midnight on the day and each table also had a star map so guests could try and spot them. Silver and purple star confetti was also sprinkled on the tables.
Did you give your guests favours?
All the children received party bags containing toys, colouring books etc. The girls’ bags also contained a replica of our cake topper.
Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?
Our fantastic florist was Fleurs in Horsham. My bouquet was made up of cream roses, stephanotis and lavender, tied with a long silver-starred ribbon I found on the internet. The buttonholes and corsages were made up of stephanotis and laurel. For all our table decorations, my little brother grew all the flowers from seed in our allotment. We bought some vases from Ikea and my mum arranged them on the day. I tied a label around each vase saying that they were grown by my brother.
What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?
Our venue handled the catering. We sent out a three-course menu with the invitations and the guests could choose what they wanted to eat.
What did you choose for your wedding cake, and who made it?
I bought a sponge cake and a fruit cake from Tesco which my mum decorated with a purple ribbon and silver stars. Our cake topper was from Playmobil (a family tradition!). Steve then baked a selection of small cakes to go around the main cake.
Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?
A DJ was included in the price of the venue. In the evening, and as a complete surprise, Steve’s parents hired us a caricaturist who really got the guests talking!
Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?
No. We instead asked for money towards a new bathroom.
Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?
Our first night was spent at the Random Hall Hotel in Slinfold, West Sussex. A few days after the wedding we flew to Kenya for a week’s safari followed by a week on the coast, staying at Hemingway’s Resort in Watamu Bay. Everything was booked through Kuoni.
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
Saying our vows. We felt like we were the only two people in the world at that moment in time. I also loved watching our guests reactions when we played them a slideshow of funny photos of our six-and-a-half years together to the tune ‘Accidentally in Love’ by Counting Crows.
Did you experience any ‘nightmare’ moments in the run up to your wedding or on the day?
No. It was a small wedding so there was not that much to organise.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?
Have a few days rest between the wedding and the honeymoon. We were physically and emotionally drained for a couple of days afterwards! But the main thing would be enjoy yourself – you are marrying the man of your dreams and that is all that matters, so have fun, enjoy it and savour every moment!
