Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 49)

33  REAL WEDDINGS W e think it’s fair to say that Abbie and David’s story began with love at first swipe! Having met on a popular dating app, no sooner had they started chatting than they were arranging to meet up at Revolution on the docks that same week. Abbie says, “We spent the evening laughing and joking. We even ended up joining a stag do. But, as I kept pointing out to David throughout the evening, I don’t normally find red heads attractive.” David on the other hand remembers, “Unlike Abbie, I am attracted to red heads! Straight away I loved her ability to speak to anyone. Actually, that’s how we ended up joining the stag do, even though I suspected it was her way of trying to get rid of me.” After that night, the pair spent almost every day of the next two weeks together. “I think it was then that we realised we wanted to be with each other,” she says. Abbie adores her acrylic nails, and had told David that if ever he were to propose he should make sure they were looking tiptop. Knowing he wanted to pop the question during a mini-break in Scotland, he dropped Abbie off at her favourite salon in preparation, and then went off to collect the ring. However, David, by his own admission, is terrible at keeping secrets. “As soon as I saw it, I realised I needed to ask her that same day,” he says. So, as the completely oblivious Abbie went to pay her technician, David could wait no longer. He got down on one knee there and then, and asked her to be his wife. We couldn’t wait to find out more about the couple’s big day after this story, and sat down for a chat with the newlyweds for the full rundown… LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Abbie and David loved the industrial feel of the Titanic Hotel, along with its bare brickwork. The venue provided a blank canvas, easily adapted to illustrate both personalities, and complemented by some beautiful architectural features. The bride says, “With us both being born and raised in Liverpool, it was a perfect location, easily accessible for all of our family and friends.” SETTING THE SCENE In opting for a green and gold theme, the couple naturally set out to keep the style clean and fresh. Abbie explains, “We chose white flowers that would be at their best in July, which were mainly from the British Isles, and complemented them with lots of foliage. Our florist recommended that we have a moongate covered in greenery as our ceremony backdrop. It looked amazing on the day and in our photos.” The couple also wanted to make sure that flowers played a key part in the reception styling, and used them to create a focal point for each table. Abbie recalls, “Half of the tables were dressed using wooden hoops with flowers arranged at the base, and along one side. The other half featured tall glass vases with blooms brimming over the top.” The enchanting ambience created by the flowers was enhanced by the use of fairylights draped from the ceiling, as well as up-lighting placed strategically around the room. Gold Chiavari chairs complemented the theme beautifully, and suited the industrial setting down to the ground. With their hearts set on a mirrored table plan; they went about making one themselves. Abbie selected a mirror with the help of her Auntie Mandy, and spray-painted it gold before painstakingly applying vinyl stickers by hand. She says, “We initially wanted to name our tables after our favourite PlayStation games, but since they turned out to be too gruesome, we settled on numbers instead!” FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD Deciding against a traditional sit-down meal, the pair opted to serve manapés (that’s big canapés to the uninitiated!) These delicious bites included fish and chips, goats’ cheese and beetroot arancini balls, chicken and chorizo burgers, and Asian pork burgers. In the evening guests enjoyed a smokehouse barbecue buffet of burgers, dry rub baby