The bride’s dress search spanned three countries, but for the wedding, home was where the heart was! Holly and Jason’s September wedding took place at the groom’s beautiful family home in West Sussex…
The proposal
On the couple’s second anniversary, Jason whisked Holly away on a romantic trip to Paris. “Jay pulled out all the stops,” Holly recalls. “He proposed to me just before midnight as we watched the Eiffel Tower’s light show. It was a magical moment, and I felt so overwhelmed I didn’t know what to say.”
The bride’s outfit
Holly’s hunt for the perfect gown spanned three countries, six months and over 100 dresses. “My poor mum and bridesmaids must have been sick of bridal boutiques!” laughs Holly. She eventually chose not one, but two exquisite dresses – a Paloma Blanca gown with a tiered silk organza skirt and a sweeping train for the ceremony, and a sophisticated, slinky Maggie Sottero design for the evening. “The puddle train was just right for dancing and I was more comfortable than I would have been in my daytime dress,” Holly explains.
The groom’s outfit
Jason chose a classic charcoal morning suit from Moss Bros, teamed with a white shirt from TM Lewin and a pale pink raw silk tie from Marks & Spencer. “I will never forget the way Jay looked as I walked into the church,” Holly sighs. “He took my breath away and I wanted to run straight into his arms.”
The bridesmaids
Holly was attended by five adult bridesmaids, with her little cousin as flowergirl. “I had my heart set on soft, floaty gowns in a dusty rose pink to keep with our romantic theme,” Holly says. “I bought the adults’ dresses from Monsoon a year before the wedding, and then as luck would have it, they released a children’s version the following season!”
The ceremony
The couple tied the knot in the local parish church. “It’s a beautiful place with a lovely atmosphere,” Holly explains. “I had tears streaming down my face as Jay put the ring on my finger – I have never felt such an intense rush of emotion.”
The reception
After the ceremony, the guests walked along the country lanes to the groom’s family home, on the edge of the harbour with views across the South Downs. “We arrived at the end of the garden by boat, to be greeted by our guests throwing confetti and releasing balloons,” Holly remembers. The couple chose an opulent pastel theme for their marquee reception, inspired by the film Marie Antoinette. The evening concluded with a fireworks display on the water. “It was absolutely spectacular, and most of the village turned out to watch,” Holly adds.
The honeymoon
The couple spent a relaxing few days in Cornwall, walking on the beach and dining on delicious local seafood.
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