Your Hampshire and Dorset Wedding - Page number 31 - July/August 2021 (Issue 87)

REAL WEDDINGS 31 A fter getting together as students at Bournemouth University in 2012, Zoë and Steve got engaged in New York six years later. The trip was a surprise for Zoë who was blindfolded at home in the kitchen before being whisked off to Heathrow Airport. “Steve revealed the destination under the departures board holding an apple with the word ‘big’ written on it,” recalls Zoë. While they were there, Steve popped the question in Central Park, and the proposal was photographed by a passer- by walking their dog. “It was a complete shock as we’d just bought our first home together, a major renovation project which took us 10 months to complete before we could move in.” adds Zoë. PLAN B They started planning their big day at the beginning of 2020 before the pandemic struck. “We originally intended to have 120 to 150 guests but with all the uncertainty at the time, we decided in December last year to have a small, intimate wedding instead with just our parents, siblings and their partners. Then, once restrictions are lifted, we plan to have a big evening reception party with all our extended family and friends,” explains Zoë. THE TIME AND THE PLACE When it came to choosing where to wed they had their hearts set on Hampshire’s beautiful New Forest. Zoë explains, “When we were dating and living in Bournemouth we used to take day trips to the New Forest. I also used to go there on family camping holidays when I was a child, so it holds lots of happy memories for us.” They set the date for 4 th June this year at the Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa, Brockenhurst in the heart of the forest and opted for a stylish green and gold colour scheme. Zoë adds, “Ruth, the wedding coordinator at the venue, was so helpful and reassuring during what could have been a stressful time to plan a wedding.” LOOKING THE PART Zoë bought her dress from ASOS and her mum made alterations to personalise it. As her something old and something blue , she wore her grandmother’s sapphire bracelet, a sentimental family piece, as her mum also wore it on her wedding day. Her something borrowed was a gold sweetheart necklace which her 