Gary and Lizzie’s romantic and glamorous real-life wedding

This beautiful big day is so romantic and glamorous, we’ve fallen head over heels for it!

How they met

“I remember feeling quite nervous, it was my first day at a new job working abroad, and Gary was really sweet to me,” remembers Lizzie. “He and I became really good friends, before going out for dinner in Palma. I knew right away that I’d met someone very special.”

 

The proposal

“We were holidaying in Malta when Gary popped the question,” says Lizzie. “We’d spent the day driving around the island, and finished with dinner and drinks by the sea. While we were chatting, Gary dropped down on one knee. I was absolutely speechless, but just about managed to get out a ‘yes’!” she adds.

The bride’s outfit

“I knew for certain that I wanted a vintage-inspired dress, and fell in love with ‘Paloma’ by Phase Eight,” explains Lizzie. “It was perfect, but unfortunately had sold out all over the country. However, I persevered with my search and managed to track one down on Preloved. The lady selling it had purchased three dresses in the lead up to her wedding, and didn’t like any of them! It was two sizes too big, so I had it altered at Paperdress Vintage in Shoreditch, resulting in the perfect fit.”

The accessories

Lizzie looked so chic in her chosen accessories. These included pearl-drop earrings (a gift from Gary) and antique bracelets, from her mum.

The groom’s outfit

“After trawling the streets of London for ideas, Gary finally chose his and the boys’ attire,” remembers Lizzie. “They were suited and booted by Ted Baker and Reiss. They wore stylish slim-fit suits, with white pocket squares and skinny ties,” she adds.

The bridesmaids

“My girls were such beauties!” beams Lizzie. “They have been such good friends to me, and I knew they were the only people I wanted by my side. Because each girl is so different, I let them choose their own dresses, as long as it was either nude or mushroom in colour,” she adds. They found them at Anthropologie and Reiss.

The ceremony

The couple opted for a short yet sweet civil ceremony at Waddesdon Manor. “We didn’t have any readings, but my father and I entered to Embryonic Journey by Jefferson Airplane. This was followed by Claire de Lune by Debussy, which played throughout the ceremony, with Gary and I leaving together to the sound of My Baby Just Cares For Me, from Nina Simone,” smiles Lizzie.

The theme

“There was no theme as such,” explains Lizzie. “We just wanted a relaxed atmosphere with close family and friends. We wanted the ceremony itself to be short and sweet so we could spend as much time as possible with our loved ones. With such a beautiful venue we were able to keep things fairly simple on the decorations side, too,” she adds.

The stationery

Was put together for the couple by a small boutique company called The Narrative London, based on a bespoke design they provided.

The details

“Our mums were both invaluable throughout the wedding decorating process,” says Lizzie. “They sourced flowers and foliage from their friends’ gardens and helped arrange them the day before. The venue also very kindly put up fairly lights and green wreaths on the beams of the dining room, a special touch that is usually limited to the Christmas period. Because we didn’t have a theme, we decided to name the tables after bars we used to go to, back when we first met while working abroad. This proved to be a great talking point among our guests and for the speeches!”

The cake

Was a gorgeous design made by their friend, Cat Stevens.

The speeches

The speeches were really rather special for everyone. “Gary’s father had passed away before the wedding, so emotions were running quite high. Gary’s brother did an incredible job as best man. His words were extremely heart-felt and very touching. My mum also said a few words, which had everybody in stitches – we hid the wine for a while after that!” smiles Lizzie.

The honeymoon

The couple spent two weeks travelling around the picturesque Vietnam

Lizzie and Gary’s real wedding gallery