When was your wedding?
15/09/2007
How and when did you meet?
Met at a friends BBQ ‐ my friend was Wayne’s cousin.
How old are you both?
I am 23 and Wayne is 30
Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?
Wayne proposed 26/06/2005 down by the river in Norwich. He had chosen the engagement ring himself (and even got the right size!!), and got down on one knee whilst we were sitting down by the river.
Did you have hen and stag celebrations? If so, what did you do?
My hen night was at the Holiday Inn in Norwich and was a ‘Good Girls Night’ with 3 course meal, Robbie Williams tribute act, disco, and exotic male dancers!! Wayne had 2 stag nights ‐ one night out at the races with the boys from work, and went out for a meal with his best man (his brother), brother in law, dad, and father ‐ in‐ law to be.
How did your groom help with the wedding planning?
We both went to lots of wedding fayres and went to see all the suppliers together to chose what to have. He also chose his and the groomsmens outfits (with a little help from me).
Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?
Confetti was a great help in chosing decorations and favours etc, and was great to read about other brides weddings and get ideas.
Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it
I had a gold dress from sincerity with corsetted beaded bodice, and full skirt with beading details and long train, which was bought from a small family bridal boutique in Gorleston. I had a gold tiara and champagne silk lined veil with beading detail.
Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?
I had 4 bridesmaids inc my sister, sister‐in‐law, and 2 best friends, and they wore long burgundy gowns with gold sash, and burgundy wrap. The dresses were custom made by my mum, and were brilliant. They also wore burgundy feather fascinators, which were also handmade by myself and mum.
Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?
Wayne’s brother Ashley was his best man, and he and the fathers wore Prince Edward black suits, with gold waistcoats and burgundy cravats.
Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?
Civil ceremony.
Where did you hold your ceremony?
Caistor Hall in Norwich
Where did you hold your reception?
In the coach house at Caistor Hall, Norwich
Did you have any special wedding transport?
We had a stretched silver limousine for myself, bridesmaids, mum, dad. Wayne and the best man arrived at the wedding in a Dodge Charger (Dukes of Hazard car).
How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?
We had 50 guests to the ceremony, and a further 40 came to the evening reception.
Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?
The overall theme was Parisian/Moulin Rouge, with burgundy feathers.
How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?
The tables were named after Paris landmarks.
Did you give your guests favours?
The favours were handmade by myself and mum, and were marshmallow hearts wrapped in an organza sheet and tied with red roses.
Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?
My auntie made all out flower arrangements. My bouquet was 25 bacara roses, with pearls, and tied with gold ribbon. The table decorations were silk arrangements of various red and pink flowers.
What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?
We had a 3 course meal of Leak and Potato soup with bacon lardoons, roast turkey with all the trimmings, raspberry cheesecake and ice‐cream for dessert. This was catered by Caistor Hall.
What did you choose for your wedding cake, and who made it?
My uncle who is a baker in Scotland made our wedding cake. It was based on one we had liked from a wedding fayre and were going to order before my uncle said he would like to make us our cake as a wedding gift. It was a staggered 3 tier cloud shaped cake (2 tiers fruit and 1 tier sponge), with ivory icing, and burgundy bows round the edge, and with handmade decorations of white feathers and red roses and hearts on top.
Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?
We had a harpist to play before the ceremony, during the register signing, and after the ceremony when the guests were having drinks on the lawn. We had a DJ for the evening reception who played cheesy and party hits all evening.
Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?
We didn’t have a gift list.
Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?
Our first night was in the bridal suite of Caistor Hall. Our honeymoon was in Paris (booked through Going Places). We had 7 nights in a 4 star hotel off the Champs Elysees, and then 3 nights in the Disney Hotel at Disneyland.
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
The most memorable moment of the day was seeing Wayne for the first time at the end of the aisle. He turned to look at me walking down the aisle and we both looked at each other, and burst into tears. It was very emotional, but so lovely.
Did you experience any “nightmare” moments in the run up to your wedding or on the day?
The only thing to go wrong on the day was that the limousine was 30 mins late to pick me up. I received a phone call 10 mins before the car was due to pick us up to say that our intended car had been involved in an accident, but that another was on it’s way. The car that arrived wasn’t the one we had ordered, but it was only a minor detail, and I stll made it to the ceremony on time, so all was well.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?
I would advise any future brides to make the most of their day. It really does go by so quickly, so take in every moment. I wouldn’t do anything differently. I budgeted for everything I wanted out of the day, so if you really want something but don’t think you can afford it, try and cut back on something you aren’t so bothered about. It’s your day, so plan it how you want to.
