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Courtney & Nic
Photography by Simon & Kiana
Beautiful bride Courtney got married at the beautiful Holbrook Manor at the end of June 2023 and managed to keep her cool, even though it was the middle of a heatwave. Two dresses for one perfect day!
How did you meet, and when?
We met in 2012 when we were aged 16 & 17 at a friend’s house party.
How many dresses did you try on before you found the one?
About 25
What made your one your ONE?
My mum cried when she saw it on, and that was when I knew that was the one! I have always loved the classic bridal look.
Was there a theme or colour scheme for your wedding?
Classic whites and greens. Flowers played a big part in our wedding and we wanted to mix whites with different green tones. We then picked out the sage bridesmaid dresses to match!
How did you decorate your venue?
The wedding coordinator at Holbrook Manor did it.
What were your best decisions for the wedding?
Spending a bit more, and putting emphasis on the flowers! Taking a bit more time to plan and focus on the décor and all-round vibe of the day. Having a pianist playing as our guests arrived. We also did a Polaroid guest book to capture our guests.
Did you make any cost savings, and how?
We made some of the wedding décor ourselves like the wooden welcome display, which we made from an old pallet.
Any funny things happen? Embarrassing moments?
One of our guests ended up eating one of the wax melt wedding favours thinking it was a chocolate heart!
Did you follow all the traditions?
We were quite traditional, but we scrapped the throwing of the bouquet!
What were the challenges of planning and organising the wedding?
The normal kind of challenges, what with a couple of guests cancelling and so on.
Any regrets? Anything you would have done differently or included with hindsight?
The weather was very warm so I didn’t get to keep my dress on for as long as I would have wanted! I did have a second dress which I did wear but if I could change things I would have stayed longer in the first!!
What advice do you have for other brides?
Always have a pair of shoes to change into! As it was such a hot day, I couldn’t keep my heels on so opted for Converse for the reception and evening. My other advice would be to just enjoy the day and the process and don’t get too hung up on other people.
The Team
Photographer: Simon & Kiana
Venue: Holbrook Manor
How many guests did you have? 52
Wedding dress designer: Essence Of Australia, from Chameleon Bride in Bournemouth
Flowers: Dahlia Florist
Stationery: Charlotte England – “A close friend of ours – it made it extra special”
Shoes: Charlotte Mills
Accessories: Tiffany & Co, Tag Heuer
Hair: Grace Bailey Hair
Makeup: Molly Cox
Cake: Sally Warman
Bridesmaids: Azazie
Menswear: Moss Bros
Band/Musicians/Entertainment: Prescott Entertainment and pianist Alison Law
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real wedding
Dawn & Nick
We caught up with Dawn and Nick after their beautiful big day to find out how they met and what was involved in planning their perfect summer wedding celebration. And Dawn has some brilliant advice for fellow brides to be…
How did you meet, and when?
We matched on Tinder… Well, I swiped past him the first time as I thought he was too good looking for me!! The second time around, on a Sunday morning, we matched and started chatting. He made me wait two weeks before we had our first date!
What was your budget?
We had a rough guess at the beginning and near enough stuck to that.
How many dresses did you try on before you found the one?
I think it was around five dresses.
What made your one your ONE?
After trying on a couple of dresses, the lady during my appointment started pulling out the following few dresses to try on. As soon as she hung it up and the spotlights hit the dress, I remember saying I loved it! It was just the right amount of ‘sparkle’ (not glitter, more beautiful beading). It was a beautiful shape, matched my theme and love for flowers and suited my figure perfectly! I just loved it and knew this was what I would walk down the aisle to!
Was there a theme or colour scheme for your wedding?
Light summery colours.
How did you decorate your venue?
With loads of flowers – At the bottom of our beautiful signs, by the card box, on the tables in the reception areas, down the aisle and on the trestle tables for the reception – there were flowers everywhere, and I loved it!
What were your best decisions for the wedding?
