Your Bristol & Somerset Wedding - December/January 2023/2024 (Issue 98)

SWEET AND SAVOURY Instead of favours Hannah and Ben decided on a large sweet cart. “We are big sweet lovers and it’s a little personal joke between us that makes us smile. So we wanted it to be part of our day,” Hannah explains. The couple’s cake was made by an old work colleague. Hannah supplied her with some of their flowers and simply told her to use her imagination! “We decided we wanted one caterer for the day to cover both the wedding breakfast and the evening food, and were very quick to choose our options,” Hannah shares. They kept it simple and opted for pâté, chutney and bread, or wild arancini balls to start. This was followed by tarragon chicken open pie, steak and ale open pie or beetroot pie as the vegetarian option, all served with mash and seasonal vegetables. Then, instead of a seated final course, a dessert table was laid out, which featured brownie and blondie stacks, banoffee pies, and strawberries and cream, allowing guests to help themselves to pudding when they were ready. Hannah and Ben were both astounded by Somerset Mobile Bars. Mark went above and beyond for them on the day to ensure guests’ drink requirements were catered for. “His communication leading up to the wedding was fantastic, and covered every detail,” Hannah says. During the evening, everyone enjoyed a hearty spread of pulled pork baps, apple sausage, and goats cheese and pepper tarts. LOOKING THE PART Hannah looked stunning in her Ronald Joyce gown. She didn’t have any idea of style or shape when she started shopping, and tried on more than 20 gowns before she was able to narrow it down. Her dress was the last she tried on and she fell instantly in love, although it did require some tweaks to adapt it more to her taste. Ben, the couple’s son, and the groomsmen all wore a navy blue three-piece Limehause suit with a gold pin stripe. These were complemented with dark emerald green ties and personalised gold tie clips for each of the groomsmen. The three bridesmaids wore stunning emerald green, off-theshoulder, floor-length dresses.“ The quality and comfort of them was wonderful,” Hannah remembers. CELEBRATE IN STYLE The couple hired local band The IOUs, who began entertaining guests from the moment they arrived. Band member Nick played an acoustic set during the welcome drinks. The complete band played two 90-minute sets later on in the evening, keeping the dancefloor packed. “They were great at keeping everyone on their feet, singing and dancing away,” Hannah remembers. “They performed a variety of music for all ages and even had a few moments duirng the evening where they got the groomsmen, myself and Ben up on the stage to sing!” Nick even learned the couple’s first dance song at their request. The tune they chose, Universe by Coldplay, was sentimental to them as it was the first one to play just after Ben proposed on the ice. “He did a fantastic cover and it really made the moment special and intimate for us.” REAL WEDDINGS 25

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