We have a beautiful Valentines Day wedding on the blog today which was submitted by Lloyd Williams Photography . Rachael & Greg got married in the Miskin Manor this year and they tell us all about their fantastic day here.
How would you describe your wedding theme? We originally wanted a Winter wedding for 2014, however our chosen venue ( Miskin Manor ) was fully booked. The only Winter date available was February 14th 2015 which happened to be a Saturday. To us, this date was absolutely perfect- could you get a more romantic day of the year to get married on?!
I instantly knew that I wanted a romantic vintage style wedding. Myself and Greg also wanted to put our individual stamp on the wedding. What with him being a Sergeant in the Grenadier Guards and me being a classical ballet teacher, we felt it was necessary to incorporate this into the wedding.
What was your favourite part of your wedding? I loved every minute of the day- the excitement of getting ready, entering the church with the guard of honour, the adrenaline rush as I walked down the aisle and seeing Greg, seeing family and friends so happy on this occasion. One particular part of the day that stood out the most was the speeches. My dad had always said he was no good at speeches and would not be saying more than a few words. To my surprise he reeled out a great big speech full of laughter, emotion, and memories- he had the whole room in tears! It was then I realised how important this day was to him also. Greg of course, was the life and soul of the party as usual cracking out jokes left right and centre.
I also loved the performance from the dancers!
Tell us about your Wedding Dress I always knew that I wanted a princess style wedding dress. It sounds silly but I took inspiration from Kate Middleton & Cinderella!!!
Myself, mum and my maid of honour went to All About Eve in Newport. It was the first place we had chosen to go to so I didn’t get my hopes up about finding “the dress”.
At first I browsed through the dresses wincing at the price tags. I thought to myself “trust me to like the most expensive dresses”
I was walking through the sale section and mum picked up a dress which was reduced significantly. “How about this one?” She asked. I didn’t really think it was me but I decided to try it on anyway- low and behold it was PERFECT. I was in love, however it was damaged. All About Eve were fantastic and repaired the dress at no extra charge. It was as good as new, and you would never have guessed how damaged it had actually been! I definitely felt like a princess wearing it.
They were also very helpful and accommodating with our preferences.
How did the proposal happen? Greg and I had been together for 4 years when he proposed. We had spent the majority of that year purchasing and arranging to move into our house so our minds were completely focused on that……
It was moving day and I had gone to work. It was getting late when I arrived at our new home and all of the lights were off. My instant reaction was “I can’t believe he’s gone to the pub!” I put the key in the door to our new home and stared into the empty shell building. The floor had a pathway of fairy lights leading through the house and into the garden. I walked along the lit walkway my heart pounding and there Greg was. He was in the garden down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I immediately said yes, and fireworks went off! It was a very surreal moment and I was incredibly happy.
Any DIY stories/tutorials you’d like to share?
Table centrepiece:
You need:
1 circle mirror plate.
2 wine glasses
1 champagne glass
3 candles
3 roses (artificial or real)
1/2 bag of sparkly gems.
Turn the glasses upside down and place them on the mirror plate. Place a rose under each glass.
Put the candles on top of the glasses.
Scatter the gems around the plate.
Light the candles and you’re complete!
What was your first dance & why? We gathered the guests onto the dance floor at Miskin Manor and hushed them ready for their big surprise- the performance!
During the Spanish Ballet I had to sneak off backstage ready for the grand opening into mine and Greg’s first dance. The Spanish ballet finished and the dancers formed an arch walkway as Boyce Avenues ‘teenage dream” came on. The final surprise was me walking through the archway to greet Greg for our first dance. The guests were in tears! I hadn’t planned to set everyone off into tears, however looking back on the pictures/videos, it was a particularly beautiful and emotional and also different entrance into a first dance!
In hindsight, was there anything you would have done differently? I wouldn’t have done anything differently.
Do you have any advice for future couples? Your day will go by in a flash. Amongst all of the excitement, take a moment to stand back, take in and appreciate your beautiful day with your new husband/ wife.
The Suppliers
Names of the couple: Rachael & Greg
Wedding Date: 14.02.2015
Ceremony Venue: St Mary’s Church Coity
Reception Venue: Miskin Manor
Bride’s Dress: All About Eve
Bride’s Shoes: Ebay
Bride’s Headpiece: Ebay
Bride’s Jewellery: Something borrowed from maid of honour
Groom’s Outfit: Grenadier uniform
Bridesmaid’s Dresses: TKMaxx
Cake: My Friend made it.
Flowers: The bee orchid
Hair: Raspberry Ripple Litchard
Make Up: I did it myself!
DJ: Gloucester Events Discos
Stationery: Love-Lee designs
Caterers: Miskin Manor
Any Reception Decor/Props: Chair covers & bows
Transport: Ebony & Ivory weddings
The Wedding Album
