Samantha + Thomas by Maegan Brown

Our vision for the wedding was a candlelit, moody celebration with a modern romantic black-tie feel.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

We are a couple who are very much in love and above all else, we love the life we’ve created together.  We’re both very family-oriented, and our family and friends are at the heart of so much of what we do. We’re so incredibly lucky enough to be an aunty and uncle to six nieces and nephews, which is a role we treasure more than we could put into words – we like to think we are considered to be the fun aunty and uncle!

Samantha is involved in the family business making cakes and sweets – Pelligra Cakes and is a very hardworking and determined business owner. Thomas is also involved in a family business creating stainless steel items and is a very hard worker. We both share a love of being hands-on and creating things together, which has always been a big part of who we both are. Outside of work, we absolutely love travelling to many different countries; we adore good food, spending time with our family and friends, and making the most of the little everyday moments together.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met around 4+ years ago. We first met at a mutual friends’ event, and neither of us could have known at the time that we were meeting the person we would eventually marry. At the time, we were both in different places in our lives.  We never saw each other frequently, only at social events with similar friendship groups and Samantha was determined in meeting new friends. Her first impressions of Thomas made her very intrigued, as he worked in a family business and had similar goals and aspects in life. He was very respectful, funny and kind-hearted.  Thomas remembers his first impressions: her warm personality and beautiful smile. He felt like he was naturally gravitating towards her and was eager to get to know her more.  Looking back now, it’s funny to think about those first impressions because our relationship became something so much deeper and more unexpected than either of us could have imagined when we first met.

What stands out most when we think about our story is that falling in love wasn’t one single grand moment. It happened gradually, through getting to know each other, sharing experiences, likes and dislikes in life and discovering the kind of person the other really was.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

Our vision for the wedding was a candlelit, moody celebration with a modern romantic black-tie feel. We wanted the styling to feel elegant and elevated, but still warm and intimate that felt unmistakably like us and our favourite settings.

Our Venue, The Trust, was the perfect setting for that vision. We loved working with the existing character of the venue and then layering in details that transformed the space but still focused on the history of the venue. Candlelight played a huge part in creating the atmosphere, particularly as the evening progressed and the reception became more intimate. Having our wedding set in winter was always a must for us. It helped to create the beautiful, cosy and warm evening we imagined.

One of our favourite styling elements was the custom draping we had, which was used for our photo backdrop for our guests. We really focused on keeping our guests at the forefront of our minds; we wanted them to enjoy getting professionally taken photos that they could keep and have forever. These photos were uploaded at midnight that night, and guests all took home a QR Code and downloaded their photos.  The draped backdrop was a rich chocolate brown as we wanted to follow the rich natural brown timbers in the reception and the beautifully marbled tiled floors also, we used the same draping with our ceremony florals and our dessert table. We loved how these details created beautiful visual moments throughout the venue without overwhelming the space.  Our dessert table was an important and personal addition to our wedding day. The bride and her family created the wedding cake and all of the desserts for guests to enjoy. Our family business is called Pelligra Cakes and has been around for 41+ years. It was important to include this amongst our family and friends who adore our homemade sweets.

Our florals were intentionally romantic and textural, with silver champagne buckets placed over urns on stainless steel plinths and the rich chocolate draping. The combination of the florals, candlelight, black-tie styling and the darker tones of the venue created exactly the atmosphere we had imagined of a sophisticated, romantic and a little bit moody wedding.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

What we enjoyed most about planning our wedding was seeing all the little pieces of our vision slowly come together. At the beginning, you have ideas and inspiration everywhere, but there’s something really special about watching those ideas become an actual day that reflects the two of you. Looking back, we adored every decision we made together.

We also loved the personal elements of choosing the details that had meaning to us rather than simply choosing what was expected. We wanted our wedding to feel personal and show our love above all else, and that became a really helpful guide whenever we were making decisions. We wanted our guests to see exactly why we chose certain elements because it reflected us both.

