Your Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wedding - June/July 2020 (Issue 83)

E llie and Ben met during their first week at Durham University and became friends immediately. “A few months later friendship grew into more, and the rest is history,” shares Ellie. When back in the UK from their current Dubai residence in 2018, Ben popped the question while on a nostalgic trip back to Durham. “We had planned to go up to Durham for a couple of days as a bit of a nostalgic trip down memory lane,” recalls Ellie. “While we were there, we took a walk to a hill which was really special to us during our university days, overlooking Durham Cathedral, and that’s where Ben popped the question.” It was a complete surprise for an unsuspecting Ellie who was convinced he wasn’t going to propose for at least another few years – which, Ben takes credit for as all part of the plan. The big date was set, 27 th July, 2019 at Ellie’s parents’ home in Steeple Aston. SETTING THE SCENE “My parents’ home holds so many special memories for us, and ever since we moved there when I was 10, I have always thought it would be the perfect setting for a wedding,” shares Ellie. For the finer details of the day the couple opted for small bottles of Limoncello reflecting their love of Italy, and also in keeping with a bit of a travel theme, the table plan and names were based on some of the most special places they’ve travelled to together. “We wanted to involve our guests as much as possible in our day, so thought it would be a nice idea to try and find photos of us and the guests together as place cards. It was a painstaking process trying to find 145 different photos for each guest, but it was so worth it in the end.” The table centerpieces were an extension of the flowerbeds that surrounded the setting, using different heights which gave a stunning effect on the day. “For the bouquets Georgina from Floriology completely understood my brief when I said I wanted relaxed flowers that were in keeping with the surroundings. We had very light pink Sweet Avalanche and Mansfield Park roses, and the rest of the bouquets were pale green eucalyptus, white gypsophila and natural foliage. My bouquet was tied with a very light pink trailing ribbon to complement the roses,” recalls Ellie. The cake was a delicious lemon and elderflower cake, “I had previously thought this would be perfect for a summer wedding,” shares Ellie. “The decoration was very minimal, with naked buttercream frosting and some flowers from the garden to finish it off.” Wanting to champion local suppliers the couple opted for catering by Croxfords, “After we met Suzan, we never considered anyone else. She was so accommodating, inviting us over to REAL WEDDINGS 33 