REAL WEDDING Chemistry of Love 3196 views

Hollie & Tim
24 August 2008
They Met Hollie and Tim met through a mutual friend on a day out whilst they were studying at university. They soon got to know each other and before long were head over heels in love. One day after work, Tim popped the question, quite out of the blue, on a busy roadside. He got down on one knee and proposed with a jelly ring, Hollie ran away, embarrassed, but Tim caught her up - and the answer was 'yes'!

Wedding Venue The couple were engaged for a year and a half before looking for a venue. After a lot of searching and sifting through possible locations, they came upon Whitehall Hotel in Essex. Hollie realised that it was where her cousin’s reception had been held ten years earlier. They loved its character and charm and immediately knew it was the venue for them - especially when they found out that it only held one wedding per day.

The Theme The couple decided not to have a traditional wedding, but wanted something personal and individual to them. They kept to the colour white with accents of any colour they wanted, and incorporated their interests in design and science into their big day. Tim designed their stationery, with their invites having the design of an old Americana tattoo with a heart, banner and swallows. They included the same design in temporary tattoos so that people could wear them to the wedding. Meanwhile, the table plan was set out like a periodic table with guests’ initials as the elements!

What They Wore The bride wore a pure white dress with a huge skirt. Originally she wanted a coloured dress, but fell in love with the white with its strapless neckline and hooped full skirt covered in crystal detailing. She accessorized with a hat, perfect with her short bob, which had crystal decoration matching her her dress. Hollie also wore pink heart flats from Office with simple diamante jewellery and as an extra touch of pink had a garter decorated with a skull.

The groom wore a dark grey morning suit with a white waistcoat and a cravat in the same material as the bridesmaids’ dresses. He finished the outfit off with black brogues, orange socks and a blue sweet pea buttonhole.

The bridesmaids wore a two-piece outfit of a strapless bodice and full-length skirt in charcoal grey, with feather fascinators in their hair. The flower girl wore a white dress from Bhs, with some added sparkle of crystals and sequins. The groomsmen wore grey morning suits with white waistcoats and silver cravats and white sweet pea buttonholes.

The Cake Instead of going for a traditional fruit cake, the couple opted for their favourite after-dinner treat - cheese! They chose a three-tiered cake from Waitrose, with an additional layer from Cheeseshed. They selected Red Cheddar, Gorwydd Caerphilly, Vignotte and Cashel Blue for the top tier, served with crackers, chutneys and pickles.

The Flowers The couple chose white hydrangea heads to decorate the tables at the reception, placed in chemical glassware with glass shards at the bottom, on top of a mirror. The bride carried a hand-tied, multicoloured, perfumed freesia bouquet while the bridesmaids carried single, white hydrangea heads. The flower girl had the honour of a wand with little, multi-coloured freesias at the tip.

First Dance The newlyweds danced to ‘Close To Me’ by The Cure, followed by music from a DJ. They played a selection of their favourite songs as well as two recommendations from each guest, added in the RSVP, making sure that everyone was dancing!

A Moment To Remember The couple loved seeing all of their friends and family enjoying themselves and dancing at the evening reception. They were also really moved by the three readings at the ceremony. Another memorable moment was when nobody spoke for objecting to their marriage, with the couple looking around to check!

Honeymoon The happy couple spent their first night at the hotel in the Penthouse Suite, after their reception ended. They set off for a mini-moon in Turkey but plan to go on a backpacking adventure around Japan, which guests contributed towards as their gift list.

Any Advice? Hollie advises, ‘Remember the day is about the two of you. Make the day special for you even if it’s something silly that no-one else notices…you can both share a giggle.’ Hollie also comments that she couldn’t have lived without the ‘advice from the girlies on WP’. Tim suggests, ‘A good photographer is worth every penny. Ours made sure we got time to spend together when having photos.’

Hollie & Tim’s Contact Book:
Venue: Whitehall Hotel, Broxted
Photographer: Paparella
Dress: Bridal Boutique
Groomswear: Focus Formal Wear, Surbiton
Cake: Waitrose
Flowers: Fantasy Flowers