The proposal
“Chris proposed on a secluded, warm, sunny beach on the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia,” remembers Ria. “He was so nervous and I was so shocked. We were having such a wonderful time and I couldn’t believe he had picked this most beautiful moment to ask me. I truly had no idea that he had been planning to. He had asked both my dad and mum’s permission – they picked out a ring together to use as the ‘proposal ring’, because I’d warned Chris that I eventually wanted to pick my own to wear forever.”
The bride’s outfit
Ria found her breathtaking gown in White Leaf in Brighton. It was made from soft tulle that flowed down from the cinched-in waist into a full ballgown skirt. “I felt so ethereal – like I was floating on a soft, bright cloud,” smiles Ria. Her cream hair flower was from Claire’s Accessories, her earrings were by Butler and Wilson and her sparkly shoes were found at Dune
The groom’s outfit
“Chris was inspired by the band Mumford and Sons, and wanted a smart, casual look to match our wedding location. He found the majority of the suit at Ted Baker and he had a friend customise a pair of trousers and a cowboy belt, to match his cowboy boots, which he has always worn as long as I’ve known him,” says Ria
The bridesmaids
Ria’s four best girls looked stunning in their pink chiffon dresses from H&M
The ceremony
“The music walking up the aisle was River Flows in You by Yiruma. This brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it. I confess I did actually get the idea for using it from The Twilight Saga but I don’t think anyone noticed it was from the movie!” laughs Ria
The reception
Ria and Chris chose to hold their evening party at their friend Richard’s quirky cafe, called The Marwood, in Brighton’s South Laines. The wedding breakfast food was provided by a nearby pub along with ‘Life Changing Cakes’ by The Marwood. “Marwood are well known for serving the best coffee and cupcakes in all of Brighton, so we had to let our guests have a little sample of those during the day,” smiles Ria
The first dance
“Chris and I have done a bit of Lindy Hopping in our time, so we threw a few shapes next to the band. We danced to Reet-Petite by Jackie Wilson, and the singers changed some of the words to make it personal to us,” remembers Ria
The honeymoon
The couple embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Bali for their first holiday as Mr & Mrs.
Real wedding gallery
