An Essex Wedding - Page number 40 - November/December 2021 (Issue 101)

“We loved our wedding meal, we went for a ham hock starter, chicken main and trio of desserts ‒ as well as vegetarian options of course! One thing that I wanted to do was have a cocktail bar at our drinks reception for guests while we were off having our photos. Being a cocktail lover myself, I thought how amazing it would be to have a little pop up bar offering a selection of cocktails ‒ something a little different to the usual fizz and beer. We included a choice of our favourites: passionfruit martini, a gin fizz, an aperol spritz and a raspberry mojito. They went down a treat with our guests.” The couple also considered their guests’ transport needs on the day, and booked a coach to pick up any guests that were staying in the local hotel to take them to the church and wait outside whilst the ceremony took place and then take them from the church to the venue. LOOKING THE PART Jordan’s Suzanne Neville gown was from local boutique The Bespoke Wardrobe. “I always imagined I would wear a fitted dress with sleeves but as soon as I started dress shopping I knew I needed an A-line dress, it suited my body shape so much more,” shares Jordan. “I spotted an off-the-shoulder neckline which I thought looked stunning and I then had a thought of turning this into a collar style with a turnover that made the look really classic and elegant. I then added a fuller skirt and decided to accessorise with a simple ivory belt with a touch of sparkle in the centre. I also wore a hairpiece and veil with some pearl detailing that caught the light perfectly. The ladies at the boutique were happy to help me design exactly what I wanted. I think we ended up putting together a few styles from around three different dresses that were in the store – I couldn’t of been happier with the end result.” The bridesmaids looked beautiful in blush pink, fitted dresses with flutter sleeves, low backs and a small train to complement the elegant theme. The groom wore a made-to-measure three-piece dinner suit in dark navy with the groomsmen and father-of-the-bride in a similar style. However, Adam styled his with a black waistcoat and bow tie instead of navy like the rest of the groomsmen. He also added a couple of extra details like a pocket watch with chain, and had his suit made out of a slightly different material so he stood out in the photos. “It all came together so well and looked great on the day!” finishes Jordan. TIME TO CELEBRATE Guests were entertained by a DJ, Brad James, and a saxophonist, the couple’s good friend CJ Sax. “We also had a soul singer to get the night started and everyone in the mood to party,” shares Jordan. “Something a little different that we also booked was a caricaturist. He walked around the venue and people ended up queuing to sit with him he was that popular! It was great because he stamped his work with our wedding date and details, and the drawings made great keepsakes for the guests. “We’re so glad that when planning our wedding we tried to plan it as if we were the guests and what would make our day the best day ever. Because of this, we ended up focusing on food and drink and music and entertainment; we’re so glad we did because that really is what made the atmosphere something to remember forever.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS Having the best day of their lives, it’s hard to pick one standout moment but for the couple – after the ceremony of course – it was later in the evening when the DJ was playing Wonderwall by Oasis. “All of our friends had us both on their shoulders and we all just danced and sung at the top our voices, it still makes us emotional now thinking about it!” highlights Jordan. Additionally, the speeches were all memorable with the groom, best man and father-of-the bride all having such funny and sentimental things to say. “Every single one of our guests stated they had the most wonderful day and that means everything to us,” ends Jordan. 40