Ornate décor, a champagne reception and vintage-style outfits gave this couple’s wedding a Gatsby-inspired twist
Everything fell into place for online marketing manager Alex and business director Owen when they booked their stately home venue, the stunning Trevor Hall in North Wales. “We had the whole manor and grounds to ourselves for almost a week and I can’t recommend the owners enough – they made our day so perfect,” recalls the bride.
The couple thought having a theme would give them some direction when it came to organising the finer details of the day and chose a 1920s vibe to fit with the feel of the setting.
“We’ve always loved costume parties and thought this would be a great talking point to help our guests get in the spirit,” says Alex.
READ MORE: 5 elegant finishing touches for a vintage wedding theme
With the theme in place, the couple’s family and friends enjoyed champagne and casino tables and danced to swing music all night long. “It didn’t feel cheap, clichéd or forced,” adds Alex, “it just gave the whole day a really sophisticated feel.”
“Nothing felt more like ‘me’ than that particular dress”
Naturally, Alex wanted to choose something in an art deco style for her own outfit and picked out a beautiful Justin Alexander gown with capped sleeves and intricate beading down the back.
“I went on to try another 10 gowns after that, but nothing felt more like ‘me’ than that particular dress,” she recalls. “I also wore a cathedral-length veil, because my dress was quite fitted and I felt like it could take a longer, statement piece,” she smiles.
Alex finished her look with diamanté hair pins, a slim crystal chain and a pair of vintage-inspired shoes from Rainbow Club. The bridesmaids looked gorgeous in their blue multiway Coast gowns: “They wore them with red lips and diamanté hair slides – they looked like 1920s movie stars!” Alex smiles.
Owen looked the part in a Moss Bros black tux, which he wore with patent leather shoes and a single rose buttonhole. The groomsmen all wore the same.
“We made our own table numbers by sticking on pages from copies from The Great Gatsby“
After the couple’s church ceremony, the pair followed their guests to Trevor Hall for a Gatsby-inspired party. Gold and sequin bunting, ivy foliage and paper lanterns hung from the top of the open marquee and vintage props including suitcases, ornate gold mirrors, an old gramophone, candlesticks, hanging vases and family photographs were dotted around the room.
“We made our own gold tealight holders and table numbers by sticking pages from copies of The Great Gatsby onto plain table numbers bought from Hobbycraft,” reveals Alex. “We folded the linen napkins into the shape of dinner jackets and bow ties – something which everyone commented on!
“The favours were gold foil-wrapped bottles of prosecco, each one with a thank-you message on the back and a personalised tag around the neck.”
The couple even got handy with their stationery and sent out handmade invitations that looked like newspaper clippings tied with twine before the big day. The invites asked guests to attend their wedding at the ‘Great Gatsby mansion’ and offered tips for the smart dress code. “Everyone loved them,” says Alex.
“We arranged for our vintage wedding car to be parked up in front of the marquee”
Family friend Janet Blake provided the couple’s floral décor, producing elaborate centrepieces and a floral archway. “She kept the look simple by using white peonies and roses in the bouquets.
The table decorations were the same but also contained calla lilies and lots of ivy,” adds Alex. The couple’s cake was a plain three-tier iced design bought from their local Waitrose and they decorated it themselves with gold leaf and edible flowers. “The effect was stunning and really easy to do.”
In true Gatsby style, Alex and Owen went all-out with their entertainment, hiring in full-sized casino tables complete with croupiers dressed in 1920s attire, swing dancers, a photo booth and a DJ.
READ MORE: 101 wedding entertainment ideas you can use to wow your guests
“And for the purpose of our photographs, we arranged for our vintage wedding car to be parked up in front of the marquee for the whole day, so people could have photos inside it and next to it,” adds Alex.
After the wedding, Alex and Owen jetted off on a five-day minimoon to Dubrovnik
in Croatia so they could save for their dream trip later in the year – a honeymoon in Thailand.
“We stayed in a five-star wellness hotel by the coast called the Valamar Collection Dubrovnik President Hotel and it was incredible,” says Alex. “The city itself is stunning and really romantic – and only two hours away!”
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