Your Hampshire & Dorset Wedding - May/June 2019 (Issue 74)

REAL WEDDINGS 47  C ourtney and Jamie McMennum met while watching the fireworks on a summer’s night at Sandbanks Beach in Poole. “At first he was very shy and didn’t actually speak to me, he just stood behind me throughout the display and we chatted through a mutual friend,” recalls Courtney. At the end of the evening though, they exchanged numbers and later arranged to meet up at the beach again. “Since that moment, we’ve been inseparable,” says Courtney. After three years together, Jamie popped the question in 2016 during a long weekend away in Paris just before Christmas. “It was a complete surprise for Courtney, especially as she’d checked through my bags beforehand in search of a ring,” explains Jamie. “I planned the proposal after the trip was booked and hid the ring in my coat pocket. I thought, what better place to ask the love of my life to marry me, than in one of our favourite places.” The moment happened after a romantic meal by the Notre-Dame cathedral as they walked through the Louvre gardens to watch the Christmas lights go on. “Jamie then turned to me and asked me to marry him. I said ‘yes’ and when I looked at the ring I saw it was the one I’d fallen in love with more than two years ago.” SETTING THE SCENE Courtney always dreamed of having her wedding at the parish church in Lytchett Minster where she grew up. “It was a no-brainer for me and being married by the vicar I’ve known for many years was a really special moment.” For the reception, they fell in love with The Italian Villa at Compton Acres, Poole from the moment they first saw it. “We didn’t bother looking anywhere else. The villa is breathtakingly beautiful and the gardens are really picturesque; it had everything we could have imagined and more,” adds Courtney. LOOKING THE PART When it came to her wedding gown, the one she chose turned out to be everything she thought she didn’t want. “Lace and sleeves were definitely not on my wish list, however when the lady in the shop asked me to try on my beautiful café and ivory dress, I fell in love with it straight away. It was lace with three-quarter-length sleeves, pearls, gems and a sweetheart neckline. She accessorised with a floor-length veil embellished with crystals to catch the light as she moved and she carried a teardrop bouquet of pink and white roses. The bridesmaids wore long blush pink dresses and Jamie looked smart Courtney and Jamie’s spring wedding included a blush pink colour scheme and seasonal touches Images courtesy of Wow Photography SPRING FEVER