Your Hampshire and Dorset Wedding - November/December 2020 (Issue 83)

REAL WEDDINGS 39  J odie and Duncan first met 10 years before they started dating, at a get together before they left for university and went their separate ways. A decade later their paths crossed again at a mutual friend’s birthday party at the Foresters Arms in Gosport. “We’ve been together ever since and two houses and two children later, we’re now married,” says Jodie. POPPING THE QUESTION Duncan proposed on Jodie’s birthday in 2016. “It was on Richmond Hill, one of my favourite local beauty spots where we often go for picnics. It was a big surprise as we had our first child that year and it was a busy time for us,” she recalls. They tied the knot on 27 th June three years later at St Mary’s Church, Alverstoke followed by a relaxed al fresco reception in a field. LOOKING THE PART Jodie and the bridal party got ready at the Old Lodge Hotel in Alverstoke and then walked to the church. She wore a Stella York dress (style 6718) with a quality satin feel and full skirt. “I wanted a classic look and then fell in love with a lace jacket which I wore over the top.” Instead of traditional dresses they opted for separates for the bridesmaids to reflect Jodie’s favourite colours, pink and blue. “The skirts were made to fit by Marcia Devine, a local and very talented seamstress in Gosport, and we found the perfect white lace tops to go with them,” adds Jodie. Duncan looked smart in a blue TM Lewin suit and the groomsmen wore their own suits in a similar shade. A HELPING HAND When it came to sorting out the reception they let Hampshire-based Kissing Gate Events take the strain. “They are a full venue organiser and were the perfect company to partner with. Initially I was attracted to the look and feel of the bell tent and also that they plan everything with you every step of the way. We wanted our day to be outside in the countryside where our guests could relax and enjoy themselves. We had a large number of children to cater for too and it was important to us to have local suppliers for all the food and drink. Most of all we wanted it to have a party feel,” explains Jodie. Tessa from Kissing Gate helped tick all the boxes providing inspiration and planning guidance to help Jodie realise her vision for a rustic-themed wedding, full of bright colours and personal touches. “Tessa made sure that every single detail was perfect, managed her fab team brilliantly, which meant I didn’t have a care in the world all day!” – Jodie BLOOMIN’ BEAUTIFUL Top of Jodie’s wish list was colour – the brighter the better, with plenty of her favourite shocking pink. An abundance of flowers was another must-have. “The most important thing for me was to fill the wedding with vibrant colours and as many flowers as our budget would allow!” Rather than traditional roses she opted for a peony in her bouquet with other multi-coloured blooms. The two stunning floral displays at the doorway of the church were also used to decorate the bell tent afterwards. The bridesmaids had pretty bouquets and thistles were added to the buttonholes in a nod to Duncan’s Scottish roots. “I also love craspedia, so we featured that too,” says Jodie. The reception was a picture, filled with decorative details, the biggest and most impressive being the large hoops hanging high up in the bell tent embellished with artificial flowers by Bloom Bloom Wedding Florists. The benches were dotted with colourful posies in jars decorated by Jodie, with larger versions as centrepieces. Standout features also included a ladder suspended from the roof, styled by Tessa from Kissing Gate with ivy, foliage and fairylights. “We also had a variety of different sized hanging lanterns in bright colours to create ambience,” adds Jodie.