REAL WEDDING Always & Forever 2871 views

Claire & Andy
3rd July 2009

They Met Claire was on a girly night out in Liverpool when she met Andy in a nightclub. He had been talked into going out that night by friends - luckily for him, or he might never have met the girl of his dreams. Romance flourished and Andy proposed on a New Year break to Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, presenting Claire with a sparkly diamond and emerald engagement ring.

Wedding Venue In the Spring of 2008, the couple started looking at venues. They fell in love with Brook Meadow, a cosy hotel set in the countryside with its own Pavilion Island surrounded by water. The staff made Claire and Andy feel relaxed and confident that they would go that extra mile to make the day special.

The Theme The idyllic rural setting was perfect for the Midsummer's Night Dream theme they planned. The ceremony took place in a romantic thatched paviion on an islet, connected by a bridge from the hotel's pretty gardens. Orange and green set the colour theme and all the details were nature-inspired, from love-potion favours decorated with skeleton leaves and butterflies to the confetti cones made by a friend with rose petals from her garden, finished in orange and green ribbons.

What They Wore Claire chose an Alfred Angelo gown, embroidered with green vine leaves that matched the wedding day them perfectly. Making her into a fairy princess, she accessorised with a sparkly Swarovski crystal tiara, crystal shoes and a matching necklace. Andy wore a traditional hired morning suit set off with an orange gerbera buttonhole with bird grass, matching Claire's bouquet. The two bridemaids wore Alfred Angelo gowns in clover, picking up on the colour in the detail of the bride's dress. The couple's three-year-old son was page boy and wore a replica of the groom's outfit while a little flower girl dressed in ivory completed the wedding party.

The Cake Claire and Andy's cake was a three-tier chocolate cake from M&S, decorated with orange ribbons and flowers.

The Flowers The bride's bouquet was made up of bright orange gerbera with bird grass, hand-tied with folded aspidistra leaves. The bridesmaids had miniature versions while the tables were decorated with glass bowl vases filled with orange gerbera and bird grass.

First Dance The couple had great fun choosing the music for their wedding, walking out to the theme from Z Cars (both of them being huge Everton FC fans!) and for the first dance they picked Bon Jovi's Always.

A Moment to Remember 'We wanted something different that everyone would remember', says Claire, 'so we chose a Samba band to play for us following the drinks reception.

Their Advice You'll save loads on the budget if you make your own favours etc - it is good fun, relatively easy and lets you add your own personal touch.

I Couldn't Have Survived Without... WeddingPath!

Claire & Andy's Cheshire Contact Book
Venue: Brook Meadow, Childer Thornton
Dress: Tina Louise, Heswall
Groomswear: Attire, Wallasey
Flowers: Melanie Lousie Floral Creations, Higher Bebbington 0151 608 0444
Photographer: Stella Hitchen

More photos:
Go to Claire & Andy's PhotoShare
- select 'Full Screen' to see bigger images.