Your Herts and Beds Wedding - August/September 2020 (Issue 81)

REAL WEDDINGS 29 W hen Claire and Stuart first met online, they shared a strong connection and clicked straight away. On their second date at Shepreth Wildlife Park, their personalities came out and they knew they had an exciting future ahead. Over time it became clear that they didn’t want to be away from each other and spent as much time as possible together. On Christmas Eve back in 2018, Stuart proposed Claire says: “It was a surprise Christmas present, I was just expecting to enjoy a gin and tonic that evening! We were lucky enough that my niece could be the flowergirl on the day.” SETTING THE SCENE The couple fell in love with South Farm as soon as they set eyes on it, and the helpful staff made the whole process much easier. Claire says: “After looking around the venue, we just had a feeling it was right for us. The farmyard, grounds and animals all added to the feel we wanted for a venue, plus they stocked our favourite gin!” With help from a florist, the flowers on the day reflected their colour scheme, while the simple naked cake was just what the pair wanted. When their wedding day grew closer, the pair were so excited to share such an incredible and rememberable day with their friends and family. However, COVID-19 had other plans and hit the UK. Luckily, their wedding day was early on, and the pair got to tie the knot surrounded by their immediate family by their side. Claire says: “The overwhelming support from our family, friends and suppliers including South Farm and our photographer was amazing. They had changed their plans at a day’s notice and made the most of the time, which has resulted in some amazing photos and videos.” LOOKING THE PART When it came to finding the perfect dress, Claire had planned to visit several bridal boutiques but that all changed after she fell in love with a dress from Wed2B. Original, the plan was to get ready at the venue, but due to the circumstance, she had to get ready at her parent’s house. She says: “It was all a bit of a relief that we were getting married, given the change of plans, but I still felt special and like a bride.” Emotions were flowing through the room when her dad saw her and he even sheded a tear. She was driven to the venue in her parent’s car, which her dad decorated with ribbon. The groom wore a navy blue suit from Moss Bros, with a matching waistcoat. His tie and pocket square were pink to match the bridesmaid’s dress, while the groomsmen wore champagne ties and pocket squares. Claire originally had six bridesmaids, but due to the virus restrictions, she had to scale down, and asked their future sister-in-law, Emma, to step in at the last moment to be a bridesmaid. 