Online dating has become extremely popular over the last few years, and happened to be where Beth and Joe first met. On their first date, the pair headed to a gin bar to get to know each other more. Beth comments, “We both felt so relaxed in each other’s company – we just clicked! We would do and say certain things simultaneously; we really are the male and female version of each other.” The lovebirds were on holiday in Dubai when Joe proposed. While enjoying cocktails at Burj Al Arab, which held many sentimental memories for Beth, she ordered a Genie in a Bottle cocktail which came with three wishes. She says, “The waitress brought over a treasure chest, which I thought was snacks, until she slowly opened it. Inside was the ring, and Joe dropped to one knee.” The whole thing was captured on camera to show their friends and family back home. SETTING THE SCENE Beth had been dreaming about her wedding for years and already had an idea of what she wanted, luckily Joe was on board with most of it. Canford School was the first venue the couple visited and, although they’d looked at others, the pair knew it was the one. Beth comments, “We fell in love with the grounds, dramatic staircase, high ceilings, beautiful chandeliers and a fairytale fell.” To match the grandness of the venue, the couple wanted a formal meal. After a tasting session, they settled on truffle parsnip soup to start, mignon of beef fillet or a mushroom shallot with leek and chestnut strudel for main and a trio of miniature desserts. They also had canapés with sausage and mash tarts, burgers and bruschetta. Wood-fired pizzas were served in the evening to keep guests from going hungry, which was a big hit with loved ones. The couple had a three-tiered cake with pink champagne, lemon and elderflower and cookies and cream flavours. Beth says, “A company let us down last minute, and Victoria Carroll Custom Cakes really came to our rescue. The team created a classic design with white roses and green leaves to match my bouquet. We finished it off with our gold mirrored Mr & Mrs Rolfe cake topper. Favours on the day consisted of personalised cookies with a mini black ribbon to fit in with the black-tie theme. Each table had wooden place names to help guests find their seats. In the centre of each table was a large martini glass vase filled with gypsophila to match the bridesmaids’ flowers. There was also ornate gold frames for the table numbers, which matched the table plan, order-of-the-day and welcome sign. As the venue was full of character, the pair didn’t want to take away from the beautiful spaces and kept the décor simple. There was a pretty flower wall with a neon sign, which provided the perfect backdrop for photos while keeping with the day’s overall theme. 29 REAL WEDDINGS
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