Megan told the story of how she met James best in her wedding speech: “We didn’t romantically bump into each other in our favourite coffee shop, instead we met on the well-known dating site, Hinge. When I came across James, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The first photo showed him in an open water wetsuit, the next he was on a road bike, the next on skis... I thought ‘wow’! He looks like the fun, outdoorsy guy I’m after! It turns out he posted six photos from a single triathlon that his brother forced him to do three years prior and he rather prefers lying horizontally on the sofa drinking beer and binge watching The Office. I’d been catfished!” All jokes aside, the two hit it off from their first date, when they discovered plenty of similar interests and aspirations for their future. They both love travelling, trying new food and spending time with friends and family. James popped the question early 2024 when the couple were on a skiing holiday in the Three Valleys, France. They were relaxing in deckchairs at their favourite restaurant, Roc 7, overlooking the mountains when he subtly got down on one knee. Once Megan happily said “yes,” they watched the sunset together with some Champagne, had a little dance to the live saxophonist and DJ, before taking a tipsy ski back to their hotel (don’t try that at home folks!) “We’d had some amazing afternoons in this bar and both love skiing and being in the mountains, so he nailed the proposal,” Megan shares. Megan was born in Bristol and grew up in Somerset five minutes away from Clevedon Hall. She spent her childhood swimming for the Clevedon Swimming Club, enjoying many wonderful moments with friends and family in the town, including plenty of dates with James. So, Clevedon has always been a special place for her, and somewhere she’s always wanted to get married, when the time came. After viewing Clevedon Hall with both sets of parents, they knew immediately that it was the venue for them. “Not only can you see the sea and pier from there, but it’s immaculately decorated and so spacious,” Megan explains. “It has everything you could possibly need including beautiful grounds, a fantastic orangery and even bedrooms for guests. Plus, the bridal cottage for the prep is a great addition. The venue is suitable for all weather conditions, which was a must for us.” The couple set the all-important date for 20th September 2024. Here, the bride shares the story of their W-day... SETTING THE SCENE Megan and James decided on a natural, classic, summertime vibe for their big day with a green, cream and gold palette. The incredible Loubee Floral Designs was enlisted to create the floral displays, and designed gorgeous meadows for the aisle, a piece for the ceremony table, flower bowls and stands for the reception tables and displays for the signage and cake, as well as the beautiful bouquets and corsages all in keeping with the chosen palette. “The flowers looked fantastic and smelled beautiful on the day,” Megan remembers. And the newlyweds were able to give many of them to friends and family the day after, who could continue to enjoy them for the following weeks. The meadows were moveable and were rehomed after the ceremony to the stairs. “This was a great tip from our florist, Louise, to allow us to make the most of our flowers,” Megan says. The couple ordered a simple table plan and welcome sign from Mally’s Crafts and enhanced these with some more florals from Loubee Floral Design. The table numbers were placed in simple gold frames in keeping with the theme and palette, while cork stands made by the father-of-the-bride held the menus. They selected wooden place names to complement the natural theme, which doubled as favours for guests to take away with them as a keepsake. Megan’s friend Lucy made their big-day bake. “Although it was undoubtedly a stressful job for her, she nailed it and it was so delicious,” Megan remembers. It was a three-tier showstopper with a raspberry and white chocolate top layer, a lemon and elderflower centre tier, and coffee and Kahlua on the bottom. “It was special to have our friend make something for our big day,” Megan says. “We used the venue’s caterers, who were fab. Shout out to the tarte tatin, which was incredible. It was chosen as it’s a family favourite.” – Megan REAL WEDDINGS 23
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