Your North West Wedding- February / March 2021 (Issue 66)

REAL WEDDINGS 27 A manda and Phil were introduced when she moved to London. “We hit it off right away and proceeded to have a whirlwind romance with trips to the theatre, picnics in Hyde Park and weekends in the Lake District,” says Amanda. “We started travelling the world making so many incredible memories together. Everything just fell into place perfectly.” Phil proposed during a surprise trip to Switzerland. “I had no idea where we were going, and all he’d said was to pack winter clothes and walking boots,” shares the bride. “As soon as I found out where we were going, I was over the moon! Phil is half Swiss, and my family used to holiday in Switzerland when I was younger, so it’s a special place for both of us. On the second day of our holiday, we caught the cable car up to the very top of a mountain where we saw beautiful blue skies and the most incredible views of the Matterhorn. I turned around, and Phil was down on one knee in the snow asking me to marry him. I, of course, said ‘yes’. We then skied down the mountain, popped open a bottle of champagne and celebrated in style in our Swiss chalet. It was the perfect proposal.” SETTING THE SCENE “Storrs Hall was the first venue we looked at, and I knew that we wouldn’t find anywhere else as beautiful,” explains Amanda. “We had friends and family travelling from all over the world to attend our wedding, so we decided to hire the property for the whole weekend. The stunning setting, delicious food and fabulous accommodation were exactly what we wanted, and it looked particularly gorgeous at Christmas.” The couple incorporated their love of National Trust properties into their table names. “Phil and I have visited many historic houses and love making a romantic picnic to enjoy in the beautiful gardens,” shares the bride. “This led us to name our tables after our favourite places, including Chartwell, Holkham Hall and Chatsworth. I designed our table plan, along with all the invitations and stationery. I went for an elegant dark blue colour scheme with gold accents running throughout.” “Grange Flower Service created beautiful floral decorations for our centrepieces,” says Amanda. “We chose a mixture of tall vases with deep red, white and green blooms and lanterns with floral wreaths.” Amanda and Phil purchased their big-day bake from Lucie’s Cake Co. “Our cake was an absolute dream,” shares the bride. “It was a four-tier design with pillars, delicate frosted detailing and beautiful fresh flowers. It was a real spectacle! We displayed it in the rotunda at Storrs Hall, and all our guests commented on how delicious and gorgeous it was.” “Phil arranged all the transport through Little and Caine,” reveals Amanda. “He hired traditional wedding cars for my dad and I and another for my mum and the bridesmaids. We also arranged a coach to take all the guests to the church and back.” DRESSED TO IMPRESS Amanda wore a beautiful dress from A Family Affair in Kendal. “I’d tried on so many designs, and it was my mum who ended up finding my gown,” says Amanda. “I put it on, and we both knew it was the one . My two gorgeous nieces, Celia and Zoe, thought I was a Disney princess on my wedding day, and I was more than happy to go along with that. I accessorised with a pair of sapphire and diamond earrings that were a wedding present from Phil, my mum’s veil and a tiara borrowed from my sister-in-law.” Phil and his groomsmen wore traditional morning suits from Moss Bros with deep red accents to match the flowers. “He chose 