What is your first name?
Katy
What is your last name?
Hopton
What is your maiden name?
Brooks
What is the name of your groom?
Tom
When was your wedding?
18th September 2010
What is your email address?
Would you like other brides to be able to email you?
yes
How and when did you meet?
We met through a friend nearly 5 years ago.
How old are you both?
Tom is 32 and I am 28
Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?
Tom proposed in September 2008 on a secluded beach near Torquay. It was quite early in the morning and there weren’t many others around. Tom suggested playing Hangman in the sand and it said ‘Marry Me?’
Did you have hen and stag celebrations? If so, what did you do?
I went to Bournemouth for my Hen night and Tom went to Cardiff.
How did your groom help with the wedding planning?
He chose his own ring and wrote his speech. He offered his opinion on most aspects of our wedding. He also helped put together the favours and he came to view all venues.
Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?
I used Confetti to gain helpful tips and hints.
Do you have a confetti web page?
No.
Did you buy any confetti products for your wedding? If so, did you visit a store, buy online or by mail order?
No.
Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it
My outfit was a Phil Collins dress with a lace bodice and full skirt with a lace trim, buttons down the back and sequin detail. I bought my dress in Solitaire Bridal, Midsomer Norton.
Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?
My best friend Kelly Walton was my Maid of Honour, my friend Sarah Ford and Cousin Hannah Edgell were bridesmaids and my god daughter Ellie Walton was flower girl. They wore Monsoon dresses in turquoise. Ellie wore an Ivory dress with pearl detail from BHS.
Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?
Tom had his friend Wayne Edgell as best man. We didn’t have any Ushers as it was only a small wedding. They wore black suits with tails hired from Moss Bros. Their waistcoats were silver/grey with matching cravats.
Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?
Civil.
Where did you hold your ceremony?
Leigh Park Hotel, Bradford on Avon.
Where did you hold your reception?
Leigh Park Hotel, Bradford on Avon.
Did you have any special wedding transport?
No. We had the whole day at the same venue so there was no need for transport.
How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?
We had just over 40 guests to the ceremony and about 90 in the evening.
Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?
We had a country style reception with pale blues and pinks.
How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?
We had pale blue table runners, sprinkled crystals and country style flowers on each table.
Did you give your guests favours?
Yes, pink and white marshmallows in small silver buckets wrapped in cellophane with a bow.
Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?
We had Roses in various shades of pale pink with pale blue Hydrangas in a country garden style on each table. My bouquet contained the same pale pink roses, eucalyptus leaves and snowberries and the bridesmaids bouquets were a smaller version of mine. The mens corsages were Roses. Jonquil did our flowers.
What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?
The venue handled the catering. We had goats cheese for starter, chicken stuffed with spinach and ricotta for main course followed by a trio of desserts (lemon cheesecake, chocolate mousse and raspberry tart).
What did you choose for your wedding cake, and who made it?
Stardust Bakery in Frome made our wedding cupcakes with pale pink, turquoise and cream butter icing. The cream cakes had a strawberry compote sponge, the turquoise cakes were chocolate sponge and the pink cakes were vanilla sponge. The top tier was strawberry compote sponge.
Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?
We had a DJ which the venue supplied in the evening. We provided the DJ with a play list.
Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?
No.
Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?
We spent out first night at the venue in the honeymoon suite. All of our closest friends and family stayed as well and we all had breakfast together the next morning. We went to Cuba for our honeymoon and spent 3 nights in Havana before going on to an all inclusive hotel. This was booked with First Choice.
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
The ceremony.
Did you experience any “nightmare” moments in the run up to your wedding or on the day?
Luckily, no!
Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?
I wouldn’t change a thing!
