When we first saw Nikki and John’s wedding the one word that came to mind was perfect! The happy couple knew exactly what they wanted, starting with the venue; Ramster Hall was the ideal location, with its stunning historical drawing room and private gardens. Nikki’s Justin Alexander dress with its long train and beaded bodice is stunning, every girls dream. Their attention to detail was faultless, the rich hues of purples, pinks and champagne complemented the season and the surroundings wonderfully. This week’s Real Wedding is…well perfect.
Bride and Groom… Nikki and John
Wedding date… Saturday 26th October 2013
We met… At Birmingham University, as we both played in the university badminton team.
The proposal… I went travelling to South America in 2012 for 7 months. Half-way through my trip John came out to visit me for a 2 week holiday. He planned to propose in the Galapagos Islands but chickened out. He then proposed on the last night before he went home, on a beach in Ecuador at sunset, it was lovely.
I knew he was ‘the one’… When the team went on holiday to Ibiza. We both knew from that holiday.
Length of engagement… 16 months
How did Confetti.co.uk help in your big day? Confetti was brilliant for getting inspiration for our wedding with so many articles to read.
Our wedding photographer was… Henry Wells at henrywells.co.uk, he is a brilliant photographer and produced some amazing pictures. He made us and the other guests feel really comfortable and relaxed, it was lovely having him there as part of the day.
My dress was… A Justin Alexander dress. I always knew I wanted a fairytale style dress with layers of tulle, a striking bodice and a long train, but most importantly I wanted to feel like a princess for a day. I discovered Romantica Bridal in Kennilworth on a trip to see John’s brother and sister. I was shopping with my future sister in law, we weren’t intending to look for dresses, but I saw the dress and fell in love with it. It was the last one they had in that style as it had been discontinued. John’s sister put a deposit down on it for me, and the following week I returned with my mum, who also loved it and I could see she had a tear in her eye! We bought the dress that day. It was about the sixth shop I had been to.
Suppliers
Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander dress | Wedding Shoes: Nine West in House of Fraser | Wedding Suits: Anthony hire | Bridesmaid Dresses: Debenhams | Wedding Flowers: Kate Avery flowers | Wedding Entertainment: Ramsters in-house DJ | Wedding Photographer: Henry Wells @henrywells.co.uk | Wedding Hair and make-up: Samantha Norman | Wedding Catering: Jacaranda | Wedding Cake: Bespoke Bakery | Wedding Stationery: Special Day Direct wedding stationery | Wedding Harpist: Jharda the singing harpist | Wedding Venue: Ramster Hall
Our wedding ceremony was… In the beautiful drawing room at Ramster Hall with 92 guests. I loved the whole ceremony, but my favourite moment has to be walking down the aisle with my dad to the sound of Canon D being played by our very talented harpist; and seeing John and all our guests for the first time.
Our bridesmaids and groomsmen were… Vicky and Terri, my best friends from school and university and John’s sister Anne were bridesmaids. John’s brother Tim was best man and his other brother Dave and my brother Andy were the ushers. The whole family were involved in the wedding which was great.
Suppliers
Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander dress | Wedding Shoes: Nine West in House of Fraser | Wedding Suits: Anthony hire | Bridesmaid Dresses: Debenhams | Wedding Flowers: Kate Avery flowers | Wedding Entertainment: Ramsters in-house DJ | Wedding Photographer: Henry Wells @henrywells.co.uk | Wedding Hair and make-up: Samantha Norman | Wedding Catering: Jacaranda | Wedding Cake: Bespoke Bakery | Wedding Stationery: Special Day Direct wedding stationery | Wedding Harpist: Jharda the singing harpist | Wedding Venue: Ramster Hall
Our wedding reception was… At Ramster Hall. We had a good idea of what we wanted for the wedding; an old country house in Surrey, somewhere with character and warmth which would feel like our home for the day, and most importantly somewhere that would feel inviting for our guests. Ramster Hall was the first venue we visited and nothing else really compared after that. As a family owned house for many generations it has a completely unique atmosphere, with artwork and family heirlooms on the walls and tucked away in every nook and cranny. The Long Hall is beautiful with the twinkly lights in the ceiling and the open fire at the end of the room. It felt perfect for our autumn wedding.
Our wedding theme was… Champagne and purple. The bodice of my dress was champagne, and I chose a deep aubergine for the bridesmaids, so I based the colour scheme around these. Our florist Kate Avery did a brilliant job in bringing different shades of colour into the venue using golds, deep purples, pinks and lilacs so the colours blended beautifully. I didn’t want the colours to be too similar, I wanted it to look soft and natural and in keeping with the time of year.
Our wedding was unique and special because… The people that were there. We both have such a lovely family and friends, and it was amazing to get everyone together. I would say the venue also made it extra special because it created that warm, inviting feeling we wanted for all our family and friends. Everyone commented on how lovely the atmosphere was.
Did anything funny or unusual happen at your wedding? Yes, the registrar accidentally called my husband by my surname during the vows which was quite funny and made us laugh and relax. We also had a couple of evenings guests take over the bar, which was very entertaining!
Our first dance was… Only Love by Ben Howard
Our favourite part of the wedding was… The wedding breakfast. It was the first part of the day I could properly relax and I loved walking round the tables talking to all the guests, and the food and service by Jacaranda was outstanding. I also loved the speeches, they were really heart warming and also very funny!
What is your advice for other brides? My best advice would be to take your time choosing suppliers that you can trust, and then leave them to do what they do best. Don’t worry about every aspect of your day and just relax and enjoy it. Even if something goes wrong (we had a lot of rain) it really doesn’t matter, you’ll still have an amazing day.
For our honeymoon … We had a week long break in Scotland. We drove up to Edinburgh and Loch Ness and stayed in a lovely shepherds hut in the Isle of Skye. It was amazing and perfect for us. We wanted to just jump in the car and go the day after the wedding, no packing suitcases or flying or planning to be done. We are also going to Sri Lanka and the Maldives for a delayed sunny honeymoon very soon.
Suppliers
Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander dress | Wedding Shoes: Nine West in House of Fraser | Wedding Suits: Anthony hire | Bridesmaid Dresses: Debenhams | Wedding Flowers: Kate Avery flowers | Wedding Entertainment: Ramsters in-house DJ | Wedding Photographer: Henry Wells at henrywells.co.uk | Wedding Hair and make-up: Samantha Norman | Wedding Catering: Jacaranda | Wedding Cake: Bespoke Bakery | Wedding Stationery: Special Day Direct wedding stationery | Wedding Harpist: Jharda the singing harpist | Wedding Venue: Ramster Hall
Create the Look
Love to recreate Nikki and John’s real wedding? Then look no further! We have a wide range of products in wonderful shades of purples, pinks and golds.
Above, clockwise from top left: Venice Gold Serving Set | 5 Arm Wedding Candelabra | Glass Globe Holder with Reflective Lace Pattern| Mini Glass Candy Jar with Lid
