A dusky pink rose was the starting point for Sarah and James’s snowy spring wedding with its elegant floral theme…
How they met
Sarah and James were introduced by a friend at law school in Nottingham. “We kept bumping into each other, and I remember thinking how funny James was, then it dawned on me that I was starting to fancy him,” Sarah recalls. Even their different interests didn’t come between them. “I pretended to be interested in football for the first year that we were together, and spent hours in the pub with him watching matches,” Sarah admits. “But when the new season started, I couldn’t handle it anymore, and came clean!”
The proposal
James proposed to Sarah on New Year’s Day 2010. “My mum had made us an advent calendar house, and James had made a big thing of renumbering the windows so we would open the front door on January 1st,” Sarah explains. “It all made sense when he got down on one knee as I opened the door and found a ring.”
The bride’s outfit
Sarah imagined herself in a lace dress with straps, and met her match in a beautiful Lusan Mandongus design from Morgan Davies Bridal. The gown featured a sweetheart neckline, keyhole back and a long train. “I really didn’t think I wanted a train, but when I tried the dress on, I loved it, and felt like a proper bride,” Sarah says. “I also loved my veil, which my mum insisted I buy as soon as I tried it on.” The bride chose jewellery from Liberty in Love and shoes by Rainbow Club to complete her look.
The groom’s outfit
James and his groomsmen looked dashing in navy blue morning suits from Moss Bros, teamed with grey waistcoat and matching tie. “James looked very handsome, and a little bit nervous too,” Sarah recalls.
The bridesmaids
Sarah and her three bridesmaids made swift work of choosing their gowns, a one-shoulder A-line chiffon style in dusky pink by Sorella Vita. “We all liked them instantly – the shopping trip only took 20 minutes!” laughs Sarah.
The ceremony
Sarah and James were married in a civil ceremony on a snowy Spring day in Windermere. The service included a reading of Always Love Each Other by Larry S Chengges, read by Sarah’s brother John. “My favourite memories are of sitting with James at the top of the aisle, and of my brother’s voice cracking as he delivered the reading,” she explains. “He got very emotional, which was really touching.”
The flowers
Sarah and James’s flowers were a family affair. “My nana and great-aunt are avid flower arrangers, and insisted on doing our flowers, which was lovely as it gave our arrangements a personal touch,” Sarah smiles. The bride’s bouquet featured Amnesia and Avalanche roses, gypsophilia and wax flower, while the bridesmaids carried simple posies of gypsophilia.
The reception
The guests were served a lavish four-course meal that included twice-baked cheese soufflé, roasted red pepper and vine tomato soup, corn-fed chicken and bitter chocolate truffle. Having struggled to choose the right song, Sarah and James’s first dance turned out to be one of the high points of the day. “We don’t have a special song, but we heard A Thousand Years by Christina Perri on Strictly Come Dancing and thought it was really romantic,” Sarah explains. “After the first chorus, we invited everyone to join in, and we were almost flattened by enthusiastic friends and family. It was great!”
The details
Sarah and James’s theme stemmed from a flower Sarah’s grandmother had seen at a flower arranging event. “It was called the Amnesia rose, and we all just loved it,” Sarah says. “We used it as the basis for a dusky pink and ivory colour palette, with a few splashes of brighter pinks.” The couple used a vintage London Underground map as their seating plan, with tables named after stations and first-class tickets as place names.
The cake
The couple visited the high street for their wedding cake, choosing a four-tier Marks and Spencer cake with layers of fruit, vanilla and chocolate sponge, finished with a cute felt birds cake topper.
The honeymoon
Sarah and James spent a week relaxing in St Lucia, followed by three nights in Miami.
Real wedding gallery
