A ‘whisking-me-off-my-feet’ proposal, oversized Martini glasses and lashings of Dairy Milk. An English country garden real wedding is our kind of day…
WHO: Danielle and Rui
WHERE: St Peter’s Church, Oare Faversham, Kent
WHEN: September 2009
PHOTOGRAPHER: Jonathan Ryan
The proposal
“It was all ridiculously elaborate,” laughs Danielle. “My mum secretly packed a bag with my bikini and some smart clothes, and then Rui drove me to this unknown location, taking back roads so I wouldn’t guess where we were going.
He treated me to a stay at a gorgeous little cottage and had it filled with roses. He even booked me some treatments in a spa,” she adds. “When he popped the question, it was the easiest answer I’ve ever had to give…”
The bride’s real wedding outfit
“I wore a beautiful silk dress with a sheer lace halterneck overlay revealing a sweetheart neckline,” explains Danielle. “The same lace was used in a panel at the front of the dress so that every time I walked, it showed through and caught the light.” Danielle found her stunning gown at Mojgan Bridal Couture.
“We had to negotiate a few five-hour trips for my dress fittings. But hey, when it’s the one, it’s the one…”
The groom’s real wedding outfit
Rui complimented the English country garden look and wore a soft-grey suit with tails teamed with an ivory waistcoat, all from Moss Bros.
The bridesmaids
“The irreplaceable Dairy Milk is a little bit of an infatuation of mine (I suspect I’m not alone on that front), so I took inspiration from the wonderfully delicious purple colour,” explains Danielle. “My maids wore gorgeous floor-length silk dresses from Mojgan Bridal Couture with a halterneck to mirror my own gown”
The ceremony
The couple got married in their local church, which sits snugly on top of a hillside and overlooks a picture-perfect creek – a real classic English country garden look. “I remember standing outside the church with my dad and waiting for mine and Rui’s song to start (Chantal Kreviazuk’s Feels Like Home) – that was my cue!”
The flowers
“Jacqui Arnold at Simply Flowers dressed the tables in the marquee with a mixture of fish bowls and over-sized Martini glasses, filled with hot-pink and purple gerberas, lilies, Avalanche roses and lisianthus,” explains Danielle. “We thought we were going for a silver and purple look real wedding but we loved the vibrant vibe of the hot-pink next to the purple”
The reception
“After we were married at we had our reception at The Old Kent Barn in Folkestone in their fabulous marquee,” says Danielle. “I loved that we had exclusive use of the venue from Friday through to Sunday morning.”
The honeymoon
After the wedding, the couple braved the 11-hour flight to The Seychelles and were rewarded with, “talcum-powder beaches and turquoise waters.” “One word describes Mahe Island,” says Danielle: “Bliss!”
