OUR WEDDING
When put on the spot it's hard to sum up your own wedding day without falling back on the old favourite of 'the best day ever', but for anyone who has found their soulmate, and been lucky enough to marry them, I can assure you, it is just that. There's no other way to describe the abundance of emotions and love that fill you up. There's a reason so many people cry at weddings and that is the simple fact that the love literally fills you up with no where to escape except out your tear ducts!!
Our wedding was so amazing, not just because of the day itself, but the whole journey to that moment in time, that milestone in our relationship together. From the moment Maxwell proposed I started thinking about our day, heck, who I am kidding, I'd been thinking about it well before he dropped to one knee at midnight on Christmas Day in front of Mickey Mouse in 2015.
It's all the 'stuff' (for want of a better word) that goes along with planning a wedding that makes it so special, maybe we felt this more than most because we were so involved with every aspect of the big day, or maybe it's just us, but we cherished every planning part of our 'wedmin' time. Excited trips with my best girls to try on big white dresses, rainy day trips to Brighton to stand on the spot where we would become man and wife, meeting with suppliers who would help make our dream a reality, hours spent tweaking and fretting over designing the perfect invite, treasured days spent with my Mumma making the dress of my dreams, even Maxwell taking over the basement for a year to dismantle and lovingly put pack together our wedding car Kermit, all these memories and so many more are what I think of when I think of our wedding day.
The first wedding decision we made before we had sorted anything but a date was booking our photographer, the wonderful Hayley Savage. She was incredible and we cannot thank her enough for what she did for us, for working so tirelessly on capturing our day so perfectly.
It was a dull January weekday when we made the second two big decisions for our wedding journey, one that would go on to set the tone for everything else that followed. Standing on the Bandstand in Brighton we fell in love with the art deco architecture and the promise of what could be... Half an hour down the road, lay The Secret Barn, which for us was a match made in heaven. Rustic, authentic, beautiful. On that day a plan was made, a dream set into motion and a million Pinterest boards born.
Fast forward 18 months and after 2 solid days of decorating with all our nearest and dearest, these two venues were ready to go. These last moments were not without their stresses, trials and tribulations, oh no.... we had our fair share of last minute headaches, but when I woke on the morning of the 27.7.17 in the Grand Brighton Hotel, my life-long best buddy beside me, I felt nothing but excitement for what was to come.
Our wedding was so amazing, not just because of the day itself, but the whole journey to that moment in time, that milestone in our relationship together. From the moment Maxwell proposed I started thinking about our day, heck, who I am kidding, I'd been thinking about it well before he dropped to one knee at midnight on Christmas Day in front of Mickey Mouse in 2015.
It's all the 'stuff' (for want of a better word) that goes along with planning a wedding that makes it so special, maybe we felt this more than most because we were so involved with every aspect of the big day, or maybe it's just us, but we cherished every planning part of our 'wedmin' time. Excited trips with my best girls to try on big white dresses, rainy day trips to Brighton to stand on the spot where we would become man and wife, meeting with suppliers who would help make our dream a reality, hours spent tweaking and fretting over designing the perfect invite, treasured days spent with my Mumma making the dress of my dreams, even Maxwell taking over the basement for a year to dismantle and lovingly put pack together our wedding car Kermit, all these memories and so many more are what I think of when I think of our wedding day.
The first wedding decision we made before we had sorted anything but a date was booking our photographer, the wonderful Hayley Savage. She was incredible and we cannot thank her enough for what she did for us, for working so tirelessly on capturing our day so perfectly.
It was a dull January weekday when we made the second two big decisions for our wedding journey, one that would go on to set the tone for everything else that followed. Standing on the Bandstand in Brighton we fell in love with the art deco architecture and the promise of what could be... Half an hour down the road, lay The Secret Barn, which for us was a match made in heaven. Rustic, authentic, beautiful. On that day a plan was made, a dream set into motion and a million Pinterest boards born.
Fast forward 18 months and after 2 solid days of decorating with all our nearest and dearest, these two venues were ready to go. These last moments were not without their stresses, trials and tribulations, oh no.... we had our fair share of last minute headaches, but when I woke on the morning of the 27.7.17 in the Grand Brighton Hotel, my life-long best buddy beside me, I felt nothing but excitement for what was to come.
The morning did (as everyone says it does) whizzed by, in a strangely calm state, I had my makeup done by the awesome Amy Richards and Elliott our amazing videographer and Hayley arrived to float around us like butterflies with big lenses. Suddenly a time check told us it was time and so with the help of Mumma Lo & Onion, my MOH, I stepped into the last dress I would ever wear as a Miss.
As Mumma Lo sewed me in, and onion helped me put on my loaned booties (mine went missing - don't ask), it suddenly dawned on me that this was all real. It was only once the girls had left and I was alone with Pappa Lo, that the nerves bubbled within and in that quiet moment everything seemed real.
