An Essex Wedding - Mar/Apr 2019 (Issue 85)

Lyndon and his groomsmen wore three-piece mid-blue suits from Marks & Spencer with a single pink rose and foliage buttonhole. We were lucky to find a tie to match the bridesmaids ’ dresses but sourcing the pocket squares wasn’t so easy, as they were either too expensive or not a colour match. In the end I visited John Lewis’ Haberdashery on Oxford Street and found the perfect satin material. I then had the fabric made into six pocket squares for a fraction of the price. I saw the bridesmaids Debut by Debenhams gown in an online sale, I loved the pleated design and thought it would be ideal for my best girls. It suited them all really well with just a few alterations needed. They accessorised with rose gold jewellery, had pearls incorporated into their hair and carried white peony and Dusty Miller posies. We loved the neutral interiors of Friern Manor as we could make it our own. The exposed brick and fairy-lit ceiling of the coach house really fitted with our original romantic vision. We were also drawn to the airy conservatory and gardens. The girls at Serena Bridal in Wickford were lovely, and I tried on lots of dresses before falling in love with the Venezia gown by Sophia Tolli. The strapless, tulle, A-line number suited my hourglass figure and I adored the detailing and the illusion panel. I decided on a chapel-length two-tiered veil adorned with Swarovski crystals and I further complemented my bridal style with a medium-sized bouquet with a gold locket containing photos of my mum and late grandmother. I wore my grandmother’s diamond earrings and bracelet as well as a ruby and diamond ring that I got on a trip taken to Myanmar earlier that year with my mum – we’re part Burmese and she has a matching one too. 42