Kate’s Story

The Proposal

Both started work on an IT project at The Body Shop Head Office in Littlehampton, West Sussex in 2004. We worked closely together for the best part of a year and became really good friends, then Marcus started wooing me over a course of a few weeks, starting around Christmas time and we finally became a couple around Valentines day 2005… when he went on a ski trip and I realised I missed him being around.

We had been working together on the project, living in the US, during the early part of 2006. By June we bought our first house together in Bosham, West Sussex, before being sent out to the states again in July. This time we were sent to North Carolina separately – like ships in the night I spent two weeks there then came home for three days before he was sent for two weeks there. Upon his return home, we went for a romantic walk to the Bosham quayside. Sitting (on what we now call “our bench”) on the green and watching the boats and the sunset, Marcus suddenly went down on one knee and produced the most beautiful diamond ring which he had and bought and chosen himself in America – it was amazing and of course I cried then cuddled him and said YES!

The Outfits

The Bride – The most beautiful thing I ever did see! Ian Stuart design, made of ivory Thai silk taffeta, under layered with metallic lace and embroidered French tulle. It had a bias cut draped bodice with a full skirt – decorated on the hip with a handmade rose and leaf corsage. I wore a silver droplet necklace to match the girls, Michelangelo shoes bought in the States, tiara and crystal droplet veil and a gorgeous crystal daisy bracelet that was given to me as a present from Marcus the morning of the wedding. He’d hidden in it in a cupboard for me…

Bridesmaids – wore Sky Blue Alfred Angelo dresses, accessorised with silver shoes/handbags and were given a silver droplet necklace each. My other three “ladies in waiting” were given the same necklaces as their thank you gifts too, and they were worn on the day as part of “Kates Crew” – a nickname inherited from the hen weekend, linked to my love of sailing!

The Groom and Groomsmen – two ushers and an usherette! Marcus’ dear friends, husband and wife team Piers and Kirsty, and my brother Rob. They wore blue morning suits, ivory waist coats and sky blue cravats. One of them wore a stunning pair of heels – guess which one!

The Wedding and Reception Venue

We had been looking at Barns or Marquees for a relaxed country feel to the day, but a lot of the venues we looked at and liked around Chichester and the coast would have been hectic logistically for the guests traveling between church, reception and then accommodation. Upwaltham Barns was directly opposite St Mary the Virgin Church where we were to be married, and only 15 minutes from all the hotels and B&B’s in Chichester and Petworth. It was pretty, spacious, enclosed, private and felt fairytale romantic – it had the bridal suite on site too. As Upwaltham Barns is so popular there weren’t many dates available so we had to get in there quick.

The Decorative Touches

Flowers and decorations – I grew my own marguerite daisy pot plants to go in galvanised buckets as the table centres and to decorate the barns and courtyard. As my dress had ivory rose details I asked the florist to combine lots of greenery amongst daisies and roses in all bouquets, button holes and corsages – Marcus had a silk rose from the dress to wear in his button hole.

Room decorations – Twinkly fairy lights hung around the beams, along with ivy and Laura Ashley bunting. Marcus and I are both keen on sailing so bunting was also used to decorate a dinghy in the courtyard that we used as a “wedding card and gift boat”. We made a photo love heart in the snug that guests spent time giggling around when they bought drinks at the bar – photos of us as a couple were surrounded by photos of each of us at 1, 5, 10, 15 years old! Marcus and some of his friends at the wedding used to row competitively and as 6th July was Henley Friday we captured some of the Henley Royal Regatta theme on the day: Tables were named as places along the Henley race course, the bar was named “Stewards Bar” and the table plan was designed around a picture of the race course.

Table centrepieces – Daisy marguerites in galvanised tin buckets wrapped with twine, to get a country/natural feel. A selection of little frosted blue votive candles and tea lights in mini white buckets lit the tables and blue hearts were sprinkled around to break up the white of the table linen. Blue name tags were made for each setting and pale blue gingham ribbon tied around each ladies fork.

The Cake

The remit was a choppy, messy looking cake, not uniformed, with daisy and rose detail. Cake Genie excelled herself – I told her about the roses on my dress and I gave her a photo of it, so she made the icing detail look just like the silk corsage. It was so very tasty too: White Belgian chocolate icing covered one tier of light fluffy chocolate cake with Baileys icing inside, one tier of lemon cake and a tier of Victoria sponge with jam!

The Transport

We only needed transport to the wedding as we could all walk down the hill from the church to the barn once we were all there. A friend of Marcus’ drove my Dad and me in his new Range Rover Sport, decked with ribbon.

Advice to other couples

Do jot down everything that comes into your head during the planning months. Along with the budget and guest lists, any ideas or concerns put in writing can be discussed and thought about when the right time comes, with the right people – be it your partner or the relevant suppliers. Really helps on those last few weeks before hand, when you wake up in the middle of the night with your mind in a muddle.

Plan out what needs doing/organising and when, don’t try and squeeze everything into the first few months or the last two weeks! Find out lead times and work out sensible time frames you can both agree on, along with who is to manage what activity.

On the day, you will be circulating amongst family and friends but do take time to speak to each other occasionally and watch your guests enjoying themselves. Our photographers, Scott and Malcolm, took us away from the crowds for some shots of the two of us alone, but we actually sneaked off to have 5 minutes together before going back to fetch us for the next batch of poses – it was a lovely moment.

Suppliers

Wedding Reception Venue – Upwaltham Barns

Venue found through Country House Wedding Venues

Bride’s dress – Proposals, Chichester, West Sussex

Bride’s accessories (veil, tiara, shoes) – as above, shoes from America

Groom’s suit – Youngs Suit Hire, Gunwharf, Portsmouth

Bridesmaid’s dresses – Cloud Nine, Fareham, Hampshire

Photographers – ASR Photo, Fareham, Hampshire

Caterers – Bun’s to Banquets, Rackham, West Sussex

Other outfits – as above

Wedding rings – From America

Wedding cake – Cake Genie, Felpham, West Sussex

Flowers – Own grown and Beckie-Lou Florist, Bosham, West Sussex

Cars – own/friends

Invitations – made my own

Wedding list – John Lewis

Disco/DJ – Creative Covers