Staci and Adam met at a networking event at Worcester Racecourse. “A couple of years later, we matched with each other on a dating app and our relationship quickly blossomed,” says Staci. “Adam is a big horseracing fan and I’ve started going with him occasionally, which is funny since we first met each other at the races.” Adam proposed as a surprise on Christmas morning in 2021. “He had filled the ceiling of our lounge with balloons and streamers,” shares the bride. “When I saw him, he was there on one knee, surrounded by rose petals in a gorgeous tuxedo, with the most amazing ring in his hand.” SETTING THE SCENE “When we were thinking about what we wanted from the day itself – the right food, the perfect accommodation and a lovely setting – it dawned on us that we already knew the place that provided all of that,” explains Staci. “It just so happened to be the place I work: Brockencote Hall Hotel. I’ve planned more than 200 weddings for couples at Brockencote Hall Hotel, so I know its potential. Its grounds and space were the perfect size for our guests and the Worcestershire setting near the church was ideal too. With exclusive use, we could really tailor the day to be our own, whether that was choosing the food throughout the day or changing the layout and moving some furniture around so it looked how we wanted. We had our drinks reception on the croquet lawn, which was fabulous with the clear blue skies all afternoon. We knew it would be a beautiful setting for photos too and we took some great pictures in the grounds and in a nearby field. “To decorate the space, we chose a floral arch, had 200 balloons above the dancefloor and photos of our parents and grandparents on their wedding days,” continues Staci. “We also had a champagne tower in the evening and sparklers towards the end of the night.” For their favours, Staci embroidered their guests’ names onto napkins, which doubled up as place settings. “It took time, but it added a lovely, personal touch,” recalls the bride. “Our table names were racecourses around the UK, which was a little nod to how we met and the places we have been together. We designed these to match the other signage at the wedding and had the menu on the reverse too.” Staci and Adam chose a clean aesthetic for their décor. “We had crystal candelabras from Secret Garden Wedding & Event Services as our centrepieces,” says Staci. “We hired a curved top table and my sister made cloths to fit it perfectly, which meant the flowers in front really popped. I bought the most amazing floral chinoiserie vases, which were the basis for a lot of the elements of the day and it was a beautiful way to bring navy blue into our décor. I asked our florist, Tanya Ellis from Bluebells Florist, to fill each vase with different flowers. Tanya really helped bring the vision together and understood my desire to create a floral pocket square on the men’s tuxedos so there were no pins through the satin – they looked so good! My bouquet was a traditional design with one of each flower from the vases at the venue, and it just finished off my look so well.” Finishing Touch Cars provided a Rolls Royce to take Staci and her dad to the church and a matching limousine for her mum and bridesmaids to arrive in style. The couple’s cake was designed by Charlotte Pearman at Farm House Cakes. “Charlotte and I have known each other for some time and I love her style and elegance,” shares the bride. “She created a five-tier cake with some delicious flavours, based on a simple design with our names hand-painted on the front, topped off with a bow to match the bridesmaids’ dresses. For the rest of our food, I was heavily involved in designing the menu with the incredible award-winning chefs at Brockencote Hall Hotel. We worked hard to get our favourite flavours combined with seasonal elements. Our guests loved the evening buffet, which we designed to be in the style of Nandos. We wanted something with spice, but with no pressure for the guests to have it too hot. Nandos is our favourite comfort food and was the one thing in lockdown we really loved, so it just felt like us. We had chicken to make burgers, chicken wings, and halloumi, along with some great salads and peri-peri fries. This was next to a magnificent cake of cheese; our family and friends certainly didn’t leave hungry.” DRESSED TO IMPRESS “I knew the dress I dreamed of, but finding it was another challenge,” recalls Staci. “What I really wanted was a beautiful Bardot lace dress and an Aire satin overskirt. After trying stores locally with my parents, we travelled to a boutique store in Chester, REAL WEDDINGS 25
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=