REAL WEDDING All That Glitters 9302 views

Alana & Matt
15 September 2007

They Met Alana and Matt met while at university in South Wales. Alana was looking for a room to rent and Matt was looking for a flatmate. Matt proposed to Alana while they were on holiday at Sugarloaf Mountain in Brazil.

Wedding Venue The couple were married at The Verzon in Ledbury, Herefordshire, an imposing Georgian country house with magnificent views of the Malvern Hills.

The Theme Alana and Matt’s theme was country elegance. Alana says, “We had a country church and little homemade pots of jam that Matt and I made as wedding favours, and we had a chocolate and gold theme, with chocolate bridesmaid dresses and gold stationery.”

What They Wore Alana wore an oyster-coloured A-line gown with a long train and beaded bodice from Society Brides in Liverpool. She also wore a cathedral-length veil scattered with Swarovski crystals and a gold tiara. She bought plain ivory shoes, which she decorated with antique shoe clips, which counted as her something old. Matt wore a black Prince Edward jacket with a gold and brown waistcoat and a chocolate brown cravat that he hired from the Shirtbox in Monmouth. The three adult bridesmaids each wore chocolate brown floor-length dresses, and the two flowergirls wore ivory dresses with a chocolate brown sash.

The Cake Alana and Matt had a three-tier fruit cake that was made by Matt’s mum. The top tier was separated from the rest of the cake by a glass separator with a sugar calla lily in it. The cake had champagne-coloured icing with chocolate brown ribbon and an explosion of sugar mango calla lilies and beargrass on top.

The Flowers Alana had a teardrop bouquet with brandy roses, gerberas and mango calla lilies and beargrass. The adult bridesmaids had a gerbera posy, the older flowergirls had a gerbera pomander, and the youngest had a wand with two gerberas attached. The couple made the centerpieces themselves from brandy roses and tealights.

First Dance The couple enjoyed their first dance to Amazed by Lonestar.

A Moment To Remember
Alana says, “As a surprise I had arranged a singer dressed like James Bond after Matt’s favourite film to come and sing after dinner. He sang Goldfinger, and made us wiggle our wedding rings whenever he sang the word 'gold' and then he sang Baby, you’re the best.”

Any Advice? Alana recommends making lots of lists and breaking things down into chunks. She says, “Try not to leave anything till the last minute and ask for quotes for a ‘function’ – we found as soon as you say the word ‘wedding’ the price shoots up.”

Alana & Matt's Contact Book
Dress: Margaret Lee
Groomswear: Dyfed Menswear
Florist: Deacons Florist
Venue: Verzon House
Photographer: Simon Harris