A whirlwind romance which started online, followed by a worldwide search for a special Tiffany’s ring, followed by a dress search around the South West! When all was done and planned, Sally and Craig tied the knot at the gorgeous Pentillie Castle in Cornwall, in a lovingly intimate ceremony and reception for 40 guests, which also included their beloved pooch Samson!
Bride & Groom: Sally, teacher, and Craig, military police officer
Length of engagement: 6 months
Wedding date: 5 April 2012
Wedding ceremony & reception: Pentillie Castle
Wedding photography: Mike J Soames
We met… We first met in September 2010 following a brief spell of online dating – shortly after meeting online we decided to take the plunge and set eyes on each other in reality. We met up in Plymouth city centre and the rest, as they say, is history!
Your proposal story… Following a whirlwind romance of utter bliss (although this did include a 6 month operational tour away for Craig), we went ring shopping in London during late August 2011. I fell in love with a classic Tiffany engagement ring spotted from afar in Sloane Street. Much to my disappointment, the dream ring has already been reserved by another couple earlier that day. Upon return to Plymouth and in complete secret, Craig swiftly set about tasking the staff of Tiffany’s to complete a worldwide search for an identical ring. The search took in all branches of America and Asia. After a number of weeks, Craig was contacted to say that Tiffany’s had located an identical ring in New York! Craig arranged delivery of the ring to the UK before whisking me away for a week’s break in New York during October 2011. The proposal itself came during a shopping trip on Fifth Avenue outside Tiffany’s when Craig took me by the arm and said, “you can either go in and have a look, or you can have this one! ” and presented me with my dream ring I had fallen in love with months earlier!
We chose our venue because… We chose Pentillie Castle because of its classic and sophisticated decor, secluded location, intimacy and level of service. A real bonus for us was that we could hire all the rooms for guest accommodations, have exclusive venue hire and also our dog Samson was able to join us for photographs!
What was your ceremony like? We decided upon a civil ceremony in the Bathing Hut at Pentillie Castle because we wanted to be in the heart of the rural countryside whilst having a small and intimate wedding for 40 guests, full of romance and emotion.
What was your dress like? Dress shopping was a bit of a whirlwind! After being told by many stores that I had left it too late to purchase a dress on time, Craig wiped away the tears of stress and drove me around in a shopping mission around the South West! It was during a record breaking stop at Prudence Gowns of Plymouth that I first saw my Justin Alexander fitted lace gown. It was a perfect fit, but had to be reordered in a longer length. It was an instant winner and was perfect for our classically British and sophisticated wedding. Craig wore his Number One uniform.
What was your favourite part of the wedding? We have so many magical memories of the day, which seemed to go by so very quickly. For Craig, the best moment was seeing me walking down the aisle towards him, and mine was sealing the marriage with our first kiss as Mr and Mrs.
What were your wedding theme/ colours? Our wedding took place at the start of the Easter weekend in early April and the colour theme was designed to capture the colours of a typical English spring. The flowers and bridesmaid dress were of an ivory and pale yellow palette with hints of lime green, all finished off with pearls and crystals. We had metre high candelabras as table centrepieces, also draped in flowers and crystals in the same colour palette. The Bathing Hut was draped in ivy garlands with hints of cream flowers and natural, rustic greenery freshly picked from my mother’s garden on the morning of the wedding and put into place by my brother.
What was your first dance song? It was a compliation of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Just The Way You Are.
What is your advice for other brides? Have blister plasters readily available for the bride’s feet, and remember to enjoy every moment!
Pentillie Castle is a 2000 acre private castle and estate, dedicated to excellence in service and quality weddings. Located in Cornwall on the banks of the River Tamar and surrounded by spectacular gardens, it’s available for exclusive hire for an unforgettable celebration with friends and family. It is licenced for civil ceremonies both indoors and outdoors, and has 3 reception rooms to choose from.
