REAL WEDDINGS 29 These lovebirds first met around 10 years ago but lost contact over time. It wasn’t until Dom moved back from London in 2018 that he messaged Dan to meet for a drink – it all restarted from there! “Sense of humour is what initially attracted us to one another and as our relationship grew, it was obvious that we had so many similarities”, says Dom. He popped the question a few years later during a beach walk with their dog. He says, “There was little romance to it; I asked Dan if he fancied having a wedding and when he said ‘yes’, I replied, 'Oh that's good because I have a ring’. It was a surprise to Dan but nobody else. I roped in one of his best friends and her husband to find out his ring size, keeping quiet is not one of my strengths!” Here Dom shares details about their special day… SETTING THE SCENE The couple’s main goal was to have a wedding that they would enjoy and remember, as well as guests too! Dom comments, “To us, this meant breaking down all traditions. Everyone told us we’d look back on our day and think of things we would do differently; we didn’t want to be in the situation. Luckily, looking back, we can say we achieved it!” Putting aside how beautiful the venue is, the amazing grounds and the peacocks attracted the lovebirds to Pendley Manor. They had the freedom to have whatever they wanted, how they wanted it. The goal was to create a wedding that seemed like a holiday to guests – the venue’s hotel and spa meant they could do that. Not only did the venue accommodate their needs, but the wedding planner was beyond patient with the pair and helped guide them through the unknowns of planning a wedding. The food and wine options were amazing, a no-brainer for the special day! Guests could choose from various food options, and everyone commented how excellent the dishes were. The pair thought they had over-ordered the wine, but not one bottle was left! Flowers are Dom’s favourite thing, and this is where they spent a large amount of the budget – for good reason! They went mainly with white roses and peonies accompanied by minimal green foliage. The ballroom at Pendley Manor is huge, and the pair were concerned about filling the space until their florist came to the rescue with large balls of white roses and peonies about 2ft off the table. This meant that everyone could still talk across the table and helped to balance the room with the ornate wallpaper and chandeliers. Single peonies and candles accompanied the stunning arrangements, while the top table had a 20-foot runner of roses. While the flower displays were large and impressive, the bridesmaids' flowers were simple, with each member holding bouquets of long-stem white roses. With the venue being so ornate and the number of flowers used, the couple kept other decorations to a minimum. One of the hardest parts of the planning process for Dom and Dan was the table plan not because they needed to keep people apart but mainly because all their friends knew each other – it was hard to split people up. The newlyweds used Rose Signage Co to produce all the signage and they helped to produce some lovely orders-of-theday, seating plans and name places in keeping with the white colour scheme with gold accents. Tables were named after their favourite music artists and the table plan had “Find your diva…” as the header. The couple had a logo designed for the wedding, which was a theme through a lot of the finishing touches. All the guests love to drink, so the grooms gifted each person a miniature bottle of
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