Kathryn and Mike met online in 2015. “Mike was genuine and kind, and he liked that I was intelligent and funny,” says Kathryn. “He proposed on Christmas morning in 2019. We were at home and had come downstairs to open presents with our daughter. They both disappeared upstairs and came back with a small wrapped gift. I opened it and saw a sparkling diamond ring! Mike said: ‘well, will you?’ and I told him: ‘only if you get down on one knee.’ He did, and I said yes. Our daughter was ecstatic!” SETTING THE SCENE “We were originally supposed to get married in April 2021,” shares the bride. “We decided to postpone in September 2020 for another year as the COVID-19 rates had gotten worse. As we weren’t getting any younger, we decided to try for a baby. We welcomed our daughter in September 2021, which meant there was an extra special guest in attendance.” The couple’s original venue fell through. “We found Blithfield Lakeside Barns four months before we were due to get married,” explains Kathryn. “Whilst the fact it was available helped, the setting attracted us as it was so stunning and overlooked the reservoir. It’s only 10mins from our home and has a light and rustic atmosphere.” “We tried to do as much DIY as possible and asked our friends and family to help,” recalls the bride. “Our favours were wooden place names with personalised games and for our table plan, we wrote our guests’ names on cards and attached them to a white mirror.” Kathryn and Mike placed flowers, candles and lights in bottles for their centrepieces. “Our blooms were from Fine Flowers,” reveals Kathryn. “We opted for a hand-tied bouquet, two for the bridesmaids, buttonholes for the groomsmen, corsages for our mums, top table arrangements, two pedestals and hexagon backdrops. All of the arrangements included roses and foliage and were described as country-garden themed.” “We had a handmade wooden sweet cart with spindle wheels,” remembers the bride. “We also had a wooden hexagon backdrop behind the top table, photographs of us on string lights hanging over the cake table and photos of our dads who are both in heaven.” Kathryn arrived in an Imperial Landaulette vintage car from Anthony James Wedding Cars. “Mike chose a Mustang Shelby GT500 as seen in Fast & Furious and Gone in 60 Seconds,” says Kathryn. “It really looked the part!” “Instead of a three-course meal, we opted for afternoon tea with vintagestyled crockery provided by Derby Vintage China Hire,” shares the bride. “It included sandwiches, homemade scotch eggs, sausage rolls, pork pies, scones served with jam and clotted cream and a selection of cakes.” DRESSED TO IMPRESS “I wore a Maggie Sottero gown called Ariella which I purchased at The Bridal Barn,” explains Kathryn. “I always thought I wanted a mermaid-style gown but didn’t expect to have anything with straps, pearls and crystals, but when I tried it on, I felt lovely in it and knew it was the one. I accessorised with a cathedral-length Art Deco-style veil, a vintage-inspired hair piece and a pair of earrings that originally belonged to my mother and were worn ballroom dancing in the early 70s. I received a beautiful Gucci necklace from Mike on the morning of the wedding, but due to the neckline of my dress, I wore it as a bracelet instead.” Mike and his groomsmen opted for grey suits with pink ties from Dapper Dan Formal Suit Hire For Men and Boys. “I had three bridesmaids that were 13, eight and seven months old, so they wore different dresses,” recalls the bride. “I started by getting a floor-length tulle design for our niece and had dresses made in ivory tulle, with a V neck and satin bodice in dusky pink for the other two. They all looked wonderful together!” REAL WEDDINGS 33
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