them to be comfortable and confident in what they were wearing,” shares Emma. “My auntie, Barbie, walked me down the aisle, as sadly my parents have passed away. Barbie wore the same dress as the bridesmaids and looked magnificent.” TIME TO CELEBRATE “For our entertainment, we went for simplicity,” explains Emma. “Hopefully the speeches entertained our guests as well as flowing glasses of prosecco and wine. There was an amazing buzz the whole day with family and friends talking to one another in the different areas of the hall. New friendships were also formed! For the evening, we opted for a 10-piece swing band called The Sweeting Swing Band and a DJ from Your Wedding Disco. The band really got everyone up and dancing as the live music was so inviting and uplifting. The band also played our first dance, which was incredibly memorable and emotional. We hadn’t actually prepared a dance, but we think we pulled it off and had a lot of fun!” MEMORABLE MOMENTS “I felt excited to be marrying Stephen after being together for 10 years, knowing he is my best friend and that he makes me laugh every day and is always there for me,” recalls the bride. “My only nerves were worrying whether I would be ready on time and being the centre of attention. “All of the speeches had the right mix of funny, embarrassing and heartfelt words,” adds Emma. “We felt very honoured and humbled that so many family and friends travelled near and far to be a part of our special day; it meant so much to us. We also loved having Stephen’s daughter, Izzy, give a reading during the ceremony.” FLY AWAY WITH ME “After the wedding, we went on a mini-moon for five days in the Cotswolds,” remembers the bride. “It’s a place that we both love and it was great to just chill out after a hectic time. We planned it together and we had an amazing time going into shops, pubs and eateries! Next summer we are heading to Sardinia in Italy for our honeymoon, as our love of Italy is what drew us together.” EMMA AND STEPHEN’S PLANNING TIPS “Agree to a budget and stick to it, as things can very easily spiral out of control,” says Emma. “Have a spreadsheet on which you put absolutely everything and include all of the supplier’s details in one place. Work with an amazing events organiser; we were very lucky to have Tracy and her team on hand to help. Don’t forget to work as a team and laugh when things get a bit too much! Lastly, try to reserve a little time in the days before the wedding to relax a little.” 35 REAL WEDDINGS
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