Anna and Adam went for a romantic and beautiful traditional wedding, and blue was the colour for this sophisticated celebration in the Hertfordshire countryside.
The proposal
After eight years as a couple, Adam surprised Anna with a romantic waterside proposal in Fuerteventura. “We were on the beach one night, when Adam drew a heart in the night, when Adam drew a heart in the sand and wrote inside it,” Anna smiles. “I had no idea that it was coming, but he’d already spoken to my dad and taken my mum to help choose the ring.”
The bride’s outfit
Anna spotted her dream Justin Alexander dress in Wedding Ideas and ordered it from the designer through The White Wardrobe in Hitchin. The tea-length dress featured a beaded lace bodice, satin waistband and full skirt. “It was worth every penny,” Anna recalls. “I just wanted to stand in front of the mirror and twirl.” The beautiful bride added a bespoke tiara, bracelet and earrings from The Tiara Bar, and shoes by Benjamin Adams. She wore her hair loosely curled and half pinned up, and used make-up by MAC and Benefit.
The groom’s outfit
Forces groom Adam married in his military blues. “He looked so smart,” Anna says. “Who can resist a man in uniform?”
The bridesmaids
Anna’s four best friends wore striking midnight blue dresses with subtle sparkle from TFNC. “It was really hard finding something that suited them all,” Anna explains. “Everything was either too long, too short, too expensive or just not right. We eventually found the perfect style in a local boutique.”
The ceremony
The couple were married in a civil wedding ceremony at Coltsfoot Country Retreat – a luxury boutique hotel in Hertfordshire. “I loved walking down the aisle towards Adam, surrounded by my friends and family,” Anna says. “I felt so proud to be marrying him.” A friend of the couple made a recording of a piano version of Claire de Lune, which was played for the bride’s entrance.
The reception
Following the ceremony, the guests sat to listen to the speeches before tucking into a delicious meal of Thai duck salad, chicken in filo pastry and white chocolate cheesecake. For more exciting alternatives for wedding food, click here! “We decorated with birdcages and jugs for the table flowers, large wicker hearts and lots of candles,” Anna says. “We made name cards using luggage tags and pegged them to the wine glasses, and we also had a candy buffet bar with old-fashioned sweets.” Later, the evening guests were served hearty and substantial canapés, including fish and chip cones, sausage and mash and vegetable curry.
The honeymoon
After two days recovering and reflecting on their big day, the newlyweds flew to Lanzarote. “We relaxed on the beach and soaked up the sun, which was very welcome because it was still so cold back home!” laughs Anna.
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