Charvi and Josh met online and soon after organised a first date at Cardiff Castle. They both felt an instant connection that day, enjoying each other’s company and laughing the whole time. “It was like meeting an old friend,” Charvi explains. We fast forward to 2022, and the couple had booked a May Bank Holiday break in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Charvi had actually asked Josh if he was planning to propose, but he managed to throw her off the scent by bending down on one knee to pick something up, then later to tie his shoelace. Having convinced her it wasn’t going to happen after all, he finally got down on one knee for real back at the AirBnB, and brought out the ring. By this time, Charvi thought it was a joke and was in utter disbelief. He had to physically give her the ring before she’d accept it was real! As a nod to their first date, the couple decided early on that they wanted to get married in a castle, but were later forced to give up on this dream due to the cost. However, they drove past Branwell Castle one day and immediately fell in love with it. Nestled in the hills of Somerset complete with breathtaking views, it was more intimate than most and they discovered it fit within their budget. Here, Charvi tells us all about the wonderful wedding day – 13th May, 2023... SETTING THE SCENE As Charvi is Indian the couple were keen to represent her heritage in their wedding day. On a trip to India in late 2022, they created small boxes in keeping with their blue colour palette and filled them with incense cones. “They worked really well, as when we burnt some of them in the evening, they filled the courtyard with the fragrance of India,” Charvi remembers. The bride’s mum also made table runners and brought them over. There were sashes for the ceremony chair backs too in the same fabric, as well as bags to hold the confetti. The centrepieces were composed of a range of cut glassware collected from charity shops during the preceding months. These were used to hold candles and flowers, and were surrounded by pebbles. The tables were all named after castles the couple have visited together. The day’s florals featured a range of blue hues, with the focal points being a beautiful light shade. These ones were silk roses allowing the newlyweds to keep them forever as a memento of the day. Each bridesmaid carried a mini bouquet, while Charvi’s was the main showstopper. Each groomsman wore a buttonhole as did Josh. Flowers were also arranged on the reception tables and ceremony aisle, as well as crowning the wedding arch, beneath which the couple said “I do.” Also adorning the ceremony space were floral displays placed on plinths framing the two at the all-important moment. As a wedding gift, Josh’s sister baked the wedding cake. It featured three tiers, one of Biscoff, one of salted caramel and one of vegan Oreo for Josh. To accompany it, Charvi and Josh set up bride and groom Beanie Babies in the positions they sit on the sofa at home. The newlyweds and their guests dined on a wedding breakfast of roast lamb and nut roast. “We felt this fit with the castle banqueting feel we were going for,” Charvi explains. 27 REAL WEDDINGS
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