Annsul Y and Bridesmaids in Purple for a Modern and Stylish Autumn Celebration

Good afternoon lovelies, its almost the weekend, are you doing anything nice?  We’re off for a little anniversary trip to Wales for the weekend so planning lots of walks, glasses of bubbles by the fire and a couple of very much needed lie ins.  Sometimes I think hibernating until Spring wouldn’t be a bad thing, but then there are so many lovely parts to this time of year, despite the weather and the dark.  One very lovely Autumn thing is the wedding we’re sharing today- that of Charlie and Duncan, who married on the 30th October 2015 at The Orangery, Kent in a modern and stylish day which reflected their personal tastes- exactly as it should be.

Charlie dazzled in a glittering gown by Annsul Y, purchased from our Little Book For Brides members, The Secret Dress House in Reigate.  This dress just exudes classic glamour, but the way Charlie wears and accessorises it makes it very modern and the perfect choice for her big day.

“I loved the detail of it – the beading and lace was gorgeous. The shape was an up-to-date twist on a 1920’s design and I really like that it was a little bit different, plus it was finished with clear sequins for a bit of sparkle.  My seamstress added on the pearl buttons down the back at my request.”

Photography was the work of Jonny MP Photography and I love the crispness and the amount of colour in every image.  Charlie and Duncan were thrilled with his work, and its easy to see why.

“I wholeheartedly recommend Jonny.  He is not only an amazing photographer, but also such a likeable person. He was a hit with all our guests.”Over her hair Charlie wore a simple veil, to compliment the detail on her dress, as well as the most gorgeous hair ‘vine’, handmade by Rosie Willett– so delicate and pretty, it really adds something very special.

On her feet she wore a rather fabulous pair of sparkly sandals by Kurt Geiger and for jewellery, Swarovski earrings (for that bit of extra twinkle) and a bracelet borrowed from a close friend.

Her scent was Peony and Blush Suede by Jo Malone and the lucky bridesmaids also received a bottle each as a thank you gift.

The bridesmaids wore pleated dresses in purple shades, purchased from Coast (I really love these dresses and they fit the ‘stylish and modern’ theme absolutely perfectly), paired with shoes from ASOS, while the flower girl wore the prettiest little dress from BHS.

Duncan looked wonderfully smart in a suit by Charles Tyrwhitt of Jermyn Street, paired with cufflinks by Hugo Boss and a watch by Tag Heuer.

A beaming Charlie (seriously, I love how big her smiles are in every single photo) was accompanied down the aisle by her dad, to Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking out Loud’ and the couple exchanged vows (and rings, by Nicholas Major) surrounded by family and friends.

Singer and guitarist Joe Hicks played for guests while the registers were signed (sadly, we have no contact details).

 

For readings, the couple chose ‘Where would I be?’, read by Charlie’s friend Claire, and ‘Union’ by Robert Fulghum, read by Duncan’s mum Diane.

Where would I be if we’d never met?
That day your face was hard to forget
No one could know how everything changed
But you made me laugh and I was never the same
I loved you then and I love you today
So stay just as you are in every way
You’re my present, my future, my life ’til old age
If love were a book, you’d fill every page
To say why I love you would take me all year
So I’ll just say I’m happy that you’re standing here
When today is over and the excitement is done
I’ll love you more than ever and I’ve only just begun.

For decor, Charlie and Duncan chose to hire ghost chairs, silver sequin table overlays and uplighters, as well as a white LED dancefloor from Bows Hire, to give their venue even more of a special atmosphere and the modern look they wanted.

“Our flowers were by Jill Smith at Passion Floral Design.  She helped us choose ivory hydrangeas, roses in nude, mocha and ivory tones with silver brunia berries and silvery grey foliage.”

“I wanted a selection of nude shades that worked together and she gave some good suggestions to add to what I’d been inspired by on Pinterest.”

 

Feeding the guests was the work of Azra Catering, and the delicious-looking cake was purchased from good old British classic, Marks and Spencer.

“We chose a ‘white chocolate ribbons cake’ with milk chocolate fudge inside from M&S.  I don’t like royal icing or marzipan so we went with this and it was so tasty.

My close friend Natalie, who is a graphic designer, did our invitations, place cards, menus and signs.  I made our table plan myself.”

“It’s so difficult to choose which part of the day I most enjoyed.  I loved getting ready with my bridesmaids in the morning, hearing the words ‘you are now husband and wife’ and hitting the dance floor in the evening.”

“If I had to choose one thing, I particularly loved the speeches.  Hearing some lovely (and funny) words from everyone that spoke was amazing and Duncan’s Grandma totally stole the show with her speech.”

“The only thing I would change is that I’d have liked more time with our guests during the day to make sure I’d had a proper conversation with everyone.  We tried to get round all the tables during the wedding breakfast but we ran out of time.” 

The LED dance floor certainly got plenty of use, as the couple hired Phil Webster from Choice DJ to keep their guests going all evening, playing a mix of current music, kisstory and Ibiza anthems.  For their first dance, Charlie and Duncan chose a classic- ‘Can’t take my eyes off you’ by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons- so everyone could sing along.

 

Words of Wedded Wisdom 

“Delegate where you can – even if it’s small jobs like getting a garter and buying a pen for the guest book.  Enjoy the few weeks in the run-up to the day, they are so much fun.  On the day itself try to focus on the key moments to remember them as well as you can – they are things you won’t want to forget!”

So true Charlie- luckily, with photos like these, I don’t think you or Duncan will have missed a moment of your big day and can relieve it as often as you like, just by opening your album.

Readers, we simply can’t stress enough how important a good photographer is for preserving those fabulous memories for you- take your time when choosing yours (perhaps have a look at those who are recommended on our Little Book for Brides site), look through old Love My Dress posts- you can use the search function at the top right of the page to pull up all weddings by a certain photographer and really get a good idea of what (and who) will work best for you.It’s not a decision you want to rush and there is so much talent out there.

Huge thanks to Charlie, Duncan and Jonny,

Much love,

Shona x