Your South Wales Wedding - Jul/Aug 2019 (Issue 68)

REAL WEDDINGS 43  A drian and Alex met in 2016 on a dating app. “I don’t believe in love at first sight, but when I met Alex, he gave me a feeling that I’d never had before,” says Adrian. “After our first meeting, we didn’t speak for six months. Out of the blue, I received a Snapchat from Alex asking if I wanted to meet up again. Over the next few weeks, we spent more time together and ended up moving into our own place in January 2017.” Alex popped the question on 29 th July, 2017, in Disneyland Paris. “It turned out we were both planning to propose,” Adrian shares. “I called my mum and told her I was going to ask Alex to marry me. She didn't hear me properly and said ‘he told you?’ I figured out his plans and let him take charge. He asked if we could take a selfie in front of the castle, where he got down on one knee and asked me to be his husband.” SETTING THE SCENE “When we returned from France, we began looking for a venue,” says Adrian. “We arrived at Hensol Castle and fell in love straight away. The idea of having our own fairytale castle was a dream come true. We liked the fact that it was exclusive-use and that we had the full attention of the events team.” The lovebirds chose a Frozen theme for their nuptials. “I’m a massive fan and wanted to incorporate it into our day without overdoing it and making it look cheap,” Adrian explains. “We searched the internet for inspiration and decided to use theatre film and floodlights to make the exterior of the venue blue. We also fell in love with a stunning centrepiece design, but we couldn’t find a supplier who could replicate it. In the end, my mum decided to make them. She used fake snow and diamantés, which matched the décor perfectly.” Their big-day bake was made by Designer Cakes by Janet in Neath. “Our cake was outstanding,” says Adrian. “We couldn’t recommend the team enough. We based the design on a starry night, and the result was breathtaking.” They named their tables after Disney couples, and their favours were themed around Alice in Wonderland. “Our catering was supplied by Hensol Castle,” Adrian says. “The food was second to none; it had outstanding flavours and looked incredible. We opted for pâté, Welsh lamb and espresso coffee cups.” Adrian chose a baby Bentley for his transport. “I wanted something fit for royalty,” adds Adrian. “We originally looked for a helicopter but couldn’t source one in time. Be Our Guest Events and Party Central kindly provided Alex with a Ferrari and a BMW for his best girl.”