Your Kent Wedding - Page number 36 - September/August 2021 (Issue 98)

Wedding march Charlotte and Steven’s wedding colour palette was inspired in part by the groom’s military background Images courtesy of Above Arcadia S teven met Charlotte while in Chatham for a course in 2009. Their relationship met with early challenges however, when dance teacher Charlotte became wheelchair-bound after breaking her back; and paratrooper Steven was injured in a bomb blast in Afghanistan. “We stayed in contact the whole time and met up again a few years later. The rest is history – he’s my lobster,” Charlotte says. Steven decided to propose on Charlotte’s birthday. She peeled off the wrapping paper of her last present and found a BeaverBrooks box inside. Assuming it was jewellery she turned to thank him, but he was already on one knee. She shares, “I’d love to tell you that I was elegant as I’d always dreamed of this romantic moment, but instead I blurted out: ‘shut up!’” Despite the initial shock, Charlotte of course accepted the proposal and continued to unwrap the all-important ring. Deciding on the ceremony venue was a no brainer for the pair! The Garrison Church is special to them both as Steven has lots of happy memories of it from his military days and Charlotte used to play just outside as a child. They had a few options in mind for the reception location, but ultimately fell in love with The BarnYard. “It was simple, elegant, quiet and spacious. Plus, the staff were lovely, which gave us a great insight into the quality of care we’d get on our big day,” Charlotte explains. At the time the venue was allowing its couples to choose a back-up wedding date as the pandemic began to worsen. This turned out to be invaluable, as the first date they chose in May 2020 fell in the midst of the first lockdown whereas their eventual wedding date on 26 th September of that year fortuitously landed just before the government restricted guest list numbers to six. Join us as the bride shares more memories of the big day... 36