We have a treat for your eyes today. This colourful and carefree wedding of Alex and Betsan is a corker. The smile that she has on her face all day shows what amazing time they had! Someone once said to me “If you could bottle the feeling you have after getting married, you would be a millionaire.” Well, it you see that her and her husband have that amazing feeling captured in these great photographs by Paul Adams.
My husband tried to keep it as low as possible, I couldn’t help myself! It ended up being over £20k, to his dismay! 
How would you describe your wedding theme?
Colourful, happy, carefree! We didn’t want any stuffy old wedding traditions, just a happy, relaxed party-vibe. 
What was your favourite part of your wedding?
Seeing Alex at the altar and all us girls getting ready in the morning, drinking bucks fizz, wearing matching dressing gowns. I also loved seeing Alex’s face when he saw the pork pie wedding cake I got him as a surprise. The flowers were also a highlight for me. Beth Forbesfield did a fantastic job and when I saw the flowers arrive, I cried (one of the only times I cried!) 
Tell us about your Wedding Dress
My wedding dress was my favourite part of the whole wedding process. I went to one wedding dress shop and hated every minute of it, then I went to Blue Bridal of Rhiwbina. Well, they made the whole process so wonderful. I loved every dress I tried on, but I fell in love with the Drew dress. They make every dress from scratch so going there every few months and seeing a new part of my dress made was utterly wonderful and exciting. 
Who did you pick as your bridesmaids &/or best man and why?
Alex’s sisters and my best friends were my bridesmaids. I love them all to pieces, so it was an easy choice. Alex had 2 best men as they were his best friends from school. They all did a superb job. 
Why did you choose your venue?
Llanerch Vineyard was the perfect venue for us. I had enquired if they do weddings about 3 years before Alex proposed and they told me they wouldn’t be doing weddings until 2015. I thought, ah, that should be enough time for him to propose to me! It was perfect timing and we were one of the first weddings there. They were so brilliant, they had the perfect marquee for us, plenty of wine and they were relaxed, friendly and utterly professional. The food was also a mega important part for us, and their food is utterly delicious. The grounds, lake, vines were all perfect or photographs. The bridal suite, the Cariad Suite, was also lovely. It’s near where I’m from too, and where we live now so perfect location. We used to go for food all the time before the wedding! St Mary’s Church, Whitchurch is in the village where we live, and getting to see the place where we got married everyday is very special indeed. 
Tell us about your photographer
Paul Adams . We met him at a wedding fayre in the Village, he was so lovely, relaxed, informal. We didn’t want to be standing around for 3 hours having photographs taken for fear of missing our wedding and the canapés! He told us we would be 30 minutes max alone and then the rest of the time he would take candid shots. The shot of me coming down the aisle is my favourite photograph ever. 
How did the proposal happen?
We were in Dubai on holiday and Alex, being frugal, thought, oh we can get more diamond for our money here so he proposed in Dubai with a Clogau gold Cariad ring and said we could go to the gold and diamond park and I could spend the whole day there choosing my ring, trying on as many as I liked. It was very special to see my engagement ring being set. We celebrated by going to the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa and to the Burj Al Arab for a luxurious meal and lots of cocktails! 
Any DIY stories/tutorials you’d like to share?
We made our own favours. They were Skittle vodkas. We had to soak the different coloured skittles in vodka and then filter them. It took a while, but they looked amazing in the demi-jars with brown labels which doubled up as name tags too. 
What was your first dance & why?
The first dance was a surprise for me until it came on. I told Alex to choose it as he loves music. When it came on, I wasn’t disappointed. Jackie Wilson, Your Love Lifting Me Higher couldn’t have been the more perfect song. Upbeat, laid back, funky! 
In hindsight, was there anything you would have done differently?
Nothing. We loved every minute of it. 
Do you have any advice for future couples?
Relax, stay focused. At the end of the day, the ceremony is the important part and then it’s just a huge party! Enjoy the planning and don’t get too bogged down in what other people want or what you think you should do. Just enjoy! 
What’s the best piece of marriage advice you received?
Never take each other for granted. Tell each other you love each other every day. Be spontaneous. 
What was your favourite thing about planning a wedding?
Seeing my friends and family all the time, choosing the wedding cake (all those yummy tasters!), choosing the flowers, the coloured lanterns. Most of all, spending time with Alex and deciding between us what we wanted. I didn’t want to be the bridezilla-type who doesn’t let her other half have any say in the wedding. It was lovely doing it together. 
The Suppliers
Photographer: Paul Adams
Ceremony Venue: St Mary’s Parish Church, Whitchurch, Cardiff
Reception Venue: Llanerch Vineyard
Bride’s Dress: Blue Bridal
Bride’s Shoes: Etsy
Bride’s Headpiece: Laura May Bridal
Bride’s Jewellery: Oliver Laudus
Groom’s Outfit: Dyfed Menswear
Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Two Birds
Bridesmaid’s Accessories: Etsy
Cake: Dragons and Daffodils
Flowers: Beth Forbesfield
Hair: Taryn Williams
Make Up: Charlotte Joy
Band: Dysfunktional
DJ: Tom Ireland, Wigan
Stationery: Richard Evans Wedding Stationery
Caterers: Llanerch Vineyard
Any Reception Decor/Props: The Hanging Lantern Company
Transport: Henrietta Hire
Other: Pork Pie Wedding Cake – Elm Tree Foods
Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls – Wigan.
The Wedding Album
