Lauren and Darren’s adventure started thousands of feet in the air on a flight to Reykjavík. The pair were both cabin crew at the time and started chatting before Lauren suggested heading for coffee when they landed. She says, “We still laugh about that moment as it’s something I’ve never normally been brave enough to do before – I must have known we were destined to be together.” While on a stroll in The Bahamas back in 2020, Darren proposed on a beautiful beach. Lauren comments, “We’ve always talked about getting married, but it was a complete surprise on the day. My maid of honour, Keli-Ann, was with us at the time and acted fast to capture the whole thing on camera.” SETTING THE SCENE The couple was excited to bring their friends and family together to celebrate such an important day. The bride says, “We had a few hurdles during the run up to the wedding with Covid-19 regulations. We were torn whether to postpone the day or not in such uncertain times. We decided to stick to our original date, which became an intimate affair with 28 guests.” She adds, “The day exceeded all our expectations! We’re believers that everything happens for a reason, so maybe our wedding was destined to be this way.” Nestled in Nottinghamshire, Hazel Gap Barn is a familyrun business with picture-perfect spaces. Lauren says, “We fell in love with the spectacular venue on our first visit and could envision our guests enjoying the courtyard space during our summer wedding.” The bride loved the idea of arriving at the property in a vintage car, and it was the perfect way to travel after staying in beautiful cottages the night before. The couple sat at the top table with their parents for the wedding breakfast and had four additional round tables where loved ones sat. The pair opted for seeded paper with an aeroplane on for favours to represent their first moments together. Each one said, ‘Plant this plane and watch it bloom, just like the love of the bride and groom’, which was a lovely touch. Vases of flowers on top of wooden logs made up the centrepieces and matched the colour scheme perfectly. Hazel Gap Barn created some delicious dishes on the day. The bride says. “We had the most tasty food, which everyone still talks about. We had canapés in the courtyard followed by the main meal served on large sharing plates.” She adds, “We liked the idea of the more relaxed family-style dining, which worked so well. We sat around the firepits in the early evening enjoying music, cheese and biscuits.” The two-tired Victoria sponge cake was a big hit with guests, and featured a rose gold world map and beautiful blooms. REAL WEDDINGS 23
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