REAL WEDDINGS 31 belvedere, most of which were empty before the speeches, and a shot glass as a keepsake. Dan’s domain was a stunning cake that featured a classic design that made a statement. It was also their way of adding colour to the otherwise white colour scheme. It was a traditional four-tiered bake with a waterfall of pastel colour macaroons with hints of gold leaf. This was all assembled on the morning of the wedding at the venue. LOOKING THE PART In keeping with their timeless wedding, the grooms opted for traditional morning suits with duck egg blue waistcoats in keeping with some of the décor already in the venue. They both wore matching grey pin-stripe trousers with black tailcoats. Breaking tradition, the lovebirds got ready together with their wedding party. It took a lot of the nerves away as it was just like getting ready for a night out – the only stressful part was the state of the room at the end! The bridesmaids wore figure-hugging, Bardot white bridal dresses with a thigh-length slit as the grooms wanted them to stand out – plus, there needed to be some hint of traditionalism in there! Accessories were kept to a minimum, with strappy block heels and pearl studs. TIME TO CELEBRATE One of the best bits of advice the couple had received is that there is a lot of quiet time to fill for guests. So, they hired a string quartet for the ceremony who played a mix of classical and modern pop songs. During the drinks reception, a fantastic singer performed while the DJ kept the celebrations going in the evening. A percussionist and saxophonist accompanied the DJ for the first half of the reception. Dom says, “This was a massive hit with guests! We had no concerns about our dancefloor not being full, but they really helped get everyone off their seats. The team helped to break the evening up and were super interactive with our guests. We paid for a late licence, so our evening ran from 7 pm to 1 am to keep the party going. There was also a selfie mirror with props, and our guests got to keep a copy of all the printouts to look back on.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS The lovebirds planned the wedding quickly, in under a year, so there wasn’t enough time to build up anxiety for the day. Their biggest concern was people not turning up but soon relaxed as most guests arrived the day before. The morning seemed to fly by; it was only as they were about to get married that the nerves crept in. Once the ceremony was done and they had a few glasses of champagne, the couple felt like they were at a party with friends. Dom says, “Having half of our wedding guests come back to our suite once the wedding was over was a moment that stood out! We nearly missed the early morning breakfast with our guests the day after. Another fun moment was when Dan’s dad told everyone that his favourite memory was of him singing to a bus full of people Stop by the Spice Girls as part of his speech. The whole room then proceeded to sing the chorus! “Every one of our wedding guests and suppliers contributed to our special day! The speeches were the right mix of funny and sentimental moments that we will treasure. We had everyone we cared about in one room, so many people have commented on the love that could be felt. It was a real shame that Dan’s grandparents were unable to come due to illness.” HONEYMOON The couple had a mini-moon in Corfu straight after the wedding, which was great to decompress as the wedding blues crept in. The pair is excited to head off to South Africa for their main honeymoon, travelling across the country with a mix of safari, city breaks and beach holidays.
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