Bronwen and Graeme were married in August 2011 at the stunning Victorian Manchester Town Hall. From a blind date arranged by mutual friends to a gorgeous DIY wedding gloriously captured on film by Fidelis, it was a perfect day for their family and friends.
Highlights of Bronwen and Graeme’s wedding from Fidelis on Vimeo
Bride & Groom: Bronwen, sales assistant, and Graeme, business owner
Length of engagement: 5 years
Wedding date: 20th August 2011
Wedding ceremony & reception: Manchester Town Hall
Wedding videographer: Fidelis
We met… On a blind date set up two of our mutual friends who thought we’d hit it off. We had our first drink together at Dukes92 in Manchester where we had a really good laugh. Graeme says he looked at me when I went to the bar and he fancied me loads. We then went to Deansgate Locks where Graeme saw one of his friends out with his girlfriend which was one of those funny/awkward moments but soon after we had our first kiss and the rest is history…
First impressions of him… I’d seen a couple of pictures of him so I knew I fancied him, but as soon as we met we just had so much in common. My first impression of him was how funny and kind he was, and the perfect gentleman.
First impressions of her… Graeme always says he loved my peely nose and thought it was cute as I’d just got back off holiday with my Mum.
What was your proposal? On my 30th birthday we went to stay at the Radisson in Manchester. I opened what I though were all my presents and then Graeme handed me another one. I opened it up and it was an iPod. Graeme said there was a special birthday message on the back. I turned it over to find “Will You Marry Me” engraved on it. I looked up and Graeme was down on one knee holding a beautiful ring. It was such a lovely way to propose.
What were your wedding theme/ colours? Our colours were black and white with a hint of red. We chose simple colours as our venue was magnificent so needed colours which wouldn’t clash with the grand décor.
How did Confetti.co.uk help in your big day? After trawling through the internet for inspiration I discovered Confetti.co.uk. It was so great for ideas!
What was your dress like? I knew I wanted something simple and elegant and as soon as I saw it I knew it was the one for me. I took a chance and ordered it from David’s Bridal, which is based in America. I was so nervous waiting for it to arrive. When it did I fell in love with it. It was just perfect.
What was your ceremony like? It was in the beautiful ceremony room in the Town Hall, which could be the insides of any church in the country. It wasn’t a very long ceremony (by choice). We had a harpist beforehand playing songs we selected.
Who were your bridesmaids/ groomsmen? My bridesmaid was my niece Emma, best man was Graeme’s brother Robert, with his other brother Simon as his usher, along with 3 friends.
We chose our venue because… As soon as we saw Manchester Town Hall we fell in love with it. The day we went to view the room there was a wedding all ready set up and it looked stunning. We’re both from Manchester and had never been inside before and couldn’t believe what a beautiful, important building it was. It’s somewhere we can take our kids and grandkids to in years to come.
What was your favourite part of the wedding? Seeing everyone so happy enjoying our special day.
What was the song for the first dance? Rule The World by Take That
What is your advice for other brides? We had quite a tight budget so our advice would be to try and do as much yourselves as you possibly can. We made our own favours, table numbers, save the date cards and invites. Also, we tried to use local businesses such as our florist, jeweller, photographer and videographer.
Fidelis are a professional videography service based in Manchester, Lancashire, and serving all of the UK since 2008. They passionately believe that every couple should be able to preserve their memories on film, no matter the budget. The films are unobtrusively recorded in an ‘as it happened’ documentary style, and with the addition of a photo montage or a highlights section, nothing is missed.
