Your Kent Wedding - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 88)

REAL WEDDINGS 37  “M att was so shy when we were at school, but when we saw each other again as adults he was like a new man,” says bride Emma. The pair met while attending Brockhill Performing Arts College in Kent. They dated at the time, but the relationship went no further until they found each other again eight years later. Shortly after the couple bought their first home together, Emma decided to throw a house party to celebrate her 29 th birthday. Their friends and family gathered in the dining room to sing Happy Birthday . Once the applause died down Matt approached Emma, and took her by the hand. He said, “You’re my best friend, and I love you more than anything else in the world.” With that he was down on one knee asking her to marry him. Emma remembers, “I just jumped up and down screaming – ‘of course I will! Yes, yes, yes!!’” LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION “We knew we wanted to get married outdoors and we needed to find a venue to comfortably seat 130 guests for our wedding breakfast,” Emma says. So it was with these criteria in mind that they viewed more than 15 venues around Kent before deciding on Westenhanger Castle. It was conveniently close for them, as well as for their loved ones, and they instantly fell in love with beautiful gardens there. LOOKING THE PART Emma wore a stunning fit and flare Martina Liana dress with beautiful lace and beading detail. Her talented mother-in-law made her veil, and she accessorised the look perfectly with square diamond-drop earrings. Meanwhile, Matt and his groomsmen wore black suits paired with black patent shoes, bow ties and white shirts. The groom’s jacket was velvet with silk lapels, so that he stood out as the man of the hour. The bridesmaids were also dressed to impress in this chic shade in a style to complement the bride’s. The fit and flare, low back gowns needed altering when they arrived, but luckily Emma’s mother-in-law was on hand to assist. SETTING THE SCENE The wedding breakfast was set out in 12 tables. Five were adorned with low round vases containing fresh hydrangeas, and seven were decorated with tall candelabra filled with white faux roses, peonies, lilies and hydrangeas. The couple hand made the place names, and made the smart decision to use them to remind guests of their menu choices. The table plan itself was elegantly displayed on a six-foot mirror with white floral edging. Each guest was gifted a white silk fan with the newlyweds’ logo stamped on them, along with a white rose buttonhole each, and an individually wrapped tissue sealed with a logo sticker, in case of tears. The couple created a floral fantasy with flowers dotted all around the venue from the outside tables, right through to the toilet, and everywhere in between! As they exchanged vows beneath the gazebo the scent from the gorgeous fresh flower runner they’d made added to the romantic atmosphere. “A family friend, Michelle, kindly offered to help arrange our flowers. I had six bridesmaids, each with a bouquet of five white hydrangeas tied with white ribbon. Every time I looked at my bouquet I