Your Sussex Wedding - June/July 2020 (Issue 85)

REAL WEDDINGS 29  A lthough Jessica and Martin’s initial attraction was purely physical when they met on a Saturday night in Hastings, a deeper relationship soon blossomed once they began dating. Jessica worked for TUI and it wasn’t long before she needed to work abroad for six months. However, absence certainly made their hearts grow fonder, and they haven’t been apart since. Martin popped the question while the pair were enjoying their first holiday together in Corfu. Jessica remembers, “We were perched at the top of the steps on the stunning Sunset Beach, overlooking the ocean, and he just came out with the question.” It later materialised that Jessica had unwittingly been carrying the ring around all day, in their essentials bag. Join us as we get the lowdown on the big day from the bride… LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION “We spent ages looking for a venue,” Jessica says. “We couldn’t find what we wanted, and the worst thing was, we didn’t actually know what we wanted,” she continues. But perseverance paid off, and they found Swallows Oast, which they knew was the one for them on first viewing. The bride explains, “It was simple yet beautiful and the views were breathtaking.” SETTING THE SCENE Given the already stunning location, the couple had a plan to keep their decoration simple, complementing the venue’s existing beauty. They crafted the place names, table numbers, table plan and additional signage themselves, and enjoyed the projects immensely. Plus, the groom was lucky enough to have a great friend who helped with the centrepieces: “They were artificial trees, which added a touch of class to the day,” Jessica says. Then, at the last minute they decided to decorate further with some festoon lighting for an evening party atmosphere. FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD The venue’s in-house caterer, Capers, was in charge of the day’s dining. “It was stunning. Every single one of our guests commented on how great the food was,” Jessica says. A selection of canapes was served for the