Maggie and Mick
17/06/2006 – Dudley Register Office
Fox Inn, Shipley near Wolverhampton
How and when did you meet?
We met in a pub in 1982.
How old are you both?
43.
Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?
There was no formal proposal. It just came about in conversation that we might as well finally get married.
How did your groom help with the wedding planning?
He didn’t!
Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?
I browsed through it but already pretty much knew what I wanted.
Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it
.
Initially, I bought a dress from Oasis because it was going to be such a low key affair, i.e. the two of us, our children and and two witnesses. When we invited more people, the original dress seemed more ‘wedding guest’ than bride, so I decided to look for something a bit more special. Given the fact that it was a civil ceremony, that we’d been together for over 20 years and have two children, a white gown or something too fussy didn’t seem appropriate. I became obsessed with the idea of a silver dress and spent many hours searching for one. Of the few I found, none seemed to fit the criteria. Almost on a whim, I went to a vintage clothes shop and there it was, hanging on a rail waiting for me: silver/grey material, decorated with silver embroidery with just enough diamante decoration to make it even more special. It’s about 70 years old. I wore a small and subtle tiara to match.
Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?
My daughters weren’t bridesmaids per se, but they did wear a pretty new dress and carried a pomander of roses.
Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?
Civil.
Where did you hold your ceremony?
Dudley Register Office.
Where did you hold your reception?
Fox Inn, Shipley near Wolverhampton.
Did you have any special wedding transport?
No.
How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?
24.
Did you give your guests favours?
I made my own. For the ladies, I painted little boxes in silver and decorated each one in a different style using dimantes, tiny roses and other beads to reflect the colours of my dress and the wedding flowers. I filled each one with rose scented potpourri. For the men, I made top hats and filled those with chocolates.
Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?
I had a tear drop bouquet made up of pink roses, pink lilies and eucalyptus. My girls had pomanders of pink roses and my niece had a small, hand held bouquet of roses. They came from a local florist shop called Poppy’s who provided an excellent service.
What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?
We wanted the meal to be very informal and relaxed, without speeches or ceremony. I gave everyone a copy of the pub’s very extensive menu then handed it back in a week before the wedding. It meant that everyone’s taste was catered for and no one had to wait long to be served.
What did you choose for your wedding cake, and who made it?
Didn’t have a cake.
Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?
No.
Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?
We asked for plants to fill our newly renovated front garden. Thought it would be nice to have a living reminder of our wedding day. Some people gave money which we used to buy plants/shrubs/trees, others bought the plants themselves and we also had gift vouchers.
Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?
Spent the first night at home and went to Menorca (through First Choice) a couple of days later.
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
The whole day was perfect. There’s not really one particularly memorable moment, just a series of many. Everything went according to plan and for that I’m eternally grateful.
Did you experience any ‘nightmare’ moments in the run up to your wedding or on the day?
On the evening before, Mick went to bed complaining of a headache, stomach ache and a vile temper to match. I spent a very nervous night worrying.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?
I wouldn’t have changed a thing. It’s not necessary to spend a fortune in order to have your special day. I think that some women feel pressured into having things which they don’t really need. I don’t feel that there was any compromise on our day just because we didn’t have the usual trimmings. There was none of the stress normally associated with having to organise a wedding. Keeping it simple certainly worked for us.