As Mumma Lo sewed me in, and onion helped me put on my loaned booties (mine went missing - don't ask), it suddenly dawned on me that this was all real. It was only once the girls had left and I was alone with Pappa Lo, that the nerves bubbled within and in that quiet moment everything seemed real.
Arriving at The Bandstand, the sun shining on a bright, clear but blustery day I looked out at a full bandstand. A gaggle of excited mini's calling my name and looking like a snippet straight out of a bohemian dream.
I don't remember walking down the aisle, I honestly don't, I remember seeing Maxwell, tears in his eyes, beaming at me and the biggest smile you ever did see, but the rest is a happy blur.
I don't remember walking down the aisle, I honestly don't, I remember seeing Maxwell, tears in his eyes, beaming at me and the biggest smile you ever did see, but the rest is a happy blur.
Our ceremony was beautiful, I know I'm biased, but it was so special. One of my best girls Anna read a love story of dinosaurs, her T-Rex tattoo peeking out the back of the vintage floral shawl. My little brother, who I'd not seen in 18months, who had flown all the way from NZ to read of the union we were about to make, albeit off his phone and not the beautiful typed document I had given him ;)
Then our vows. We had written our vows and kept them secret from one another until that moment. Promises of adventures, everlasting love, dens and never cutting his beard had us all laughing and crying. Moments later we exchanged rings from a cherished box my grandfather had carved for my Nan, literally surrounded by all our favourite people and we had our first kiss as man and wife.
After signing things that needed signing, we rejoined our guests for some bubbles and the warmest hugs of my life. A whirl of tassels, red hair and my something borrowed veil (thank you beautiful Becca) I managed one circular lap of the bandstand before our beautiful vintage bus rocked up, which would take everyone to the Secret Barn.
After signing things that needed signing, we rejoined our guests for some bubbles and the warmest hugs of my life. A whirl of tassels, red hair and my something borrowed veil (thank you beautiful Becca) I managed one circular lap of the bandstand before our beautiful vintage bus rocked up, which would take everyone to the Secret Barn.
After some photos and some kisses my brand new husband helped me into Kermit and off we set. This half hour time together was precious, like excited children we gushed over everything, filled each other in on our mornings adventures. Then, before we knew it we turned off the main road and made our way to The Secret Barn and all our guests. Handcrafted tin cans noisily announced our arrival and stepping out onto my Granddad's rug with bare feet and a husband by the hand we were showered in millions of petals and so much love you can't imagine.
The afternoon was what we always hoped and dreamed it would be, sun shining, blue skies, people lounging on peacock chairs and on rugs on the floor. Mini's running barefoot, wild curls with a ribbon wand in hand. The Gin Emporium serving up pretty gin cocktails and the Petal & Feast girls serving what I have been told were amazing canapés and ice-creams, although in my flurry of bridal activities I didn't get to try either of.
Before we knew it we were stood beneath our tipi, delivering our speeches and thanking those who'd helped us along the way. Again, I cant express the emotion of this, and highly recommend any brides-to-be out there to do a speech yourself! Then it was time to eat and another opportunity for us to sit together and have some alone time. There we sat, on our sweetheart table, looking out over the room and Maxwell took the words from my lips, "It's perfect isn't it? It's everything we hoped it would be". And it really was.
Afternoon gave way to evening and as the sun set more friends joined us. We danced under a million twinkling fairy lights to the amazing music of Good Company Band. Our first song, 'All I want is you" was sung acoustically live for us and before we knew it, obscene amounts of cheese, crackers and cake appeared and people filled their bellies to match their filled happy bodies. We danced, we laughed, we kissed, we hugged, we sang our little hearts out and then it was over. The last song played and it was time to go. Marshmallows finished toasting on the fire pit, that last gin drained and we bid the Secret Barn goodnight.
Together with the last standing guests we boarded the bus home and then had one last glass of fizz and the coldest, windiest, most ridiculous attempt at a sparkler send off you ever did see. And then, hand in hand with my husband, we strolled along Brighton Seafront back to The Grand, where we devoured a hot bubbly bath, a bottle of champagne and quite possibly each other.
So there you have it, without a doubt, and as corny as it sounds, the best day ever. We can't thank everyone enough who was there for us or helped us in one way or another: You know who you are and you know what you did and you know that we love you!
Now we want to help others have the best day of their lives, so check out what we can do for you.
Now we want to help others have the best day of their lives, so check out what we can do for you.
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We also have to share with you our amazing, beautiful, perfect wedding video that was lovingly made for us by Elliott Mariess.
After a lengthy search online we stumbled across one of Elliott's videos and that was it. From that one video we made contact, booked and decided to fly Elliott over from Guernsey to help us remember our day. |
There was something about the way he filmed that appealed to us. I'm sure you'll agree that he managed to perfectly capture the essence of our day, the raw, heartfelt, emotion filled day and all the love, happiness and joy that was felt throughout and for that, we will forever be grateful!