Max and Julia’s romance blossomed through their shared friends, Leo and Ally. Max and Ally have been friends since childhood, having grown up with the same childminder. While at university, Max met Leo and later introduced him to Ally, which eventually led to their wedding. Julia, who attended university with Ally, first crossed paths with Max at the York races in 2016, and they instantly connected. Fast forward to September 2023, Max surprised Julia with a casual proposal while enjoying a walk with their cockerpoo, Truffle, on Wimbledon Common. It was a complete shock for Julia! Max had already let both families in on his plan to propose the following weekend, but he surprised everyone by popping the question a week early. This led to a wonderful celebration together as a group the following weekend. SETTING THE SCENE Max and Julia’s goal was to create a wedding that represented them both. The bride comments, “We were both guilty of people-pleasing, so we promised that we wouldn’t do that for our wedding. For example, we were strict about only having the people we really wanted there, not just inviting people because we felt we should. “My family have visited Studland on holidays since before I was born. We now own a house in the village and knew Studland Bay House would be the perfect venue. It has the most spectacular view of the sea. Since childhood, I have always thought I would get married there. Michael Ferguson, who owns the house, and Lynn Elliott, who runs it, made us feel so at ease and comfortable. They’ve done hundreds of weddings, and have received amazing reviews. We did a menu tasting, and the food was fantastic too! The team was so well-connected and gave us so much advice. It was Lynn who recommended our florist, marquee company and photographer.” Through careful planning and dedicated effort, the duo was actively working to turn their dream into reality. For favours, the couple gifted their female guests sage green pashminas, beautifully wrapped with a note that read, ‘The date Max and Julia tied the knot,’ along with a printed calendar highlighting 14.09.24. Additionally, they included a personalised handwritten note on the back of a photo of Max and Julia, which was placed at each person’s setting. The table plan was created by Sally Harflett, who also designed their invitations and order-of-service. Everything was coordinated with their floral arrangements, featuring vibrant flowers similar to those carried by the bridesmaids. They even included a charming illustration of their cockapoo, Truffle, who was present during their engagement and happily roamed around during the drinks reception. Sally did a wonderful job with the place names. Each guest received a personalised menu with their name at the top, detailing their meal choices, including fish, meat, or vegetarian options. Lynn from Studland Bay House and Michael’s son Rory did an outstanding job with the catering. They offered a seafood shack as one of the canapé options and a hoisin duck and pancake trolley prepared right in front of guests. For the main course, guests could choose salmon, beef or mushroom Wellington, with the beef perfectly cooked. Buds of Mave truly brought their floral vision to life, espeically with the hanging floral arrangment. The flowers were vibrant, unlike those the couple had seen at other weddings, and there was a beautiful archway created over the church entrance. The pair even used the bridesmaids’ bouquets on five of the twelve tables for the centerpieces. Carolyn pointed out that these bouquets often go to waste, so repurposing them was a great idea. She also crafted an additional seven bouquets for the other tables. Table names were kept simple as the pair opted for numbers for their table names. It’s a classic approach, and as they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! After getting engaged, the lovebirds attended a wedding fair where they discovered Tasha Diamond. Her cakes were not only delicious but also came in unique flavours. Their wedding cake was elegant, featuring three tiers of white icing adorned with flowers from the florist. They even had a painting of Truffle on the cake, inspired by the illustration Sally created for their invitations. The newlyweds set up a dramatic curtain reveal that unveiled a black-and-white checkered dancefloor complete with a glitter ball for the evening. While their restrooms were in a luxurious trailer, they added a marquee to ensure guests didn’t have to step outside. This also created a cosy coat area, complete with a table and 46
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