Mollie and Bryce met when they were teenagers through mutual friends. “Years later, Bryce asked me on a date when we were 21,” says Mollie. “On our first date, Bryce admitted to having a crush on me when we were at school. He liked my sense of humour, my positive attitude and said he always knew I’d be someone he wanted to introduce to his friends and family. We got on like a house on fire and connected instantly!” Bryce popped the question at Eastwell Manor in Ashford, Kent. “It was a huge surprise and I had no idea it was going to happen,” shares the bride. “We’ve been to Eastwell Manor a few times in the past and had booked a Sunday lunch for the bank holiday weekend just the two of us. We got there early to walk around the grounds and get a drink before the meal when Bryce suggested we go to the walled gardens. He had set up a camera in the ground to get a picture of us both, unbeknownst to me. It was a beautiful setting and very emotional, but at one point he fell, landed on two knees and looked like he was begging, which is a moment we frequently look back on and laugh at.” SETTING THE SCENE “Solton Manor is breathtaking; it’s more than 1,000 years old and has so much history to it,” explains Mollie. “The grounds and gardens are beautiful and we knew it was the perfect setting. The converted barn was the ideal size for us; we had private use of all the grounds, and we were able to stay overnight with our bridal party. We loved the fact that they had only recently started doing weddings again that year, so it was something a little different for our guests. “To decorate the venue, we had a vintage telephone seat with a guest book wedding phone so our guests could leave us a recorded message, which was so fun,” continues Mollie. “We also had a cosy corner with green vintage sofas, armchairs, and a coffee table so people could sit and relax when they weren’t dancing. We did the classic flip-flops for the guests, which we displayed in hamper baskets, and had an all-white faux floral backdrop with light-up letters as the background for our cake. Our cards and gifts table, was a sage-green vintage dresser where we had props for everyone and handheld fans, as it was a warm summer’s day.” To continue their English countryside theme, the couple opted for embroidered napkins from Workwear Store. “It had an emblem of our initials,” remembers the bride. “We also added hand-painted candlesticks, personalised cookies and popcorn boxes filled with our favourite snacks to the tables. The centrepieces were a mix of high and low dramatic flowers with cream and blush roses, greenery, trailing ivy and full hydrangeas. “We also had a meadow flower arrangements along the aisle, which we repurposed for the top table at the wedding breakfast,” adds Mollie. “We had two large floral displays on pedestals for the top of the aisle and entrance into the barn from Louise Roots 39 REAL WEDDINGS
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