shares. “So, I went to one bridal boutique just down the street from our house. I’m not the type of person who cares about designers or big names and I didn’t want the dress hunting to be a long drawn-out process.” So, Jordan found herself attracted to simpler styles. She picked out four or five gowns to try on, but although she liked them all, she didn’t feel any of them were the one. Later, while browsing the internet for inspiration she saw Madeline Gardner’s Rasia for Morilee, went back to try it on and loved it. Jordan paired the gown with a pearl hair vine, and one of her bridesmaids gave her a delicate gold bangle for her something borrowed, which she’d worn for her own wedding. It belonged to their best friend who they’d sadly lost just after university. “It was a really special moment and such a lovely thing to have with me on the day,” Jordan remembers. Mark wore a sage green suit with brown brogues, silver paisley tie and pocket square, and brass cufflinks that his bride had gifted to him as a wedding present; they were engraved with the lyrics of their first dance song. His buttonhole featured a large caramel rose with bunny tails. The groomsmen were dressed to match and paired their suits with a green/grey metallic-look tie and pocket square. They each wore a single white rose wrapped in hessian rope in their lapels. The bridesmaids looked beautiful in sage green chiffon. They chose their own dresses as Jordan was keen that they should be comfortable. They varied in styles with one halter neck, another a one-shoulder number and the third featured illusion sleeves. “I wanted the suits and dresses to showcase the flowers and natural beauty of the gardens,” Jordan explains. MEMORABLE MOMENTS “Neither of us slept very well the night before as we were so nervous,” the bride remembers. “I was also worried as I wasn’t involved with the setup on the day so had to trust Mark to do a good job with the help of our sister-in-law, which he did!” She continues, “We were both very emotional, but Mark cried throughout the day. I teared up once, which is the opposite of how we usually are in life! We couldn’t eat our meals due to nerves and excitement. We were both devastated at that as the food was incredible. It was the best day of our lives and we couldn’t have asked for more.” The best man’s speech received rave reviews, even though it had only been written the night before! Although parts of it were somewhat embarrassing for Mark, he’s happily still friends with best man, Ben. “All of our suppliers were incredible and worked so hard,” Jordan remembers. “Empty Quarter Events is a family-run business and no request was too much for them. They made sure everything looked perfect before they left.” THE GREAT GETAWAY The couple splashed out on a two-week honeymoon to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. Happily, they managed to take the great weather from their wedding day with them, and enjoyed a heatwave that even the locals were struggling to handle! “It was a dream trip and we managed to visit all the historical sites including Pompeii, Herculaneum and Napoli,” Jordan shares. As well as eating and drinking the finest food and wine from some Michelin starred restaurants, they also experienced a horseback ride to a winery, and hired a boat for the day. “I still dream of owning a speedboat, even though I live in Leeds and get slightly seasick,” Jordan laughs. 31 REAL WEDDINGS
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