Your Cheshire and Merseyside Wedding - November/December 2020 (Issue 54)

25  REAL WEDDINGS dahlias to add colour and texture to the bouquets and buttonholes. While consulting with their cake-maker on the necessary changes, they opted for a single tier cake comprising three layers of sponge – chocolate, red velvet and vanilla – plus a cake stand holding cupcakes in the palette colours. This way, if guests wanted to safely take a sweet treat home, they could. The showstopper was topped with super-cute cross-stitch decorations made by the mother-of-the-bride, complete with matching wedding attire. Including family in their special day was incredibly important to Jen and Peter. So, they created a board from pallets and driftwood, and hung on it photos of their parents’ and grandparents’ wedding, placing it at the church entrance. “This was the first thing I saw when I arrived, which made it really special,” the bride recalls. The idea of a VW Campervan as the wedding transport seemed perfect when you consider the practicalities of a wedding dress with hoops! “It made everything so much easier, as I didn’t have to worry about my gown catching on anything, or creasing during the journey. It also made social distancing a doddle,” Jen explains. LOOKING THE PART Speaking of the beautiful dress, it was the first Jen tried on, and was suggested to her by the boutique owner. Looking at this gorgeous Morilee creation on the hanger, Jen wasn’t too keen, but once she had it on she knew it was the one . She advises, “Trust the people in the shop – they will know what will suit you more than you will!” The groom, groomsmen and fathers all wore matching Cavani suits. Peter was looking for a traditional suit, with a quirky edge, and had chosen these after consulting with the gentlemen. The wedding’s palette was based on the colour of the bridesmaids’ dresses, so ties and pocket squares to match finished off the chaps’ look. The priority when dressing the bridesmaids was to ensure they all felt comfortable and beautiful. So, the ladies came up with a vision for the ideal dress between them and worked from there. They all agreed they’d need something they could easily move around in that wouldn’t be too hot, given the August date. Jen says, “The high-low hem and double-layered chiffon was the perfect decision. It was a happy accident that the style of their skirts matched the design of my own.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS The vicar’s sermon was a real standout moment for the pair. Jen explains, “He spoke about love and how it supports you through hard times, while placing those you love at the centre of your universe. This rang true for all of us, especially our parents who’d gone above and beyond in order to make our day as special as it could be. Saying that, I wouldn’t have changed one moment of it. Having a more intimate event made us both realise that, first and foremost, the wedding itself was the most important thing.” PSST! That’s not quite all folks! Jen and Peter are hoping to do the whole thing again on the Saturday closest to their first anniversary, with a blessing at the same church. Mr and Mrs Holden will then be heading to the venue they had originally booked for a wedding breakfast with their guests, all set up by the suppliers they’d enlisted initially. “As most of the companies we’d used are independents, we didn’t want to take our deposits back or cancel their services, so we decided we wanted to give something back and have a celebration at the same time. We just feel so lucky to be married,” Jen explains.