How they met
“I was 16 and Wes was 18. He won me over with dates in Nero café and dinner in Wetherspoons! As a 16 year old, all my friends were jealous that I was getting taken out to dinner by an older guy!” laughs Laura.
The proposal
“Wes blindfolded me and drove me to Highdown Gardens in Goring-by-sea, which is our favourite place. He proposed to me in the archway of the gardens overlooking West Sussex. Afterwards, we went out for dinner and spent the whole time texting our friends with the news! Then we went away for the weekend to Champneys spa,” remembers Laura.
The bride’s outfit
The gown was by Mon Cheri from Crystal Brides in Horsham. Crafty bride Laura has a few excellent ideas to get the most from your wedding outfit. “I sewed a strapless bra into my gown, to avoid all that hitching you often have to do with strapless dresses, and I also accessorised my simple Topshop ballet pumps with hearts from a bracelet that I found in Primark!”
The groom’s outfit
Wes looks super cool in his grey suit with a white trim from Next.
The bridesmaids
“My sister, Jen and cousin, Sarah, were bridesmaids – I always knew I would have them both with me on the day,” explains Laura. The girls both wore Coast dresses, and Laura handmade their lace flower sashes that went around the middle.
The ceremony
The couple opted for a civil ceremony at Farbridge Barn. “My best memory was definitely looking into Wes’ eyes when saying my vows and completely forgetting that there was anyone else in the room. It was all so romantic,” adds Laura.
The flowers
Laura and Wes worked with the florist Bo-K to create their big day blooms. “I spent a lot of time with Becky deciding on a mismatched theme with teacups, jam jars and teapots that all contained flowers. The bridesmaids also had a pomander ball with a pearl handle while I had a gorgeous handtied bouquet,” remembers Laura.
The reception
Laura and Wes’ whole wedding took place at the same venue, and they asked Buns to Banquets to be in charge of their catering. Food included a roast dinner for the main, a trio of mini puddings for dessert, followed by bacon butties in the evening. Laura also used UK Bride to help her arrange the table plan. “It’s a free online tool to plan your tables and I really recommend it. I couldn’t have done mine without it,” recalls Laura.
The theme
“Our theme was a mismatched, vintage, DIY and teacup extravaganza!” laughs Laura. “I was inspired by Wedding Ideas as well as all the wedding blogs online. I spent many hours ‘researching’ our theme and coming up with ideas!” For vintage-style touches like Laura’s, why not visit the Wedding Ideas shop?
The styling
We love crafty bride Laura’s super attention to detail – she made the majority of the decorations herself over the year and a half that she and Wes planned their wedding. These included lots of bunting, paper, luggage tags, napkin holders and all the little signs, photo collages and lace details that made their day unique.
The favours
The favours were made up from a fabulous pick and mix sweet buffet that was totally in keeping with their vintage theme.
The cake
“My mum, Jayne, (a cake decorator) helped me to design and bake our cake,” explains Laura. “The flavours were chocolate, lemon and vanilla sponge, and we decorated it with ivory icing and lace, all topped off with a teacup of flowers,” remembers Laura.
The entertainment
Laura and Wes used Disco Fever who have a website where friends and family can log in and request their favourite tracks for the party.
The honeymoon
For their honeymoon, Laura and Wes enjoyed a dream trip to the Maldives – and they even got a room upgrade when they arrived!
Real Wedding Gallery
