Your Sussex Wedding - Apr/May 2019 (Issue 78)

REAL WEDDINGS 43  Paul had a very specific vision for his wedding suit, which led to a long day in London, looking for something to match up. Laura says: “Just before we were about to call it a day, he spotted one in the window of Gieves & Hawkes on Savile Row. They had just one left in his size in the entire country! It was a done deal, and he looked awesome.” The groom’s brothers performed the duties of best men and wore their own suits with complementing green ties. Laura chose not to have adult bridesmaids but instead bestowed the honour of flowergirl upon her cousin Ingrid and friend’s daughter Scarlett. They both wore gorgeous green dresses from Debenhams. TIME TO CELEBRATE Lawn games kept guests entertained following the ceremony while the newlyweds were having their photographs taken. Later on, the evening celebrations were kicked off by live band Shade. “They covered Bruno Mars, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, OutKast,” the bride shares. “They were incredible – such great performers and so easy to communicate with too. Our guests loved them.” MEMORABLE MOMENT Paul’s sister, Rowan, performed the newlyweds’ emotional blessing the day after the legal bit was done and dusted. During which, the couple planted a tree as a ceremonial act. Such a lovely idea! Except as Rowan began to describe the symbolism of the tree, representing the strong roots of marriage, a huge gust of wind tore through the ceremony area and blew it over! “It made for a good giggle and a great photo of us both cracking up, laughing,” Laura remembers. “Paul has a saying he always used to bring himself into the moment while travelling: ‘This is what it’s all about.’We said that to each other a few times to make sure were appreciating the day.” – Laura THE ADVENTURE BEGINS The newlyweds jetted off to Ecuador and the Galapagos for their honeymoon, a long-held dream for Paul. Laura learned to scuba-dive beforehand so that she could join her hubby in swimming with hammerhead and Galapagos sharks, manta rays and turtles. What a magical experience! LAURA’S TOP TIP “Choose a venue and suppliers to suit your style and personality. All of ours were really relaxed people, so that helped to make the planning process smooth. Claire, our photographer, was so good at just going with the flow. She was great on the day at making everyone feel at ease and comfortable. Having an engagement shoot was a lovely way to get used to having our pictures taken too.”