Using the flowers as gifts meant I could have all the flowers but be sustainably focused and not wasting. I gifted all of the flowers, from large displays and bouquets to milk bottle displays, and gave everyone the opportunity to enjoy them on the day and for days afterwards.
Did you make any cost savings, and how?
We would have loved to have had live music, but trying to keep to a budget meant we went with a fab DJ instead.
What were your favourite moments?
Walking down the aisle to a string trio playing the song I always wanted to have played on my wedding day.
Also, feeling so calm, knowing that this was more than right – I don’t think I’ve ever felt so content in my life!
Did any funny things happen? Embarrassing moments?
Not embarrassing (thank god, lol!), but some funny dancing went on and the people in the photo booth with silly glasses and funny wigs. Our magician was fascinating and extraordinary – he kept the guests hooked!
Did you follow all the traditions?
I think we did most, but the one I remember was different was getting our sisters to be our witnesses for the signing of the register.
What were the challenges of planning and organising the wedding?
It is so easy to get carried away with weddings, so keeping to a budget is a must! Also, trying to organise a wedding in under a year, just after a year of Covid wedding cancellations, made some of our options (available venue and suppliers, for example) more limited than they typically would have been.
Any regrets? Anything you would have done differently or included with hindsight?
No, not really – if I could have splashed more cash, I would have loved to have a live band. Other than that, I think we only regret not spending more time talking to all our guests. Oh, and asking our amazing magician to stay longer!
What advice do you have for other brides?
Go with your gut and trust your instincts! Also, it is a good reminder for all of us, but weddings especially… Comparison is the thief of joy! We all turn to Instagram, Pinterest, Google and other weddings we have been to, to guide us, and sometimes I think that makes the process too ‘noisy’ and creates doubt. So, it is super important to find suppliers that fit your ideas/theme and then trust them, trust them to do what they do best. Also, I love a supplier with good reviews (I’m a stickler for reviewing reviews!) who has worked in your chosen venue before.
ENJOY THE DAY! You can’t change it once it’s here; the big decisions have been made, so soak in EVERY MOMENT!
The Details
Your wedding date: 17/06/22
Photographer: Iris & Ivy – www.irisandivyphotography.com
Venue: Lapstone Barn, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire – www.lapstonebarn.co.uk
How many guests did you have? 64 plus Bride and Groom
Wedding dress designer: Justin Alexander’s Winnie – www.justinalexander.com
Flowers: Bloomery Broadway – www.bloomery.co.uk
Stationery: Louise Rowles Designs – louiserowlesdesigns.co.uk
Shoes: Charlotte Mills – www.charlottemills.com
Hair: Hair by Lucy Phelps – www.instagram.com/hairbylucyphelps
Makeup: Sasha Brown MUA – www.sashabrownmakeupartist.com
Cake: Cake by Rachel – www.cakebyrachel.co.uk
Bridesmaids: Adults – ASOS (Shoes – New Look), Children – Shein (Shoes – John Lewis)
Menswear: Regency Groom, Bishops Cleeve – www.groomswear.co.uk
Nick’s William Morris tie and handkerchief print: Belfast Bow Company – www.belfastbowcompany.com
DJ: Dizzy Feet Events – dizzyfeet.co.uk
Magician: Brett Sirrell – https://amazingmagic.uk/
Photobooth: Mad Hat Photo Booth – https://madhatphotobooth.com/
String Trio/Duo: The Sorelli Ensemble – www.sorelliensemble.com
Videographer: Rolling Film – https://rolling-film.com/
Our dog walker is the one that brought our Springer Spaniel Buzz to our wedding so that he could be part of the photos. They made sure he looked smart in his matching William Morris print bow tie from Active Animals. www.activeanimals.co.uk
We loved looking at and hearing about your wedding – congratulations Dawn and Nick – may you have a very happy ever after!
PS. You made the most beautiful bride –more than enough of a match for your handsome groom!
If you would like to submit your wedding and share your story, then please get in touch [email protected]
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