FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD The day’s dining started with canapés served during the drinks reception along with local Tinwood sparkling wine. These included the newlyweds’ favourite pork belly nuggets; Thai fishcakes; courgette and onion bhaji; pea, mint and feta ristotto balls; and baby brushetta. The wedding breakfast began with a starter of either Burata with Nutbourne tomatoes, or Roots’ allotment vegetable salad. This was followed by the couple’s choice of sharing mains, which were just what they wanted to make the dinner feel sociable. They opted for lamb kleftiko and a Moroccan veggie tagine with salads and potato sides. For dessert guests could choose between luxury profiteroles or sticky toffee pudding. The evening food was served later that night – delicious pizzas. LOOKING THE PART Lauren had her heart set on a Hollywood, red-carpet look, and chose a Gemy Maalouf gown with low back and high, round neck. The top half was embellished with silver detailing and gems, and boasted an ivory satin train. She accessorised the look with a silver and faux-ivory bracelet, a pearl hair piece, and Charlotte Mills glitter bridal shoes. The hair comb holding her veil in place was adorned in pearls and diamantés. In the evening, desperate to get out of the dress, beautiful as it was, she changed into white tuxedo trousers from Me + Em, silver wedge trainers from Russell and Bromley and a silver sparkly top. “I wore a navy three-piece Hugo Boss suit, perfectly tailored and complemented by classic black Hugo Boss shoes. To stand out from my groomsmen, I chose a light blue Pal Zileri knitted tie, matching the colour of the ties I gifted to Lauren and my dad. I finished the look with white gold cufflinks, a gift from my parents from Lebanon, and a sleek black and silver Baume & Mercier watch,” Alex says. The groomsmen wore navy three-piece suits with champagne knitted ties to match the bridesmaids’ dresses. The bridesmaids’ champagne dresses were all different styles to suit each one. CELEBRATE IN STYLE Throughout the day, guests of all ages enjoyed classic games such as Limbo and Connect4, bringing a playful vibe to the reception. The main event was the DJ and live saxophonist combo, who performed both during the reception and evening do. “That was a real hit with our guests and brought the party atmosphere we were hoping for, with most guests asking for a playlist of our music afterwards!” Alex tells us. To help their friends with toddlers party the night away care free, the couple set up a creche and hired two nannies in the bridal suite. “This was one of the biggest wins for us in planning the wedding and was well received among the young parents,” Alex shares. The biggest hit with their loved ones though was the personalised guest book. The couple wrote playful blurbs in it for each of their 140 guests, sparking conversation and laughter throughout the day. Of course, no celebration would be complete without a cocktail hour featuring the couple’s favourite spicy mezcalitas, a nod to a memorable trip to Mexico. “These were incredibly popular with our guests and really shifted the mood from wedding dinner to evening party,” Alex says. MEMORABLE MOMENTS “The ceremony outside was absolutely stunning and so much more than we could have imagined,” Alex shares. “This was helped by our incredible registrar bringing a lovely energy to the occasion. Seeing each other for the first time too was really special. “Our first dance was so much fun! Lauren did an outfit change and we felt like celebrities walking back into the barn with lights on REAL WEDDING 31
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