Tell us about your wedding where was it set and what was the feel of the day.
Ash and I got married in Cornwall and we loved it! We managed to get married in the midst of the Covid madness and it was still just as special. We were supposed to get married in May 2020 but due to the restrictions, had to postpone until August 2020. We did have the option to postpone to 2021, but this year has shown that even doing that wouldn’t have changed anything! We accepted that our wedding would be different and decided as a couple that the priority was to get married and everything else would be a bonus! This made us feel pretty laid back about having the wedding we initially wanted compared to what we were likely to have and meant we could go with the flow a little more. Four weeks before the wedding, I found out that I was pregnant, so having the wedding felt even more like it was meant to be and it was extra special knowing that we were sharing the day with our baby too! Despite all the restrictions and twists and turns, we still enjoyed the build up (don’t get me wrong, there are always wobbles!) but we wanted to make 2020 the special year we had always planned. With limited numbers it meant that planning within 2 weeks was actually possible and quite fun – you’ve got to enjoy a bit of chaos!
We chose Cornwall in the first place, as we wanted to create a weekend wedding, similar to what an abroad wedding could offer, but without the hassle of actually going abroad and the cost of doing so. We chose a venue called ‘The Green’ in Liskeard which is centred around the most beautiful countryside, views of green rolling hills from every angle. Perfect for us as we love the countryside! Best of both worlds too – as it was half an hour from the beach.
We still managed to keep the format of a traditional wedding but just had 26 guests – Ash’s immediate family and mine. I wasn’t sure how this would feel, but it was perfect without us even realising it. We had the venue for 3 days and it meant that our families really got to know each other and we have those memories to cherish forever. We weren’t allowed to dance at our wedding (I was quite grateful about this as a first dance is not for me!) so instead we did a few games like Bingo, Mr and Mrs and some team races (e.g first team to swap socks with someone else on their table). This was so much fun and everyone loved it!
We were lucky enough to see friends the day after the wedding as we arranged for them to come and celebrate with us on the beach with our family (sticking to social distancing of course). We feel so lucky that we got to do this and still have the wedding we wanted, just on a slightly different scale. Something I will never forget and I am so glad we went for it and chose to get married in 2020!
What made you pick your dress?
I picked my dress because I truly felt so comfortable in it and something just felt right, I actually can’t put my finger on it! I felt like I could actually see myself walking down the isle in it and my sisters and mum got really emotional when I came out the fitting room, so I knew that was a positive sign!
I went for a Jesus Piero dress in the end, and initially I would have never have picked it out! Madi is a real pro and picked it out for me after trying on about 6 beforehand that just didn’t feel right.
What did you love about dress shopping?
I loved how surprising it was! I never thought I would find my dress so quickly as I had no clue about designers I liked or styles etc, I was a little out of my depth! I thought I would feel super uncomfortable about it all and really struggle to narrow it down, but Madi made me feel so at ease and I can’t thank her enough for making the whole experience so unforgettable. She is so knowledgeable and she feels more like a close friend helping you chose the perfect dress! I was that confident that I had found the perfect dress that I didn’t go to any other shops and brought the dress there and then – I don’t think I have ever been so impulsive!
Tell us about the proposal?
Ash proposed in Cornwall – very fitting! Nothing too over the top or frilly which I personally liked (I don’t like lots of attention!). We were visiting his brother in St Ives and on one of the days we decided to go on a cliffside walk. As we were walking he found a spot and got down on one knee! His bother and sister in law were in on the whole thing and hid a picnic hamper with some champagne in one of the bushes nearby! I didn’t have a clue! We then spent a couple of hours sat on the cliff watching the waves as we sipped champagne – I want to go back to that moment now!
How did you style your day, and yourself?
My dress was very classic and fuss free, so I wanted the accessories to be the same. I wore a simple diamond necklace that my sister lent me and some diamond stud earrings, and that was it for jewellery. I wore my hair up as I had a high neckline on my dress, which I wanted to show as this was what I loved so much about my dress. I had some pearl clips in my hair, which matched a pearl bag and my shoes were comfortable with minimal detail (think fancy New Look block heels!)
In terms of styling the day, we kept things pretty simple. Mainly because the venue did all of the styling itself with the countryside backdrop and also because we only had 2 weeks to design all of the decorations! I focused everything around the flowers, which I kept simple with a green and white colour pallet and this worked really well. I wanted something timeless and understated.
What advice would you give to brides now?
At the moment, during the pandemic, I would say try and take it all in your stride and to not get too stressed. I know that is hard as we dream of our wedding day for years, but this year has really put things into perspective. Think about why you want to get married and what is important and go from there. If you really want a big wedding and to have a normal build up, then it might be worth considering postponing your wedding so that you can have the wedding you have always wanted. If you want to go for it regardless – just go for it! You won’t regret whatever you do and I know from my experience that I don’t feel that I missed out on anything as a result of compromising arrangements due to restrictions. Try to stay calm and accept that there will be lots of twists and turns but that’s all part of the new experience! It is also worth ruling out what you definitely wouldn’t want (e.g less than 15 guests) and having those conversations now, so that you don’t feel pressured later on and find yourself accepting this as your wedding when it is something you definitely don’t want deep down.
