Your East Midlands Wedding - April/May 2020 (Issue 37)

REAL WEDDINGS 29  J amie first crossed paths with Victoria when he travelled from New Zealand to Rutland to play rugby. After a few dates the pair started to feel a connection. Victoria says, “After making one of my famous wrappinis from my coffee shop, Jamie soon began to fall for me – as they say, a way to a man’s heart is through his belly.” After a few months, Jamie knew she was the perfect person to spend the rest of his life with and started planning a proposal. As the pair happened to be heading to New Zealand for Christmas, he knew it was a right time and was able to ask her at one of his favourite places – Queenstown. Victoria says: “After a lovely evening out, he walked me down to the beachfront, got down on one knee and, of course, I said ‘yes’!" SETTING THE SCENE The couple fell in love with Irnham Hall due to its relaxed environment, the old walled gardens and the fact that’s its wheelchair friendly, which was important for Victoria’s grandma. Coffee from Victoria’s coffee shop was given to guests as favours in mini craft bags personalised with stickers saying ‘The perfect blend’ – a lovely personal touch. Victoria says: “For centrepieces, three tables had a tall stem vase with lots of foliage and twigs, which was surrounded by hurricane vases and candles.” The other three tables complemented the tall vases with low wreaths. To decorate the venue, they used a mixture of cinerea eucalyptus, Nicholii eucalyptus, Italian Ruscus, asparagus fern, pittosporum and birch twigs. The mother-of-the-bride created a fruit cake with three tiers on top made from polystyrene and then covered in icing. Victoria explains: “The bottom tier was in dark green icing, the second tier in gold, the third was white icing and fourth was white icing with gold leaf. As a finishing touch we had succulents starting from the top and trailing down the cake.”  Black, modern geometric photo frames were used for table names while the place names were circular perspex discs with gold writing and green painted backgrounds to match the colour scheme. To add extra beauty to the venue, the couple placed antique French lights as a back drop to the top table and had a Polariod camera for loved ones to use for the guest book. Sadly, Victoria’s grandfather, a loving member of the family passed away before the wedding, so confetti was created using petals from his rose garden as a touching tribute. LOOKING THE PART Every bride dreams of finding their dream gown and for Victoria, an Adrianna Papell dress was the perfect dress for her. She adds: “My dress was fully beaded and had a 1920s look about it. I had cap sleeves added and wore