Michelle and Jonathan
19/08/2006 – St. Stephen’s Club, London
How and when did you meet?
15 years ago at a family party. Jonathan’s best friend use to go out with a cousin of mine. We were both quite young and not particularly looking for a long term partner but we connected straight away and had such a good time together the years flew by!
How old are you both?
33 and 38.
Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?
We were out in Cambridge at the lovely Midsummer Common restaurant celebrating 14 years together. The subject turned to weddings and we decided jointly that it was something we both wanted to do, not just for ourselves, but also to celebrate our relationship with our close family and friends.
Did you have hen and stag celebrations? If so, what did you do?
Yes. I had a girly pamper evening at my sister’s house with lots of home cooked tapas style dishes and the bridesmaid made brilliant cocktails. The groom had a London pub crawl by the Thames and a meal out with his family and mates.
How did your groom help with the wedding planning?
Not really. We had discussed together what we wanted and then I took over with the entire organisation including helping him organise the stag do!
Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?
I found Confetti advice pages very helpful and their directory invaluable for finding florists, hair and make up artists etc.
Did you buy any confetti products for your wedding? If so, did you visit a store, buy online or by mail order?
Yes, I bought some card making toppers and materials for our homemade invites.
Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it
I had two outfits! First one was an a-line strapless dress above the ankles and made of creamy white satin with a French lace overlay from Morgan Davis. I topped it off with a beautiful headband from Butler and Wilson. My second dress was lighter and floaty from Monsoon. It was ivory white with silver sequins – perfect for the first dance.
Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?
I had one bridesmaid and a flower girl – I didn’t have a strict theme and was happy for them to choose what they wanted to wear.
Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?
Jonathan chose his best mate from primary school who also supplied the wedding cake and gave a great speech. We had two ushers- his cousins-who were excellent.
Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?
Civil.
Where did you hold your ceremony?
The whole thing was held at St. Stephen’s Club just opposite St James’s Park.
Where did you hold your reception?
The reception was in the garden of St Stephen’s. We had a Pimms reception followed by a BBQ. Luckily the weather held out.
Did you have any special wedding transport?
No need with an all-in-one venue.
How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?
90 for the whole day.
Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?
The flowers were pink and white indoors and outside the pink was combined with orange to give a warm summery feel.
How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?
We wanted an informal day so no table settings. We just had pink flowers in the centre. People could either sit inside or out.
Did you give your guests favours?
My auntie from New York made a rich (and alcoholic) fruit cake which we boxed and handed out to everyone when they left.
Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?
My florist was Jo Copperwaite who was brilliant. My flowers were made up of simple creamy white roses. The bridesmaid had a corsage and the flower girl had a wand of a single rose.
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. Four choices of BBQ lamb, swordfish/tuna steak, tandoori chicken and stuffed mushrooms and lots of salads and pasta side dishes. The dessert selection was amazing. There was a cheeseboard later in the evening and the cut wedding cake.
What did you choose for your wedding cake, and who made it?
The best man sorted out the wedding cake. It was a two tiered white cake with three beautiful, pink sugar roses on the top and then a scattering of tiny pink flowers along the side.
Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?
We had a classical trio during the ceremony and for an hour of the drinks reception. We had a salsa/ merengue 5 piece band in the evening followed by a DJ. It was great. Everyone danced especially my dad!
Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?
We made up our own gift lists with a selection of activities and hotels on our honeymoon so guests had the option to contribute. We also had a small selection of gifts at John Lewis for those who wanted to buy something.
Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?
We spent the night at Crowne Plaza which was five minutes from the venue. The next day we went on our honeymoon to Tanzania and stayed at a lovely coffee lodge near Mount Meru. In fact all the lodges/camps we stayed at were great.
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
The ceremony was most memorable because I was so nervous but there was no reason to be.
Did you experience any ‘nightmare’ moments in the run up to your wedding or on the day?
Not really. I was indecisive about the dress and finding a band but it was all perfect in the end.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?
If you are organising the wedding yourself make a draft running order and list the suppliers in each section. Work through it as you book and organise each section of the day. Savour every moment…the day flies by!
