As emotional as it was, there were moments when they had to try not to giggle as their dog Baxter, who was the ring bearer, kept growling to get their attention despite being perfectly looked after by pet chaperone Ali. CELEBRATE IN STYLE During the ceremony a violinist played the couple’s choice of music: Ave Maria as the bride entered and He’s A Pirate from Pirates of the Caribbean as they exited as newlyweds. “Having a live violinist was wonderful. He was such a talented musician and breathtaking to listen to,” Laura tells us. During the drinks reception all assembled were entertained by a steel pan duo, which was thoroughly enjoyable. As Laura says, “It’s not your everyday sound and they had an amazing array of songs, which happily for me included a lot of Disney!” Wedding singer Jason Allen performed during the wedding breakfast. While blues and swing are his preferred genres, he went above and beyond to incorporate plenty of Disney classics and musicals numbers, leaving with a standing ovation. In fact, Laura and many other guests struggled to get through the meal as they were too busy singing along! Other entertainers on hand to wow guests throughout the day included magician Adam Smith, caricaturist David Groves and Ruby Lemon glitter face paint artists. Laura says, “Adam is just amazing. Words cannot describe how alive and professional this man can be when he performs magic. He left our guests pondering how to explain his tricks. When it comes to David, we’d never thought someone with such an innocent face could produce such hilarious artworks. Seeing peoples’ reactions to their paintings was priceless! And, originally I thought the glitter would just be a hit with the kiddies, but everyone was getting in on the act. What was even more entertaining was seeing adults arriving for breakfast the next morning still covered in it. Definitely proof of a good party!” DJ Trevor from Night and Day Entertainment provided some fab tunes and guests danced the night away to choreographed lighting sequences. The magic mirror also went down a storm thanks to its fun props and funny pictures. The newlyweds were delighted to be presented with a copy of each photo in a guest book that each person had signed. Laura and Mike were honoured with a first dance song performance from their band Electric Feel – Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon. The night ended with a terrific bang in the form of a pyromusical to Take That’s Rule the World and a five-minute firework display, which the duo pressed the button to start. MEMORABLE MOMENTS Laura remembers, “The whole day was a fairy tale. We were extremely nervous at the beginning but once the ceremony was over the nerves were replaced with pure happiness and bliss. We were so grateful and honoured to share our special day with all our friends and family, which was only due to the kindness of the NHS Sussex Wedding Team. “For me, a standout moment was the dress reveal to my father. It was incredibly emotional and needless to say, there were tears! Working in the NHS and never being a girly girl, meant that having my make-up and hair done was a different experience for me. Looking at myself in the mirror, not only as a bride, but as a woman, I’d never felt so alive and for a change I had confidence in the person staring back at me. “The whole thing was a dream and the planning was extremely enjoyable, something that’ll stick in our memories forever. We got to meet everyone involved in the NHS Sussex Wedding Team and got to know them on a personal level. We got to hear how they’ve struggled and coped through the pandemic and are forever grateful for this team of professionals for coming forward and selflessly donating their expertise and time to the competition and cause.” REAL WEDDINGS 33
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