Fall In Love With A Classic Christmas Wedding With Claire & Finlay…
“It was Christmas and we were snowboarding in Austria when the proposal happened. We were taking photos at the top of a mountain – when I turned around Finlay was on one knee! I was very surprised but over the moon. He had even asked my dad’s permission first!”
 |
 |
hello
hello
hello
We actually chose my dress together while at the Birmingham Wedding Show, before we’d even told anyone we had set a date! My Kelsey Rose Bridal tulle and lace gown was originally tea-length, but being petite I had it shortened to just below the knee. My seamstress also transformed it from a halter neck to strapless for me.
“I’d always wanted a short, 50’s style dress and I really did feel like a film star!”
I teamed my dress with a Joyce Jackson birdcage veil, Jimmy Choo shoes and Jon Richard jewellery. A faux fur bolero kept the winter chill off.
Finlay wore a grey, three-piece Ted Baker suit with a fine check running through it, paired with tan Loake shoes. Both were sourced from Robert Goddard Menswear in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. He looked so smart, I couldn’t wait to marry him!
I just had one little flower girl, our goddaughter Amelia, rather than traditional bridesmaids. She also wore a faux fur bolero, purchased in Debenhams, alongside silver shoes and a beautiful dress, both from Monsoon. The bodice featured butterfly detailing and I loved the way that the tulle fabric matched mine.
“We didn’t get married until late afternoon, so it was almost dark and candles lit the path through the courtyard to our ceremony venue.”
A piper played as I walked across in view of our guests and it created a truly magical atmosphere. Immediately after the ceremony, guests indulged with miniature fish and chip cones, Yorkshire puddings filled with beef and horseradish, and duck ciabattas. We then had a hog roast, served with jacket potatoes, sausages, coleslaw and salads.
“My dad has Scottish roots and we fell in love with the idea of having a Scottish Christmas wedding!”
We made everything! I handmade 300ft of burlap and tartan bunting, also creating matching table runners, chair sashes and even aprons for the staff. My husband is a cabinetmaker, so he made the bar himself and we made a light-up backdrop. The venue was a real blank canvas so we did a lot of decorating!
Our floral centrepieces were also homemade. I created baskets of Christmas greenery, cinnamon sticks, cones and candles. The Country Garden Florist of Peterborough did a fantastic job on my bouquet and the buttonholes for the groom and groomsmen.
“A croquembouche was our wedding cake.”
The delicious and decadent tower of profiteroles was filled with Baileys and Amaretto flavoured crème patissiere, before being decorated with gold leaf, white and dark chocolate and a Lego Mr and Mrs topper.
“All of the men received jars of homemade whiskey marmalade while the ladies enjoyed a warming winter chutney.”
The Houndogs, a rockabilly band, were superb and put on such a show for us! Fireworks went off after the ceremony for some extra sparkle.
After the wedding we headed up to Edinburgh for a minimoon, coming home just in time for Christmas!
While there, we visited Edinburgh castle and had cocktails at Tiger Lily’s. In March we will be off to Mexico, where we hope to snorkel, pony trek and zip-line through the jungle!
We’d been together for 16 years by the time we got married, so Etta James’s ‘At Last’ was the perfect first dance song for us. We had dance lessons beforehand and the look on our guests’ faces when they saw the routine was amazing!
Before the wedding, be sure to drink a lot of water. I did for several weeks prior to the big day and my skin was in great condition!
“When the day finally comes, don’t be too nervous: you’re marrying your best friend, so you’ve got nothing to worry about and everything to be excited for!”
V E N U E Piggyback Barns, Sculthorpe, Fakenham, Norfolk
D R E S S Kelsey Rose Bridal
F L O W E R G I R L Monsoon and Debenhams
G R O O M Ted Baker at Robert Goddard Menswear, Wisbech
J E W E L L E R Y Jon Richard
S H O E S Jimmy Choo,
ACCESSORIES Joyce Jackson
F L O W E R S The Country Garden Florist of Peterborough
E N T E R T A I N M E N T The Houndogs
P H O T O G R A P H E R Rob Buttle Photography
