REAL WEDDINGS 35 A mutual friend set Emily and Nathan up on a blind date bowling and they proved to be the perfect match! Their competitive nature came out during the game and Nathan was bowled over by Emily’s carefree character. Romance blossomed and when the time came to pop the question, Nathan’s plan was thwarted by bad weather and he ended up asking her to marry him looking out to sea in his hometown in Wales. “As we’re avid walkers I was originally going to propose at the top of the Pen y Fan mountain, however when the sunshine turned to torrential rain, I had to quickly reconsidered my options,” he recalls. Emily was so shocked, that she left Nathan waiting for three minutes before giving him an answer! She said ‘yes’, of course, and they were married exactly 14 months to the day later. THE TIME AND THE PLACE They set the date for 2nd October, 2021 and opted for a rustic, autumn theme. Gorwell Farm in Abbotsbury provided the perfect setting for their big day. “We wanted to have lots of guests and to hold the ceremony and reception in one place and Gorwell Farm offered all this and more. Nestled in picturesque Dorset countryside, driving down to it and seeing the barn peek out at us was really beautiful,” enthuses Emily. “We had the option to get married outside, which we loved, although due to the Great British weather it didn’t happen, plus there was plenty of space in the barn to seat all our loved ones and party afterwards!” With six holiday cottages available to rent, team bride, the groom’s party and their nearest and dearest were able to stay for the whole weekend too. LOOKING THE PART When it came to the all-important dress, after trying on a few different styles Emily set her heart on finding something flowing, with lace and subtle detail to show off her back. As soon as she tried on the Rebecca Ingram for Maggie Sottero Beatrice gown, she knew it was the one. “Incredibly talented seamstress Chantelle did the alterations so the dress fitted me perfectly, making me feel great. She made some beautiful adjustments to the delicate lace in the bodice and neckline and was incredibly helpful providing extra fittings to make sure I was happy with the end result. She also provided my beautiful veil,” adds Emily. Nathan looked smart in a Donegal tweed jacket and waistcoat with the groomsmen in matching attire and forest green ties to complement the bridesmaids’ dresses. The wonderful flowers echoed the natural autumn theme beautifully combining bold seasonal shades of red and burnt orange. Emily says, “Our florist Jessie was incredible, we were only able to meet with her a couple of weeks before the wedding due to lockdowns and schedules, but she really brought our ideas to life. She also created a beautiful floral hair comb for me, individual flowers for the bridesmaids’ hair and stunning floral crowns for our three flowergirls.” ALL IN THE DETAIL Styling their wedding was a team effort involving many wonderful friends and relatives the day before and in the weeks leading up to it. “We completed the full set up and thankfully had some amazing suppliers to help realise our vision,” adds Emily. Personal touches included charity pins in aid of Cancer Research UK in memory of family members they’d lost to the
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