Jess and Sam met in drama class when they were both teenagers. “Sam asked if he could help me with my lines one day, and we hit it off straight away, becoming the best of friends,” says Jess. “We didn’t become an official couple until we were a few years older and realised our bond was something more than friendship.” Sam proposed on the day they moved into their first home together. “He originally planned to do it in Italy (my favourite place in the world), however, due to the pandemic, he had to make other plans,” shares the bride. “The day we got our keys, Sam worked with his best friend to set up the front room with candles, fairylights, flowers and rose petals. He was there waiting for me, and it was a big surprise! I never thought he would do it then, considering we had just spent all our money on the house! It was so romantic and intimate. I loved that it was just the two of us, and I cried my eyes out! Sam was very nervous, although I don’t know why as we had been together for seven years by this point, and it was very clear we were going to spend the rest of our lives together.” SETTING THE SCENE The couple came across Gisburne Park Estate at a wedding fair. “I found it by accident when searching for wedding inspiration, and it just so happened that the wedding fair was happening that weekend,” explains Jess. “Luckily, we were both free, so we decided to go. When we got to Riverside House, we were invited to have a look at the outdoor ceremony tent. It’s situated in the forest behind the house, and as soon as we saw it, we knew it was our venue. I started crying almost immediately, as I could already envision the day. It was so beautifully set up, with candles at the end of each bench and a backdrop at the end of the aisle. It blew us away, and we booked our wedding that same day. “We wanted everything to be chilled and laid back, so our guests could enjoy the day just as much as we did without any fuss or stress,” adds Jess. “We decided to have a top table with three long trestle tables coming off it, as we wanted to make sure that all of our guests were sat together and there wasn’t a divide between our families.” For their favours, the couple gave their guests ginger biscuits in the shape of a maple leaf, which doubled up as place settings. They also created gift bags made up of sweets, snacks, a perfume tester and a scratch card. “Our flowers were a mixture of fresh and dried blooms provided by Milly Davey Flowers,” remembers the bride. “The bridesmaid posies were a smaller version of my bouquet, and Sam and his groomsmen had buttonholes in the same colours. Our mums also had a corsage each, and Sam’s best woman wore a floral hair comb.” The couple’s cake was created by Rosehill Cake Studio. “The amazingly talented Margaret made a square cake with three tiers in different flavours,” recalls Jess. “The base was made of clear acrylic with fairylights, leaves and acorns to reflect the autumnal theme and colour scheme. The cake itself was a marble effect and had a beautiful vine winding down it with edible acorns and berries. It was so spectacular that people thought it was a decoration rather than a cake. They were gobsmacked when we went over to cut it! “Our catering was provided by Betty’s Tipis,” continues Jess. “We decided to have a barbecue for our main meal and wood-fired pizzas for the evening. Later in the day, we had firepits and benches on the grass area outside, along with sparklers and marshmallows.” DRESSED TO IMPRESS “My wedding dress was called Teegan by Ronald Joyce,” shares Jess. “I never envisioned myself wearing a mermaid-style dress but was intrigued by how I would look in one. I found Teegan in Orchid Designs in Clitheroe, and as soon as I put it on, I knew it was the one. I loved my silhouette in that style and was dazzled by the embellishments and how the dress fell. It also had a train which had always been a dream of mine. I accessorised with a long veil, which sat on a hair comb at the 29 REAL WEDDINGS
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