Your Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wedding - Feb/Mar 2020 (Issue 81)

A my and Michael’s history dates back to school where they first met through a mutual friend. Fast-forward four years, and the duo bumped into each other on a night out. “We shared our first kiss that night outside Primark (classy) and the rest is history!” shares Amy. After romance blossomed, seven years later and after moving in to their first home together Michael proposed at home after a romantic meal. “It was really a sweet and really personal moment just between the both of us,” recalls Amy, “Although, as it happened late at night and all our family and friends had gone to bed, it was torture having to wait until the morning to share our news.” The big date was set, 26 th May 2019, and De Vere Latimer Estate was the backdrop to the day. Here, Your Berks Bucks and Oxon Wedding finds out about the wedding of Amy and Michael... SETTING THE SCENE Planning a wedding can be a daunting task and Amy and Michael were beginning to lose faith in finding their dream venue after visiting no more than 20, none of which were quite what they were looking for. “We had never really heard of the De Vere Latimer Estate,” admits Amy, “Until one day it popped up on my Facebook page featuring the upcoming wedding open day. I instantly fell in love with the photos and had to go and see it that day, I just couldn’t wait until the open day! ”The second we walked in, we both knew this was where we would become husband and wife. We loved everything from the drive way up to the manor house, the elegant and neutral décor – especially the stunning chandeliers and down-lighters in the wedding suites – to the beautiful grounds.” It was important for the bride- and groom-to-be to have lots of outdoor space so guests could relax between the ceremony and wedding breakfast. There’s a terrace directly off the wedding suites which is surrounded by stunning grounds and views of the River Chess – the perfect backdrop for photos. The icing on the cake for the couple was the staff, “each and every one was just incredible. From Ben who showed us round on our first visit, to Lydia our wedding planner, the event coordinators, bar staff and waiters all went out of their way to make sure we had the perfect wedding day, I want to do it all again!” adds Amy. The colour palette of the day was dusky lavender which was reflected in the finer details of the day. Amy, a wedding stationery designer, was excited to finally create her own after years of designing for other happy couples. “Our invitations were pearlescent silver damask folders, sealed with double satin lavender ribbon with sparkly crystal embellishments,” shares Amy. “Each invitation was wrapped in tissue paper then boxed and sealed with ribbon then addressed to our guests with foil text detail. I also made our table plan an ornate mirror wrapped with white and lavender silk flowers to complement our scheme – I love it so much it’s become a permanent feature in our home!” For favours, the couple made a donation to Cancer Research UK, a cause close to their families hearts, and guests all wore charity pins on the day and to take home, “I wear mine every day!” adds Amy. “Centrepieces were one of my favourite parts of the décor. I knew I wanted something a little different that I hadn’t really seen before. REAL WEDDINGS 55 