Your East Anglian Wedding - Aug/Sep 2019 (Issue 38)

REAL WEDDINGS 41  K atie and Adam met as students in Norwich and after getting together they embarked on a five-year, long-distance relationship when Katie went to university in Liverpool. “It was hard work but well worth it,” she says. “In 2013 we moved to London together and, as much as we love the city, once Adam proposed there was no question that we’d be getting married anywhere else other than close to home.” THE PRECIOUS Adam planned to pop the question on Katie’s birthday and bought a vintage engagement ring in readiness. However, it all went to pot when the ring wasn’t delivered in time. “Although I was oblivious to all this, I did start to get a bit confused as to why he was so stressed about a birthday present that hadn’t turned up!” remembers Katie. When it did arrive, Adam took it to his parents’ house for safe keeping, and after toing and froing, out-of-the-blue one evening, he asked Katie to marry him on the balcony of their flat in Walthamstow. “I don’t think he could cope with the pressure of looking after the ring anymore,” she laughs. “It wasn’t a glamorous affair, it was a Friday night, I’d had a bad day at work and we were sat out having a few drinks to ease us into the weekend. It was so unplanned, that he only text my dad minutes before proposing! It wasn’t a glamorous affair, I was in my tracky bottoms and an old university hoody, so I made sure I had my nails done the following morning before going Facebook official.” LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION They fell in love with one picture-perfect venue, but after doing the sums decided to rethink their priorities Getting married by the sea and everyone having a good time, were top of their list. “Once we’d agreed on that, we started looking closer to my family’s home in Cromer and discovered North Lodge,” explains Katie. “It’s located in the middle of a lovely park just a stone’s throw away from the Rocket House Café, so it was a clear option really, with no need to ferry people around from place to place. The ceremony garden at North Lodge is gorgeous, and looks straight out to sea, so it was pretty unbeatable in terms of location.” The Rocket House ticked all their boxes for the reception, with panoramic views of the sea and the famous Cromer Pier. “During the day, it’s a relaxed café with delicious food, and that’s exactly the vibe we wanted,” adds Katie. The location was special to them both. Adam grew up in Suffolk and enjoyed many family summer holidays in and around Cromer, while Katie’s dad grew up in the seaside town and her mum in nearby Sheringham. “The Rocket House is right above the RNLI museum and looks out to the pier, which was really meaningful for me, as my grandad worked on the lifeboats for many years and it has a fond place in my family’s heart. It was really nice that we got some photos on the pier and in front of the lifeboat station too,” says Katie. LOOKING THE PART Katie opted for the vintage-style Celestina dress from Phase Eight. “It was beautiful, so detailed and full of beading. I loved that it was a close-cut style but with movement at the bottom as it gave me space to move and swooshed amazingly! I didn’t want to feel too ‘naked’ either, so the mesh neckline was perfect for me.” She also treated herself to some Vivienne Westwood shoes. “They were fab. They matched the pearls on my dress and I managed to wear them, pretty much, all night,” she adds. Her gorgeous veil was leant to her by one of her best friends and bridesmaid Toni. The bridesmaids chose their own dresses to go with the soft pink colour scheme. “I wanted them to have something they could wear again. The styles were all so different, which I think really represented the three of them,” adds Katie.