An Essex Wedding - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 90)

REAL WEDDINGS 41 H annah and Sam are both spontaneous souls with a zest for life. “It’s definitely what attracted us to each other when we first met in a gym class,” Hannah tells us. “We’re also very family-orientated, which is so important to both of us.” The couple went on a short break to Reykjaviík in Iceland, where Sam had a surprise planned. “It was the first day, and we decided to go for a walk along the seafront,” Hannah says. “As we were chatting, he turned to me and said he had a question to ask and started getting down on one knee. It was such an incredible moment!” With the spectacular setting by the deep blue sea, surrounded by snow and with the sun shining down, was it any surprise Hannah said “yes”? Back in the UK, the loved-up pair started planning their perfect day for 11 th May, 2019, with a ceremony at All Saints Church in Colchester to be followed by a reception at The Compasses at Pattiswick. Hannah fills us in on the details… SETTING THE SCENE It wasn’t a hard decision when it came to choosing a venue. “My sister got married at The Compasses two years ago, and we fell in love with it; it’s really in a league of its own,” Hannah explains. “Paul and the team made us so at ease, and nothing was too much trouble. It has a lovely family feel.” The theme the pair decided on was country elegance, with the aim of capturing the laid-back softness of the countryside alongside classic touches. “For the flowers we wanted clean and traditional, so we opted for a palette of greens and ivory,” Hannah explains. “I love peonies, so they were a must for the bouquets.” On the tables, silver crackled vases brimming with blooms and foliage brought a hint of sparkle, while the top table had a greenery runner with white peonies and roses. On the napkins were pretty sprigs of eucalyptus. The cake tied in perfectly with the theme. “It was simple and fresh, with flowers softly cascading down the side,” Hannah says. The duo love to travel, and this was represented in the table plan. “We named each table after a place we’ve visited together,” the bride says. “There was a Polaroid of us at each destination. This was one of my favourite touches as it showed the journey we’ve been on together.” Luckily for the couple, Hannah’s cousin is a whizz at crafting homemade touches. “We spent many Sunday afternoons drinking tea and making our favours,” Hannah says. “In the end, we created trinket boxes with chocolates wrapped up in sage-green ribbon with a globe charm. There was a message reading ‘You mean the world to us’ inside.” In order to arrive in style, there was a silver Mercedes for the newlyweds and a red double-decker bus for their friends and family. “We wanted everyone to feel at ease and to not have to worry about driving from place to place,” Hannah explains. To kick the party off there was a DJ and photo mirror booth with props so guests could take home funny mementos. 