REAL WEDDING Twinkling Day 2335 views

Ian & Victoria
November, 2008
They Met Victoria and Ian first met through mutual friends, when they both went to a ball held for returning soldiers from Iraq. Victoria almost didn’t go and so nearly didn't meet her future husband! Ian romantically proposed in bed on Victoria’s birthday – it was early morning and Ian was insistent on her opening her cards! She eventually opened Ian’s where it said ‘To my fiancee’, after which he popped the question.

Wedding Venue After searching through military venues, they decided to get wed in Victoria’s parents’ local church, as it was the perfect size for an intimate wedding and it was very beautiful. With plans for a winter wedding, the couple opted for Stoke Park for their reception with its log fires, great food and plenty of indoor photo opportunities!

The Theme The couple didn’t have a specific theme but wanted a traditional winter wedding feel. This was created by lots of lamps, roaring log fires and the large, twinkling Christmas tree in Stoke Park. The tables were decorated with candelabras filled with red roses and foliage, set on mirrored trays. There were also scattered red rose petals, set against the white table linen, and tea lights in frosted glass holders.

What They Wore The bride wore a strapless, ivory dress with a fishtail train, which was simple yet elegant. She teamed it with an ivory fur shrug for outdoor photos and a chapel-length veil with satin trim. She wore pearl and diamond jewellery as well as a pearl hair comb in her up-do.

The groom wore a morning suit of grey striped trousers with a black jacket, accessorized with a waistcoat and silver and ivory striped tie. The groomsmen wore the same, with deep red ties to fit in with their colour scheme.

Victoria had two bridesmaids, with the maid of honour wearing a deep red floor-length gown with a matching pashmina and simple Swarovski crystal jewellery. The younger bridesmaid wore an ivory princess dress from Debenhams, with a deep red sash to match the maid of honour’s dress. The outfit was finished off with an ivory fur wrap.

The Cake The couple chose a four-tiered cake, with three tiers of rich chocolate sponge with cream and Belgian chocolate ganache and the top tier of lemon sponge with lemon curd, white chocolate and fresh cream ganache. It was decorated with white chocolate cigarillos and deep red roses in between each layer.

The Flowers The church was adorned with lots of white roses, ivy and candles, whilst Victoria carried a bouquet of a selection of deep red roses with berries and foliage. The bouquet was hand tied with a red ribbon and a touch of sparkle was added with a pearl in each rose. The maid of honour carried a similar, smaller bouquet whilst the younger bridesmaid carried a pomander of red sweetheart roses wrapped in gold wire.

First Dance The happy couple danced to ‘Chasing Cars’ by Snow Patrol, played by their band ‘The Bright Sparks’ who provided the music for the rest of the evening. The guests loved the music as well as the couple having a special rendition of ‘Our Song’ by Elton John, sung by one of their close friends.

A Moment To Remember Victoria’s favourite part was being pronounced man and wife at the ceremony, but also loved the receiving line and speaking to all their guests. Another special moment was on the way to the reception with her new husband for some time alone!

Honeymoon The newlyweds spent their first night at Stoke Park, staying in the room where the scenes for the mini-break in Bridget Jones’ Diary were filmed. They later jetted off to Le Touesserok in Mauritius for eleven days, followed by four days in The One and Only Royal Mirage in Dubai. They had a truly incredible honeymoon - even having a helicopter transfer from the airport to the hotel!

Any Advice? Victoria advises, ‘Get the venue right. It’s the one thing that makes an enormous difference. It sets the tone for the wedding and you'll be able to enjoy the day without having to think about a thing knowing that you have professionals in charge.’

Victoria & Ian’s Contact Book:
Venue: Stoke Park
Photographer: James Davidson
Dress: Ellie Sanderson Bridal Boutique
Groomswear: Dapper, Esher
Flowers: The Rose Boutique, Cookham 01628 533 314
Cake: Catherine Scott