Vibrant pink and orange is the perfect colour theme for this couple’s pretty real wedding…
WHO: Samantha and Jack
WHERE: Double Tree by Hilton Cambridge
WHEN: May 2010
PHOTOS: Mike Thornton – Still Vision Photography
The Proposal
“I knew instantly we would get married,” remembers Samantha. “We met in a friend’s pub, and spent a lot of time together. One night he decided to take me to the cinema. On our way home he made a detour to Shire Hall Hill, which looks over Cambridge. We were looking out over the city, as the lights were twinkling, and when I turned to Jack, he was down on one knee with a beautiful ring. It was the most romantic thing he’d ever done. It was amazing that Jack wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.”
The Bride’s Outfit
“We are both from Cambridge so wanted to keep our real wedding local. I found a beautiful boutique called Thistle Brides. The staff were so welcoming and friendly. I knew when I saw the chiffon layered, sweetheart neckline and delicately embellished dress, it was the dress I had been dreaming of. I felt like a princess! It was flowing and fitted in all the right places,” smiles Samantha. “I wanted to keep the costs down so I bought my gorgeous earrings from Debenhams. I found some stunning low heel shoes from Faith, too, these were perfect for me. You don’t have to buy everything from boutiques to look amazing on your special day,” advises Samantha.
The Groom’s Outfit
“Jack and all his men, hired their suits. They wore tails and trousers in black, with sharp fitting grey waistcoats. To keep with my tropical coloured theme, all the men wore ties and handkerchiefs in aubergine. Even our little son Leo, wore a suit. he looked gorgeous in it,” recalls Samantha.
“All the suits came from Moss Bros Hire in Cambridge, I always love Jack in a suit. All the men looked fabulous on the day.”
The Bridesmaids
“We wanted to keep our ceremony simple, with our close family. I had my best friend Katie as my head bridesmaid. We have been best friends since we were little, and she helped me every step along the wedding planning journey. Both Jack and I love our family, so I had my gorgeous cousin Eva, who is three, as my little bridesmaid. She wore a dress I found online, which fitted in perfectly with my tropical colour theme,” explains Samantha. “Also, our son Leo, who is also three years old, was our pageboy. It felt right to involve him in our ceremony. He looked so adorable when he walked down the aisle with Eva.”
The Ceremony
“We decided to have personal vows, which was a lovely romantic touch,” says Samantha. “My Granddad walked me down the aisle, which was incredibly important to me. My favourite memory of the whole day was seeing Jack’s cheeky smile waiting for me. Also I loved seeing my family on the left and my new family on the right. It was a very special memory. After our ceremony we had a punt ride on a river – a truly romantic end to the ceremony.”
The Reception
“My real wedding theme was tropical floral, and the staff at Swaffham Florists understood this perfectly. I had incredible faith in their team, they even transferred the decorations from our wedding ceremony to our reception.” What an amazing money saving idea! “We had a three course meal, and our wedding cake was from Waitrose. We were receiving so many compliments about it, which goes to show you don’t to spend a fortune! The jazzy theme of pink and orange continued with our disco and first dance. Our first song was By Your Side by Sade, Jack used to sing this to me when we first met,” recalls Samantha.
“I had the real wedding day that every girl dreams of.”
The Honeymoon
“For our honeymoon we flew out two days after our wedding,” remembers Samantha. “Jack and I spent three days in Las Vegas at the stunning Bellagio Hotel. Afterwards we went to the serene Cayman islands. Spending our time relaxing on a seven mile beach, it was a good idea after the bustling lights of Las Vegas.”
