When was your wedding?
30 June 2007
How and when did you meet?
10 years ago – he was singing and playing guitar in a Queen tribute band (as indeed he still does) at a gig, we got talking and became friends over the course of a few gigs. We got together 7 months later, at my 21st birthday party.
How old are you both?
I’m 30, Nathan is 34.
Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?
He proposed at home on my 28th birthday in February 2005. It wasn’t a surprise, though – we had discussed it for a while, as after 7 years together marriage felt like the right and natural next step.
Did you have hen and stag celebrations? If so, what did you do?
For my hen night, we hired a limo and went for a lively meal at a Greek restaurant in Birmingham, where we enjoyed plate smashing and a spot of belly dancing before the disco kicked off – an ace night! My lovely bridesmaids kitted me out with L-plate, veil, bunny ears, feather boa, the works! Nath and the lads went bowling then on to a comedy club, also in Birmingham – they kept the comedy theme by dressing in bowler hats and suits as his favourite comedians Laurel and Hardy!!
How did your groom help with the wedding planning?
He made some CDs of our favourite music to play before, during and after the ceremony and during our wedding breakfast. He was also in charge of the honeymoon arrangements, booking, etc. And obviously sorting out the men’s side of things – suits, stag do, etc!
Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?
I became completely addicted to the forum, picking up tips and sharing experiences with fellow brides!
Did you buy any confetti products for your wedding? If so, did you visit a store, buy online or by mail order?
Yes, the gifts for our bridesmaids and best men were from the Confetti store in Birmingham – photo albums for the girls and beer glasses for the lads. We also bought our ‘Love Heart’ guestbook, table and throwing confetti and bubbles from the same store.
Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it
My dress was from Beatties in Wolverhampton, a gorgeous design called ‘Ecajou’ by the French designer Cymbeline. It was ivory peach, a bodice and skirt with a lacy corset. I also wore a matching fascinator (as I’m not really a veil or tiara person). It was only the third dress I tried on – I knew at once it was The One! It was so ‘me’ and everyone loved it.
Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?
I had my sister-in-law Julie and my best friend of 15 years, Ros. My other sister-in-law Kristie was originally going to be bridesmaid too, but then found out she was pregnant and due 4 days before the wedding! We were thrilled she was able to make it on the day – 3 days afterwards she gave birth to our first nephew, baby Samuel!! The girls wore dusky green dresses by Olivia Mae – Ros’s was a bodice and skirt, Julie’s a one-piece dress – and they both looked gorgeous. I set my heart on these dresses after seeing them in a magazine ad for the designer 18 months ago and tracked down the nearest stockist.
Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?
Nathan’s 2 brothers Jeremy and Nick were best men – they did a fab job (we didn’t have ushers). They wore grey Pronuptia suits with cravats to match the girls’ dresses.
Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?
Civil
Where did you hold your ceremony?
Both ceremony and reception were held at The Mill Hotel, Alveley, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire
How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?
We had 66 in the day and a total of 92 on the evening.
Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?
Our colour scheme was green and yellow.
Did you give your guests favours?
Love Hearts – they were my big bargain: 72 packets for £8 from a cash n carry!!
Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?
Our florist was Just Petals in Kinver. My bouquet was cream roses, the girls carried yellow roses. Our table decorations consisted of long tall vases containing gorgeous sunflowers.
What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?
Our venue provided the lovely meal – cream of vegetable soup to start, followed by roast chicken with all the trimmings. We served our wedding cake as dessert – it consisted of three layers, chocolate, madeira sponge and carrot cake, so everybody got a choice!
What did you choose for your wedding cake, and who made it?
Our wonderful cake – as described above, and covered with white chocolate cigarette curls – was made by Gadds in Dudley.
Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?
Nathan’s old band – a Queen tribute – performed for a while at the evening do. We also had a DJ playing all the cheesy classics! Ben, one of the guitarists from the band, also performed a great guitar solo during the signing of our register.
Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?
As we had everything we needed for the home, we saw no point in requesting household items we had no use for. So we set up a gift registry with Trailfinders so our guests could make a contribution towards our wonderful honeymoon in Mauritius.
Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?
Our first night was spent in the bridal suite of the hotel where we got married. Our honeymoon of a lifetime was 10 unforgettable nights in Mauritius. It was the closest to paradise we have ever been. We had a well-earned rest beneath the exotic palm trees, but also took part in activities such as waterskiing, kayaking and parasailing (probably the scariest thing I’ve ever done – apart from get married).
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
There were many – walking into that room on my mum’s arm and seeing Nathan’s face, feeling so loved, feeling like film stars as we had never had so many cameras pointed at us in our lives. And I must mention the rain! It never stopped all day. But it did not dampen our enthusiasm one jot – though I’d been mortified when I first saw the weather report.
Did you experience any ‘nightmare’ moments in the run up to your wedding or on the day?
The floods! A week before the wedding, the ground floor of our venue was flooded due to the torrential rain, they had to replace all the carpets and the highly professional staff worked round the clock to get everything shipshape again. My lovely Mum knew all about this, but didn’t tell me until the actual day as she knew I’d panic!! I was highly grateful!
Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?
It sounds a cliche, but I would honestly not change a thing about our day. It went like a dream, exactly as I’d rehearsed it over and over in my mind in our 2-year run up to it. As for advice, I would say don’t fret about things you can do nothing about – such as the weather! As I said, I was gutted when I found out we were going to have a wet wedding day – yet on the actual day I woke up and didn’t care! Being surrounded by so much love – and marrying the man you love – really does erase any disappointment you may feel that the sun is not shining.
