Your Hampshire and Dorset Wedding - September/October 2024 (Issue 106)

STEW AND AMY’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK Venue and catering, https://burleymanor.newforesthotels.co.uk | Photographer, www.robingoodlad.com | Bride’s dress, www.serenitybrides.com Bride’s accessories, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CopperLaneGiftCo | Hair and make-up, www.gemma-armstrong.co.uk | Groom’s suit, www.whitcombshaftesbury.co.uk | Cake, www.rosieleahouse.co.uk | Flowers, www.petalsandposies.co.uk | Stationery, www.marymcquillan.com Entertainment, www.stephanieliney.co.uk and www.entertainment-nation.co.uk/volcanics | Videography, www.harrysweddingfilms.co.uk | Décor, www.ambiencevenuestyling.com | Wedding dress cleaning and preservation, https://boxedbridal.co.uk | Engagement and wedding rings, www.queensmith.co.uk | Hair extensions, www.milkandblush.com | Flower preservation, https://nogardcreations.co.uk | Mini-moon, https://montaguarmshotel.co.uk | Honeymoon, www.southernpalms.net seemed to be having as much fun as the couple from start to finish. Amy says, “I always thought it was cheesy when people refer to a wedding day as ‘the best day of your life’, but now I understand. We were overwhelmed by the love from our family and friends. “The look on Dad’s face when he saw me in my dress for the first time just before taking my arm to walk me down the aisle, and then seeing my gorgeous, kind, amazing husband-to-be standing at the front waiting for me was an amazing moment – I felt like the luckiest person in the world. Stew had a clip-on mic during the ceremony to get clear audio for the video, but it picked up every little thing that was said or whispered. Hence, the ceremony recording starts with ‘Oops, I’ve stepped on it already’ after he trod on my dress as soon as I arrived. Our friend Adam introduced us all those years ago and gave a lovely reading of What Is A Soulmate by Emily Matthews during the ceremony.” The groom’s speech, which he’d only thought about a couple of days before the wedding, was perfect and adorable – he had most of the room in tears! The couple thought in the whirlwind of the day, they might miss getting a taste of the wedding cake! So, during the cake cutting, they agreed to feed each other a slice. They forgot to tell the photographer, who had started adjusting his kit for the next setup, but he quickly re-adjusted and got a lovely shot of Stew feeding his bride a big slice of chocolate cake while managing not to drop any on the dress. Amy says, “We had a lot of fun with our photographer Robin and videographer Harry throughout the day. I’m a keen (amateur) photographer and have done wedding shoots in the past, so it was great to help set up various cool shots with them and spend time making the most of the stunning scenery and friendly deer while feeling like a princess.” Amy’s sister is an artist, and she designed the beautiful invites, which featured a painting of Burley Manor surrounded by autumnal flowers, leaves and antlers. On the wedding day, she presented the pair with the original artwork, beautifully framed with the date and location, which was a lovely surprise. HONEYMOON Amy and Stew knew they’d be exhausted straight after the excitement of the big day, so they planned a relaxing minimoon in the New Forest for a few days after the wedding and eventually planned a longer honeymoon in Barbados in February 2024. The bride says, “It had been a difficult choice between the Montagu Arms in Beaulieu and Burley Manor for the wedding, but in the end, we couldn’t resist the deer and open space at Burley, so we chose the Montagu Arms for our mini-moon. The staff were lovely and made our stay memorable; the food was outstanding. One of the highlights was going for a walk with a picnic box wiith leftover wedding cake and cuddling under a tree in the rain to eat it. “For the Barbados trip, we booked a honeymoon package with Southern Palms Beach Club Hotel on Dover Beach, which included cute and fun extras like a rose-petal covered bed and a catamaran lunch cruise. Our favourite parts were snorkelling with the turtles in the sea outside our hotel room and relaxing in the sunshine with delicious cocktails.” 48

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