brought my wishes to life and the taste was divine. We’d opted for salted caramel and mixed berry tiers,” the bride tells us. Eleanor’s father was in the army and worked closely with the Gurkhas, so they opted to use his Gurkha Kukri knife to cut the cake. She continues, “I must also mention our tiered cheese and pork pie cake for the savoury palettes among our guests. This was another showstopper and went down a treat.” The venue team provided a mouthwatering spread, from confit duck and pork belly, to sea bream. “They were incredibly kind in accommodating our request for tarte flambée for the evening spread, allowing us to bring a slice of Strasbourg to the table, where Alex grew up,” Eleanor says. LOOKING THE PART The bride wore the Masazir mermaid crepe dress with a sweetheart neckline from Pronovias’ Eden Collection. “I’d always imagined myself wearing this style, but the detachable Juliette-style sleeves were a huge surprise! They made the dress for me and I didn’t remove them the entire day,” Eleanor says. She completed the look with a cathedral-length veil by Pronovias and crystal encrusted Lottie Blue heels by Freya Rose, painted by a friend with a personal design on the soles. Alex wore a blue three-piece suit paired with a white shirt and black shoes. His suit was brighter than his groomsmen’s, who also wore light pink lace-patterned ties labelled inside with the couple’s names and wedding date. The bridesmaids were dressed in elegant floor-length gowns in champagne. Each had a draped back, cowl neckline and extended train. “They looked utterly stunning,” Eleanor remembers. “I’d asked each of them which style they preferred as ultimately, I wanted them to feel sexy and comfortable on the day, and it just so happened that they all chose the same.” TIME TO CELEBRATE The pair booked a string quartet to perform during the ceremony and reception, who were thoroughly enjoyed by the guests. “I felt they added another level of elegance to the day,” Eleanor shares. During the evening, DJ Oliver Fatemi played a series of hits and had the dancefloor buzzing until the early hours. MEMORABLE MOMENTS Eleanor and Alex’s wedding day was one of only two stormy days during an incredibly hot and dry summer, so they swiftly decided on plan B, and held their ceremony indoors. “The thunder and rain were actually magnificently romantic and dramatic, and cleared up just in time for the reception and outdoor photographs,” Eleanor remembers. “We felt incredibly happy and lucky to have our loved ones all in one room. It really is something rather remarkable when you look back at all the faces staring up at you and see your cousin, next to your godfather, next to your childhood friend.” WORDS OF WISDOM The bride shares her top planning tips: “I highly recommend focusing heavily on the larger elements of the wedding in the lead up, just as much as the smaller things, and relax on the day with the understanding that your wedding venue and team have got everything under control. Working in PR, I like to run the show, but on the day I was fairly Zen knowing they had it all in hand!” 26
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