REAL WEDDING Pink, Pink, Pink 9187 views

Lisa & Matt, 10 May 2008
lisaandmatt.weddingpath.com

They Met Lisa and Matt were a real-life ‘Gavin and Stacey’when they met on the telephone through work, sixteen years ago. Matt romantically proposed when he took Lisa away on a long weekend in the country, with the car already packed with everything they needed! Matt finally popped the question after a meal out, in the hot tub outside their log cabin set in the beautiful Griffon Forest.

Wedding Venue The couple began to look for venues almost immediately and after trawling through many brochures, they decided to visit their shortlist of venues. First on the list was Crathorne Hall in Cleaveland, Yorkshire. Although they'd planned to visit other venues, they immediately fell in love with it - so much so that they decided to eat there and stay the night! They loved the idea of their family and friends staying with them for a wedding weekend in the warm and friendly atmosphere of the huge Edwardian house.
The Theme The couple chose a vibrant pink colour theme with big pink bows on the chairs and pink tea lights on the tables. Wanting a friendly and relaxed feel, the kids received a little gift each as well as being entertained by a magician. And instead of wedding favours, they sponsored two children in Africa, as related in little mock newspapers which also had a lonely hearts section and told guests about the video camera to leave the couple messages!
What They Wore The bride wore a stunning strapless dress, in iridescent pink from Quinns of Bawtry, teamed with a crystal necklace and a matching bracelet and earrings. The bride continued the pink theme with pink feathers for her hair as well as multi-coloured striped shoes from Paul Smith, reflecting her personality and love of unusual shoes!

The groom wore a black suit, with a white shirt and bright pink waistcoat and matching tie, hired from Formal Affair. In the evening, Matt changed his shirt into a black shirt, which brought out the pink even more! The men wore buttonholes of petals of an African Protea - the bride’s flower- secured with pink wire and a crystal pin, to add a touch of sparkle.

The bride had three bridesmaids, her daughter, Makenna, her niece and her friend, who all wore ivory dresses from Quinns of Bawtry. The younger bridesmaids wore mini ‘wedding dresses’ with trains, whilst the elder bridesmaid wore a calf-length ivory dress with netting at the bottom, with an accessory of a crystal tiara each. The groom had two best men, his son and father, who all wore matching suits with shirts and ties as the groom. Everyone in the wedding party wore a shade of pink, adding a special touch to the day and keeping with the theme of pink.

The Cake After months of changing their minds, the couple eventually chose a four-tiered cake with the bottom and top tiers of fruit as well as two tiers of sponge in the middle, from Marks & Spencer. It was decorated with simple white icing as well as their florist adding a few finishing touches.

The Flowers The bride carried a unique bouquet of a large, pink African Protea with pink twigs, adding to the natural look. The bridesmaids carried smaller versions of the pink African Protea with added thin green leaves. The table centres for the reception were also decorated with three pink Protea in tall vases, keeping with the theme.

First Dance The newlyweds danced to ‘Never Saw A Miracle’ by Curtis Stiger, with music continuing from Paul Martin, who sang swing and pop songs.

A Moment To Remember The couple loved having their guests for the whole weekend - from the barbeque on Friday to a falconry display on Sunday, as well as having beautiful weather throughout! Lisa also found a particularly memorable moment was her daughter, Makenna, doing a special surprise reading at the ceremony.

Honeymoon After the reception ended at three in the morning, with the party continuing in their suite, the couple spent their first night as a married couple in Crathorne Hall. For their honeymoon, they returned to Griffon Forest in Flaxton, staying at the same log cabin where Matt had proposed.

Any Advice Lisa advises to, ‘Try to be original. All our guests loved the unusual ideas and planning we’d taken time to do. And the most obvious, try and take it all in.’ Whilst Matt comments, ‘For me, having all our close friends and family around us was the key to this working as well as it did.’

Lisa & Matt’s Contact Book:
Venue: Crathorne Hall Hotel
Dress: Quinns of Bawtry
Groomswear: Formal Affair
Cake: Marks & Spencer
Flowers: Sandra Rose
Photography: friends and family!

click to read more real weddings >