Your Surrey Wedding - Feb/Mar 2020 (Issue 81)

REAL WEDDINGS 49  spent three hours in her boutique and was surprised at how versatile the designs were. Sanyukta had a brilliant way of altering dresses by adding lace, a train, changing the shoulders or moving the material to make it hang differently. My dress had an incredibly comfortable bamboo lining and a train that rippled across the floor when I moved. I accessorised with a pair of pearl earrings that Leslie had bought me for my birthday and a small hair-clip that I borrowed from my mum.” Leslie opted for a bright blue suit from Reiss. “When we first visited Italy we went to the Amalfi Coast where I purchased a silk pock square that I was keen for him to wear at the wedding,” explains the bride. “The bright blues and yellows worked perfectly with our overall theme.” “I chose to have my sister as my bridesmaid,” shares Sharika. “She wore a bottle green A-line gown. I wanted something she would like and would tie in with our colour scheme. She looked amazing. We had Leslie’s children, Jack and Samuel, carry the rings. They carried a box each down the aisle, walking in front of me.” TIME TO CELEBRATE “We had a string quartet for the ceremony called Titanium String Quartet London,” says Sharika. “They were fantastic and played before the service and during the wedding breakfast.” In the evening, the couple hired a band called Articulate Music to keep the guests entertained. “We chose to have a six-piece band, and they were excellent,” shares the bride. “They came and joined in with the crowd and played tunes that we requested. We loved that Warren House had a separate area for the band to get set up in. Our nearest and dearest didn’t know they were there, which meant there was no disruption to our day. We did consider hiring entertainers for the children, but they had a great time exploring the grounds and playing with the on-site Jenga.” The lovebirds organised a separate area for the children to play in. “The kids loved the room,” explains Sharika. “I prepared lots of puzzles and quizzes for them, and it was nice having them only an arm’s length away.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS “On the morning of our nuptials, I felt extremely happy and couldn’t wait to see Leslie,” Sharika shares. “I loved Jack and Samuel’s reading, it made everyone laugh, and they did a great job. Jack also did a short, impromptu speech which was wonderful. It brought tears to people’s eyes, and it was so special having both the children there to celebrate with us.” There were lots of funny memories from the day. “Leslie and the best man had a disaster when ironing his shirt,” says the bride. “The iron poured water everywhere! My brother-in-law also hurt his ankle doing some crazy dance moves. I think he’s realised he can’t compete with a 12-year-old anymore.” HONEYMOON “We went to Sicily again for a few weeks” reveals Sharika. “The wine was fabulous, and our favourite part was visiting Masseria Susafa. We spent most of our time there. It has an amazing history, and the food was superb.”