An Essex Wedding - May/Jun 2019 (Issue 86)

REAL WEDDINGS 49 A lthough Helena and George grew up in the same area, it wasn’t until the end of college that they started dating. “I was sporty and competitive, which I think is what attracted George to me,” Helena tells us. “I also knew how to keep him on his toes! I fell for his funny and caring nature, although his fashion sense was terrible – I soon fixed that!” The pair realised early on in their relationship that they had similar values and goals in life, so it wasn’t long before George was planning the perfect proposal. “I’m like an excited child at Christmas and love spending it with my family,” Helena tells us. “It was for this reason that he decided to pop the question while we all opened our presents together.” The romantic groom-to- be gave Helena a photo book of all the things they had done together when they lived in Manchester. “He was talking about how our relationship had gone from strength to strength before telling me to look up from the book. When I did, he was down on one knee. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room,” she remembers. The newly engaged couple set about planning their dream day for 9 th September, 2018. Helena lets us in on all the details… SETTING THE SCENE After viewing a few venues, Gosfield Hall immediately stood out for the couple. “It’s simply stunning and the bridal suite is out of this world,” Helena remembers. “It has an elegantly royal feel and we loved that we could have exclusive use for our special day.” The bride and groom organised it so that their party moved from room to room throughout the day, creating an intimate feel. A formal theme was created with a classic gold and navy colour scheme, and the couple injected plenty of their personalities into proceedings. “Our florist, Adele Hudgell, created displays that were better than we could’ve imagined,” the newlywed says. “Using David Austin roses and hydrangeas, she filled timeless glass urns for our centrepieces.” They cleverly doubled up their place names and favours in the form of personalised glass tea light holders. The classy vibe ran throughout the day, from the sophisticated stationery to the opulent gold and white four-tier cake by Luca’s Cakes. “My mum joked that it had everything I ever liked from all the cakes I had seen put into one design!” Helena laughs. “This may be true but the end product was incredible. Most importantly, the flavours were delicious: red velvet and cinnamon.” A large print of the venue was ordered, so the newlyweds’ loved ones could stamp their fingerprints on it for a gorgeous memento of the day. A TOUCH OF CLASS Helena and George’s navy and gold colour scheme looked amazing at Gosfield Hall Images courtesy of Ivory White Photography 