How they met
“We met on a night out,” recalls Tabitha. “James was wearing a terrible shirt, but I could tell there was genuinely something special about him.”
The proposal
“The proposal happened a few days before Valentine’s Day in 2012,” explains Tabitha. “We’d been out shopping and I spotted my dream engagement ring in a shop window, and made some comments about how beautiful it was. I went off to buy some clothes and James ‘went to a sports shop’ – but he was of course sneaking back to buy the ring. The next morning it was really snowing, and we were enjoying a lie-in. I asked James if he’d go to get me a drink, and when he returned he had the ring in his hand and was down on one knee! I did not expect him to come back with a drink then ask me to marry him!”
The bride’s outfit
Tabitha found her beautiful Alfred Angelo wedding dress in Gowns and Garters in Thrapston. “It was fitted at the hip, corseted, with a lace-up back and a full skirt. The colour was off-white, with a sweetheart neckline, and I also wore a lace bolero, which I had handmade,” she explains. “It’s hard to explain exactly how I felt – because I have curves I was paranoid a wedding gown would just make me look larger. However, the shape and the cut of the dress seemed to fit my body like a glove. When I saw my mum cry I knew it was ‘the one’ – it confirmed that I never wanted to take it off!”
The groom’s outfit
“We were looking at suits together in Nottingham and we found his design in Reiss. The customer service was excellent, and they treated us like VIPs, so it was an easy choice,” says Tabitha
The bridesmaids
Tabitha also found her best girls’ dresses at Gowns and Garters. “I wanted them all to wear very bright rainbow colours,” remembers Tabitha. “It was a mission to find them – believe me! Bright yellow, I discovered, is not a very popular colour for bridesmaids! Nonetheless, we managed to find all the colours I dreamt of, by the same designer as my dress, Alfred Angelo. I picked simple, full-length chiffon because the colours were enough of a statement,” she adds
The ceremony
Tabitha and James picked a religious service, at the same church where Tabitha’s parents and grandparents all married. Their service included a mixture of readings and hymns, such as Give Me Joy In My Heart and Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace
The flowers
“My brother made all the bouquets and table centres – we bought fresh flowers from a local market and then he, and some of our friends, spent the day before the wedding creating all the arrangements,” recalls Tabitha. “My husband is a big Star Wars fan, so we made the men buttonholes with lego men in them. They were a hit on the day!”
The reception
Was held at Chaucer Barn – a breathtaking venue full of character and charm. The couple also hired a capri marquee from Party on Marquee to host their wedding breakfast
The decor
“We didn’t buy a single decoration, everything you can see at the wedding, we made ourselves,” beams Tabitha. “With my team of helpers we made over 1,000 pinwheels in all kinds of colours and sizes for the marquee. There were glittery ones in the disco room and coloured ones where we said our vows. We covered the backs of the chairs in ribbons, and I also made table numbers using oversized numbers covered in glitter. Chaucer Barn is striking with eclectic influences, and we wanted to enhance these, not hide them.”
The favours
“We gave away two favours – goody bags for the church, which included tissues, the order of service, confetti and a CD of our favourite music, and then on the reception tables we left Chinese wishing boxes and a moustache for each guest to wear!” smiles Tabitha
The honeymoon
“We stayed in Norfolk the week after our wedding in a little cottage near Holt,” says Tabitha. “And we’re going on our main honeymoon to Mauritius later in the year.”
The wedding video
Tabitha and James had the incredible Studio 1208 shoot their wedding video and we’re lucky enough to have the whole thing right here! So sit back, relax and don’t forget the tissues… And be wary of the colourful language!
The real wedding gallery
