bouquet, and it was absolutely stunning.” To tie in with their relaxed theme, the couple opted for a banquetstyle seating plan. “We were on the fence about having a seating plan, but in the end opted to have one despite the challenge of placing everyone,” remembers the bride. “Our meal was a buffet-style feast, with barbecue marinaded treats and fresh salads and sides. We didn’t do any tasting sessions prior to booking Herb & Spice Catering, but they had great reviews, and we were so happy with them. The food was delicious. Our wedding cake was dessert, and we also served delicious brownies that my step-sisters were kind enough to make for us via their business, Manchester Brownie Box. Our drinks were Spanish wines and British beers. I think we managed to keep everyone happy, well fed and suitably topped up with booze!” DRESSED TO IMPRESS “I wore a simple, ivory, empire-line dress that I bought from Sister Jane,” says Lauren. “It had a lovely texture to it with a gorgeous bow to tie the back. I ended up removing the sleeves from it for the big day, as it just felt much more my style that way. It was the first dress that I tried on, and although I did try others after purchasing it, I just couldn’t find anything I liked more! I kept my accessories simple with a handmade chiffon bow in my hair, pearl-encrusted hoop earrings, and my late mother’s gold signet ring on my right hand. I wanted to feel like she was close by, and it felt like a good moment to wear it.” Alberto wore a brown wool suit from Harry Brown Menswear, complete with waistcoat, white shirt, loafers, and a grey tie. “The lining of his suit was amazing,” shares the bride. “It was a bright floral design that mirrored the textured flowers on my dress. He looked so handsome. “We had flowergirls and bridesmaids,” continues Lauren. “Our two daughters and our niece were our flowergirls, and we chose white dresses with bright floral embroidery on the bodice for the three of them. My two closest friends were my bridesmaids, and I didn’t specify any particular dress or style that they should wear. I wanted them to feel their best and I felt a bit awkward about asking them to wear something that I had chosen for them. We were on a pretty tight budget, and I am so grateful to them both for having gone out to choose their own dresses. Sarah chose a gorgeous figure-hugging pink ruffled dress, and Lizzie chose a totally beautiful floral ankle-length dress. Sarah and Lizzie don’t know each other that well, having only properly met on the hen do, but somehow, they magically managed to coordinate the colours, and both looked absolutely stunning!” TIME TO CELEBRATE “We laid the entertainment on quite thick for our party,” explains the bride. “We kicked the night off with live music from some great friends of ours who play accordion, violin, and the cajon. They got everyone warmed up and dancing. They also played a lot of tango-inspired music, which was perfect for leading into our next performers, Northern Tango Academy. They stunned everyone and invited us all to have a tango lesson to practice some moves of our own. We then moved into the disco part of the night, which included an amazing bridal-themed show from our wonderful friend Ed, who performs as professional drag artist and all-round amazing, Mayumi Fukiko.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS “We felt nervous, excited and emotional on the morning of the wedding,” recalls Lauren. “It really was such an incredible day full of joy. We had to cancel our original wedding date back in 2020, and we seized the moment one day and decided almost on a whim to go for it, book a date, and finally be married. We planned and put together the whole day within six months, and we felt elated that we had managed to pull it off in such a short space of time. “Saying our own vows was a big highlight of the day,” adds the bride. “It was a tender moment full of so much emotion. I also loved my dad’s speech which was absolutely amazing. He has been learning 31 REAL WEDDINGS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=