ROLL CREDITS Venue, Great Fosters, https://alexanderhotels.co.uk/great-fosters | Photographer, HayleyB Weddings, www.hayleybweddings.com | Dress, Aurora Bride, www.aurora-bride.com | Jewellery and accessories, Lily & Roo, https://lilyandroo.com | Hair stylist, Edward James London, www.instagram.com/freddy_styles_ldn | Make-up artist, Millie Make-up Windsor, www.milliemakeupwindsor.com | Suits, Moss Bros Guildford, www.moss.co.uk | Bridesmaids’ dresses, Maids to Measure, www.maidstomeasure.com | Cake, Forever Cake Creations, www.forevercakecreations.co.uk | Flowers, The Fine Flowers Company, www.thefineflowerscompany.co.uk | Stationery, Laura Ritchie Designs, https://lauraritchiedesigns.co.uk | Wedding rings, Chisolm Hunter, www.chisholmhunter.co.uk | Entertainment, Nero String Quartet, www.nerostringquartet.com, Reverse Reverb, www.entertainment-nation.co.uk/reverse-reverb | Decorations and entertainment, Firebird Events, www.firebirdevents.co.uk | Decorations, Host with Style, www.hostwithstyle.uk | Videography, Ash Videography, www.ashvideography.com Photo booth, Sparkle Me Booths, https://sparklemebooths.co.uk the day. “When I was walking down the aisle, he says that he could feel his heart-beating in his chest, but he was really glad to see me happy and smiling,” adds Hannah, “He thought I looked beautiful and it distracted him from everyone looking at him intently — he normally hates that kind of thing!” BIG-DAY HIGHLIGHTS Ben doesn’t really like being in the spotlight, but his speech was a standout moment, “I was surprised by how confident he seemed. He’s also not very good at expressing his emotions most of the time, but he said some lovely things that got me. Lots of people complimented him on it after!” As you can see from Hannah and Ben’s pictures, the couple had a wonderful time in the grounds of the hotel with their bridal party and coloured smoke bombs. “It was really fun to do, so much so that some of the groomsmen said it was their favourite part of the day! It also produced some great photos, as well as some funny ones where we all look like school children running around,” shares Hannah. “Lastly, for me, the band was also fantastic, and I distinctly remember everyone singing along at the top of their voices to Mr.Brightside towards the end of the night. We were all having so much fun and the band looked like they were enjoying themselves as well.” For Ben, he liked the times where the newlyweds spent small amounts of time to themselves just to chat. “They were few and far between on the day, but they were nice to have. We just talked about everything that had happened,” adds Hannah. The Smiths (Ben’s family) have a tradition that they do at every wedding, where they go around all of the tables and take bets on the length of the speeches. “This was quite funny for the people that had no idea about it beforehand,” recalls Hannah. “Most people got involved by the end. The winner with the closest time then gets the pot, so this announcement at the end of the speeches seemed almost as important as the speeches themselves! Whilst this was going on, the women’s final of the Euros was also happening, so throughout the speeches, we could see a few people at the back looking down at their phones, but they (mostly) kept quiet when goals were being scored. A few cheers may have slipped out during the best man’s speech, but he let it slide.” A GROUP EFFORT “Our parents really did a lot for us on the day. They went above and beyond to take any role that we threw at them and delivered in all aspects, alleviating some of our stress and making the day extra special,” shares Hannah. “Hayley and Ash (photographer and videographer respectively) were people that really stood out during the day because they thought about how we could best enjoy everything whilst getting all of the photos/ footage that we needed. They managed to get all of the different groups together without it being too forced or time-consuming and they whisked us away for short periods of times to allow us to have some breathing space, which we really appreciated.” REAL WEDDINGS 39
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