An Essex Wedding - Page number 39 - May/June 2021 (Issue 98)

REAL WEDDINGS 39 L aura and Tony’s dads were school friends and ended up running a judo club together in East London. While there were plenty of photos of Laura and Tony together as children, it wasn’t until a judo club reunion when they were adults that something started to blossom. “We saw each other a couple of times after that, one of which was Tony’s dad’s surprise birthday party,” Laura says. “I nearly didn’t go because my hair wouldn’t go right, but after a stern talking to from my dad I got ready and went. Tony and I talked for most of the evening, and three weeks later I had practically moved in with him!” Tony had planned to pop the question in Las Vegas, but sadly Laura’s dad was very ill so the holiday got cancelled. Instead, he hatched a plan to do it on a day out in London, convincing Laura that a break from hospital visits would do her good. “After a drink in Covent Garden, we walked to the restaurant he had booked, Clos Maggiore,” Laura remembers. “We were sat in a corner upstairs without much space – not the grand room he had imagined we’d be sitting in. Tony started fidgeting in his seat, fumbled in his back pocket, pulled out a ring and asked me to marry him. This was quickly followed by him saying, ‘I can’t get on one knee, there’s not enough room!’ to which I cracked up laughing, and of course, said ‘Yes.’” A couple of weeks later, the happy couple went to Hatton Garden where they had Laura’s ring made, as Tony had proposed with a back-up ring. “After picking it up, we went to The Shard to celebrate and he dropped to one knee and proposed again!” Laura smiles. We caught up with the bride to find out how they planned their dream day at Old Brook Barn on 24 th August, 2019. SETTING THE SCENE Laura and Tony tied the knot at St James and St John, Havering-atte-Bower, before heading to the beautiful Old Brook Barn for their post-vow celebrations. “We wanted somewhere with history,” Laura tells us. “We loved the vintage, rustic feel.” They chose a quintessentially English theme to bring their wedding to life, a vintage fun fair, and they accented it all with a navy and blush palette. “Being avid DIYers and with my previous career being a prop and set-builder, we knew that a lot of our day would be bespoke and handmade by us,” Laura explains. The day was brimming with personal touches. They placed a fishing box by the river with a light shining in the water in memory of Laura’s dad, as well as using dried flowers from his funeral as confetti. The floral arrangements were made from gorgeous faux blooms, while the rustic vibe was seen through the log slices, the vintage suitcase table plan and the cake. The pair travelled in style in a white Beauford, while guests enjoyed being transported in a vintage bus. 