Lisa and Kieron met at school when they were 14. They were friends and went on many adventures together, including festivals and raves. “I moved to Newquay when I was 16, and Kieron used to visit,” says Lisa. “I went travelling in South Africa when I was 19, and Kieron e-mailed me every week. We finally got together after a trip to Amsterdam for my 21st birthday, and quickly bought our house and adopted three cats. Our relationship blossomed, and a few years later, Kieron proposed to me in Lapland at midnight on New Year’s Eve. It was perfect, like being in Narnia with sparkly snow and fireworks.” SETTING THE SCENE “Safari Venues, located on the grounds of the West Midland Safari Park, was the first place we took our son when he was just a few weeks old, and we’ve spent many family days there over the years,” shares the bride. “I remember walking around the park when I was overdue with our daughter and then taking the kids there every year as they’ve grown up. We loved the safari theme of Spring Grove House, and autumn is our favourite time of year, so it was perfect for us. “The décor was themed around sunflowers with blue thistles and autumn Chinese lanterns,” adds Lisa. “As you entered the magnificent entrance hall, we had scattered autumn leaves on the floor, and the team at Safari Venues were kind enough to let us use their pumpkins to dress the steps of the venue.” For their favours, the couple filled small glass bottles with different coloured liquors that tied in with their colour scheme. These doubled up as place names which were hand-written by their daughter. To continue the safari theme, they named their tables after animals. “The venue was preparing for their lantern festival, so there were gorgeous animal models decorating the lawn,” explains Lisa. “These made for unique photos and added a real Disney feel to the day. We continued the theme with our cake, which was three tiers with a plume of flowers in the centre. Cake Creations Redditch added mini-pumpkins to the base, and we chose giraffe figures dressed in wedding attire as the toppers.” DRESSED TO IMPRESS Lisa wore a Christina Wu dress from Daisy B Nell Bridal in Evesham. “It had the right balance between romantic and traditional and flattered my figure,” recalls the bride. “It sparkled so much under the lights, which I loved. Kieron chose a navy DJ Formal Wear suit with a yellow cravat which went beautifully with the flowers. Our wedding rings were made by Luke at ComparetheDiamond.com; they were stunning and very unique. He also lent me some beautiful diamond earrings to wear on the day.” The bridesmaids opted for navy dresses that suited their figures and that they felt comfortable in. TIME TO CELEBRATE To keep their guests entertained, the couple hired a photo booth, which was a hit with their friends and family. “Everyone could walk around some of the attractions at the safari park when our photos were being taken,” remembers Lisa. “We also had an excellent DJ who kept the party going, and we provided goody bags for the children.” REAL WEDDINGS 27
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