Zena and Joe were married at HaileyBury College where they had a gorgeous Brown and cream reception. The couple were married in August 2009.
How they met
“I first met Joe at our local pub where he was working behind the bar. I will never forget what he was wearing; a bright green shirt, and black jeans. But I have to say, it was his bright blue eyes that made me look twice,” remembers Zena.
The proposal
“For my 25th birthday, I wanted to go to London and see We Will Rock You at the theatre. So on the 8th March 2007, we got the train to the capital city. Joe decided that we should go to Hyde Park because I’d never been, and we spontaneously decided to hire a rowing boat. I thought it would be a laugh, I could be a lady of leisure while my man was rowing the boat… But no, Joe couldn’t row,” laughed Zena. “We kept going round and around in circles and laughing at the near misses with boats, wildlife and islands. About 20 minutes in to our 30 minute rowing time, I turned to Joe and said ‘Let’s just have a cheeky cigarette’, to check the coast was clear I looked back at the dock. When I turned back to Joe, he was kneeling in our wobbly boat with the diamond ring in a box. With all my screaming, I think everyone in Hyde Park knew about our engagement!”
Bride’s outfit
“I found my dress Julian & Adams dress in Berketex Bride in Watford. The dress, ‘Anita’, was made of white satin with Swarovski crystals. I knew the first moment I saw it, that it was the dress for me. For something old, new, borrowed and blue I wore a letter ‘P’ charm from my mother’s necklace on a bracelet, my wedding gown was my something new, a borrowed crystal bracelet from my bridesmaid and a blue garter.”
Groom’s outfit
“With a little bit of guidance from me, Joe hired his long-tailed brown suits for himself and his groomsmen from Well Groomed in Palmers Green. To fit perfectly with the colour theme, he wore an ivory waistcoat and cravat.”
The bridesmaids
“I had four bridesmaids: three of my best friends and my sister-in-law. I bought the bridesmaid dresses from Dynasty in Fonthill Road, London and bought their jewellery from there too. They matched the colour of Joe’s and the groomsmen’s suits, and were similar to mine with a slight twist at the waist of the dress.”
The ceremony
“The ceremony was held at Haileybury College’s chapel, it is the most beautiful place with a huge dome roof which is a local landmark. Walking down the aisle with my Dad and seeing all my friends and family was just amazing, I had to hold back the tears. The best part of the ceremony was when I couldn’t get the ring on Joe’s finger, I found it so funny and it completely broke the silence of the room. The photographer captured the moment in a picture so it’s definitely a moment that will never be forgotten.”
The reception
“It was held at Haileybury in a hall called ‘Big School’; it was full of cream and white stone pillars, a pink and white patterned ceiling and had a big wooden door. For the wedding breakfast we hired an Italian catering company called Bella Italia which provided a delicious selection of Italian food. My dad was the first to make a speech, and it was the best father-of-the-bride speech that I have ever heard. He really made me proud. Joe’s speech made me cry, he said how I would make a good mum, which is great news as I’m currently 28 weeks pregnant.”
The honeymoon
“We weren’t sure where to go at first, but in the end we settled for Fiji. The Monday after the wedding, we travelled to LA where we stayed for one night, and then went on to Fiji the next day. We hired a little hut opposite the sea and it was beautiful. The food was great, the people were friendly, the sights were amazing and we were lucky enough to be complimentary upgraded to receive champagne and canapes every night. We took an excursion to an island for a day out, and it was paradise,” smiles Zena.
