This happy couple were the king and queen of the castle on their wedding day. Rachel and Daniel’s fairytale really did come to life…
The proposal
Daniel proposed to Rachel on Christmas day in 2011. “We were spending Christmas at my mum’s house in Somerset, and Dan kept saying how much he was really looking forward to our traditional Christmas Day walk, even though we’d never had one before,” laughs Rachel. “He eventually got me out the house and we walked to the castle in the village, where Dan produced a beautiful heirloom diamond ring, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I had no idea that he was planning to propose and was so surprised!”
The bride’s outfit
Rachel was the picture of sophistication in her Justin Alexander tulle and lace gown, with a matching lace jacket. “I fell in love with it on the designer’s website and had to wait ages for it to arrive in store, but it was worth it – as soon as I put it on, I knew it was ‘the one’,” Rachel smiles. “It made me feel like a princess, and when I collected it from the seamstress the day before the wedding, I burst into tears. I just couldn’t believe I’d be wearing it the next day.” She wore her dress with a headband from Sweetheart Vintage and shoes from Dune.
The groom’s outfit
Daniel looked super smart in classic charcoal-grey tails with a matching waistcoat from Moss Bros, teamed with a striking purple cravat to tie in with the colour scheme. “Dan is quite tall, so he pulled off the tails very well indeed, and looked so handsome!” says Rachel. This is the perfect formal look for a castle wedding.
The bridesmaids
The five bridesmaids wore eye-catching chiffon dresses in a vibrant shade of Persian plum, from Dessy.
The ceremony
Rachel and Daniel said ‘I do’ in the stunning surroundings of St Donat’s castle, a Medieval caste in the Vale of Glamorgan dating back to the 12th century. Rich in music, the ceremony included a trumpet fanfare for the bride’s entrance, plated by Daniel’s brother, and a rendition of Wagner’s Bridal Chorus by the Allegraza string quartet.
The reception
The celebrations continued at the castle, with a sumptuous menu including goats cheese crumpet and chicken supreme with roast potatoes. Influenced by their engagement and wedding venue, the couple chose a classic castle theme, with the addition of a bike motif. “We decorated with a pink and purple colour scheme, and named our tables after castles we had visited together,” Rachel explains. The groomsmen even arrived at the castle on bicycles hired from Punk Bikes. “It was a real talking point, although I travelled in luxury in a vintage car!” laughs Rachel.
The honeymoon
The couple splashed out on a dream trip to Kenya following their big day. If you need some honeymoon inspiration, check out our features
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