An Essex Wedding - November/December 2020 (Issue 95)

REAL WEDDINGS 37 sprayed gold. “We loved seeing our guests’ reactions to what animal they got,” Charlotte says. “Our daughter, Nora, now loves playing with them.” The rest of the stationery was created by Charlotte and her mum, who even went on a calligraphy course for the perfect finishing touch. Family and friends were treated to a dessert station packed with cheesecakes (Dean’s favourite), as well as vintage drinks trolleys brimming with delicious sweets, shots, port and cigars. “It’s safe to say both trolleys were empty by the end of the night,” Charlotte laughs. When it came to the catering, the couple wanted their guests to love the food, and have something they wouldn’t normally get at a wedding. “My friend Jack looks after the catering at The Boundary,” Charlotte says. “He created us a menu of tandoori mackerel followed by braised beef with roasted pearl onions and potato dauphinoise. In the evening, we dined on pulled pork buns with all the trimmings. The food is still talked about to this day!” LOOKING THE PART Charlotte had pinned so many Hayley Paige dresses on Pinterest that she knew she had to try one. “I went to a boutique in London that stocked the designer, but unfortunately it wasn’t the experience I hoped for,” she says. “I ended up buying the gown secondhand from a lovely girl I found on Instagram. Trying the dress on again, I finally got my Cinderella moment! I had it altered at Stitch in Time in Leigh-on-Sea, and owner Faye even sourced a lace sleeved top from her friend at Blush Brides when I had a wobble about wearing a strapless gown in church!” Being a big accessories fan, Charlotte knew she wanted to make a statement with her jewellery. “There’s a gorgeous local brand run by two sisters called Black & Sigi,” she says. “I went to owner Clio’s to discuss and we had the best evening looking at jewels and coming up with ideas. She got my vibe and created the most beautiful hair slide, earrings, necklace and my bridesmaids’ gifts.” Charlotte finished her look with a fabulous leather jacket, which her talented friend adorned with a motif saying ‘Hopeless romantic‘. Dean knew he wanted a suit and shirt tailor-made for the day. They went to The Grooms Room in Colchester and received excellent service, and Dean ended up with a gorgeous Prince of Wales check jacket with navy trousers. “He looked so handsome,” Charlotte smiles. “The groomsmen coordinated with navy suits and a checked waistcoat.” Charlotte chose a palette of nude and metallic for her bridesmaids and sourced various dresses and let her best girls try them on and see which they liked. “As if by magic, each of them fell in love with a different style,” Charlotte says. TIME TO PARTY The Boundary is set on the edge of a cricket field, so guests loved the free entertainment of a cricket match! The pair also hired a magician to wow their family and friends while they tucked into canapés. “We wanted live music, and knew singer Lydia Kitto through friends,” Charlotte says. “When we explained our day to her, she suggested a saxophonist join her and we loved the idea. We had a singer, guitar and saxophone during the welcome drinks, then they played sax and keyboard during dinner. Our DJ filled the dancefloor and carried the vibe late into the night.” MAKING MEMORIES Charlotte says that seeing Dean’s face as she walked down the aisle will stay with her forever. “In the lead up to the wedding Dean was so relaxed, whereas I was having sleepless nights,” she says. “His laid-back nature made me feel like he wasn’t as into the wedding as me. However, seeing his face on the day made my heart skip a beat. Thankfully, our amazing videographer, Rideout Wedding Films, managed to capture it.” Building the day from scratch made Charlotte and Dean’s day extra- special. “Every part of it was personal to us,” Charlotte says. “We love that The Boundary can now provide this canvas for many more couples.”