course of slow-cooked beef with dauphinoise potato, pearl onion and smoked bacon jus. The meal was rounded off beautifully with warm apple crumble tarts with anglaise sauce. There were also mouth-watering alternatives for vegetarian guests. TIME TO CELEBRATE Rachael and Dan knew they wanted Craig Owen’s violin and piano duo to play, as the first time they visited a wedding fair at the castle they were playing All Of Me, which the couple had already chosen as their first dance song. “It was captivating,” Rachel says. The musical duo played during the morning as guests took their seats for the ceremony and as Rachael walked down the aisle to Canon in D. They also performed the bride and groom’s selections Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Somewhere Only We Know by Keane as they signed the register. For the blessing the newlyweds entered to A Thousand Years by Christina Perri and exited to Queen of Sheeba by Handel. The beautiful violin and piano music continued throughout the drinks reception. Guests were also treated to an owl meet and greet, which was a great opportunity for them to enjoy a memorable experience as they sipped their drinks and nibbled canapés. Magician Spencer Lynch kept everyone entertained after the wedding breakfast as the evening guests were arriving. “He was fantastic and managed to convert all the sceptics,” Rachael remembers. During the evening, the DJ Hipswing played with Sophia Sax and Rachael couldn’t recommend them highly enough. She says, “The atmosphere was transformed once she started to perform, everyone was already having a fabulous time, but it multiplied with the addition of live music.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS Rachael shares, “Like many who originally had a 2020 wedding booked, we encountered quite a bit of stress and uncertainty in the lead up to our 2021 date. But when the day did arrive it just made it even more special – we’d made it! It was the first time we’d all been able to be together in more than a year, which really added to the celebrations and made them even more joyous. “We were lucky enough to have a large number of our friends and family staying at the castle the night before, and I remember walking around, bumping into loved ones all day and evening. We were able to have a meal in a private room in the restaurant the night before, which is the kind of thing you rarely get to experience, so I feel very lucky to have had it.” As well as delighting guests with a meet and greet, an owl also performed the task of ring bearer. It was feathered friend Hope’s first delivery and she was a little nervous. All assembled were worried she might not oblige, but with a little coaxing form her handler she was off and on her way. WITH THANKS Rachael and Dan are incredibly grateful to all of their suppliers. The bride tells us, “We had a bit of disruption with moving the date and then not being sure about numbers, but everyone was amazing and did all they could to make the process as easy as it could be. “Heather at ByBlossom really had her work cut out printing the onthe-day stationery at the last minute since we weren’t able to commit to table plans thanks to the changing restrictions. Janet at Stich In Time was so helpful with altering my dress and making the sashes, ties and pocket squares. Lockdowns made time limited meaning she didn’t have long. Our hair stylist Sarah and make-up artist Lowri were fab, creating such a fun atmosphere getting ready. And Marie from Butterfly Events was with me all the way, she and her team did a spectacular job decorating the venue.” REAL WEDDINGS 39
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=