Lisa and Jamie first laid eyes on each other at work. “Jamie took over my role when I went on a sabbatical to go travelling,” says Lisa. “When I returned, we were working in the same team. We got on well and had the same sense of humour and interests. It did take a while for us to eventually pluck up the courage to admit we liked each other more than friends. Jamie asked me to go to the pub for our first date in the same village where we would have our wedding reception eight years later.” The couple bought their first home, and shortly after, Jamie proposed. “We had just celebrated our anniversary, and Jamie said he had a belated gift,” shares the bride. “The present was a pack of cards that said ‘10 things I love about you.’ As I read through them, I got to the last one, which said ‘will you marry me?’ Jamie then got down on one knee with the ring. It was a surprise in the sense that I thought it may have happened on our anniversary, but when that passed, I thought maybe it wasn’t happening that year. Jamie referred to the pack of cards in his speech on the wedding day, which was really touching.” SETTING THE SCENE The happy couple tied the knot in a church. “It has sentimental value, so it was always a given that we would get married there,” explains Lisa. “For our reception, we chose Burrows Lea Country House. We loved the views, the country house, rose gardens, huge marquee and the staff. The team were so accommodating and made us feel at ease and we could go and look around the space as much as liked beforehand. At Burrows Lea Country House, you can really make the space your own as the marquee is a blank canvas, and there are lots of beautiful spots in the grounds to take photographs. It’s a hidden gem and I would recommend it to anyone.” “Our favours doubled up as place names,” recalls the bride. “We chose square photo frames with our guests’ names written in calligraphy on the glass.” The couple’s table plan was made from small cards that were pegged onto a brown board and surrounded by foliage. “The centrepieces were rustic bowls with white and peach blooms from Flowers by Rosie Orr,” reveals Lisa. “We used the same flowers in the bouquets.” Lisa and Jamie chose a three-tiered cake. “It was made by my bridesmaid, Lauren,” says the bride. “It was white with white chocolate drip, macaroons, roses and green leaves.” “We had green foliage garlands on the roof of the marquee, bows on the chairs, and milk churns with flower arrangements outside the bar and doorway to the church,” shares Lisa. “We also had giant balloons, beer pong and a Mr & Mrs pallet which had photos of us growing up attached.” For their catering, the couple hired Browns Kitchen. “We had a selection of canapés for our guests to enjoy,” explains the bride. “For our main, we had chicken supreme, seasonal greens and dauphinoise potatoes. The dessert was sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel sauce, ice cream and bowls of clotted cream. In the evening, we had bowls of macaroni cheese with a toppings station of pancetta, chilli oil, chilli flakes, truffle oil and parmesan, which was a huge hit with our friends and family.” DRESSED TO IMPRESS “I wore the Birch dress by Romantica of Devon,” recalls Lisa. “I always wanted something very classic and quickly found which style flattered my figure. The team at Brides Visited helped me make it my own by suggesting I add a hair band, which I never dreant of wearing before. I also removed the bow from the dress and added gems that matched the hair band. I had two veils, a long one for the ceremony and a shorter version for the reception. Jamie chose a classic navy suit from HIRE5 Menswear.” The bridesmaids opted for green dresses from Wedding Frox Bridal Boutique. “Three dresses were light sage, and two were a darker green,” reveals the bride. “They all have different figures, so it was really important to me that the girls felt comfortable and confident on the day.” REAL WEDDINGS 43
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