Our biggest advice would be to make decisions based on what matters to you as a couple. There can be so many opinions, trends and expectations surrounding weddings that it’s easy to lose sight of what you actually want. And, most importantly, to give yourself permission to enjoy it. The planning can feel really overwhelming at times, but try to remember that you’re planning a celebration of your relationship and it should be enjoyed. Take the time to appreciate the little moments along the way, because the day itself goes by much faster than you expect, and you will be so glad you took the time to slow down and appreciate all of them.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?  

We were incredibly lucky with the people who helped bring our wedding to life. For us, the vendors were never simply suppliers; they became part of the experience and had such a huge impact on how the day felt. We were extremely thoughtful with each vendor we chose.

Our photographer, Maegan, was particularly special to us. We had actually met her at two of our friends’ weddings, so we already knew how beautifully she captured the emotion and atmosphere of a wedding and, above all, her beautiful and warm nature. Choosing Maegan was choosing someone we already trusted, which made such a difference, and looking back through our photographs now, we’re so grateful that she captured every moment for us; we are so thankful for her.

Our videographer, Luca, was another special vendor to us. We felt we had friends capturing our day. Luca has such a warm and fun personality; he brings so much energy and good vibes on the day. He is absolutely incredible in how he captures and edits films. We are so incredibly grateful we chose him to capture our day.

Our wonderful Celebrant and Content Creator, Sarah. Having her along our entire journey from start to end was incredibly special to us. Sarah told our love story to all of our family and friends in such a beautiful way; she brought many to tears. She was so sincere and thoughtful in the ceremony, and her attention to detail when capturing the most important moments of our day meant we could look back and watch them together afterwards. We are very thankful for her.   We also loved working with our styling team from Said Studio, especially for the custom draping and overall aesthetic of the day. The attention to detail made such a difference to the atmosphere we were trying to create.

Every supplier contributed something to the day, but what we appreciated most was how everyone understood that the wedding wasn’t just about how it looked; it was about how it felt.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

Samantha has always loved corsetry, so wearing a corset on her wedding day had been a long-held dream. She originally imagined a more traditional wedding gown, never expecting to fall in love with a two-piece. At Bridal Curator, the designer encouraged her to try something completely outside her usual style, and it turned out to be the dress.

What initially looked like a beautiful built-in corset was actually something much bolder and more distinctive. The structure, detail and silhouette felt both feminine and powerful, and Samantha immediately fell in love with it.

Thomas had always loved the idea of wearing a white dinner jacket. He wanted something incredibly classy and timeless, but also something that felt special enough to be a true one-off, something he would only ever wear once in his life. He initially went to Bespoke intending to create a black suit, but the designers brought his vision to life in white, and he knew it was right.

We also added personal embroidery to both outfits, featuring our initials and wedding date. Those small details made our outfits feel completely personal to us.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Samantha’s engagement ring was designed by Thomas and Rhea, making it one of the most personal pieces of jewellery she owns. It features a 1.2-carat marquise diamond, a hidden halo and a high platinum setting on a 14-karat gold band. Every detail was thoughtfully considered, and working with Rhea made the experience incredibly special. We couldn’t imagine having gone anywhere else.

Rhea also designed our wedding bands with us, creating two completely individual pieces that still feel connected. Both are engraved with our initials and wedding date on the inside, making them personal in a way that only we know when we wear them.

Thomas wanted a wedding band that felt timeless but still distinctly his. His is platinum, with bevelled edges, a brushed platinum centre and a beautiful weight to it. Samantha’s is made from two fused bands: one simple 14-karat yellow gold band representing Thomas, and a second 14-karat yellow gold band set with seven tiny marquise diamonds, representing Samantha. Both are fused on the sides, and the diamond band is at an angle. The seven diamonds represent July, our wedding month, while also complementing Samantha’s engagement ring and custom marquise earrings, which Rhea created as a gift from Samantha’s parents for the wedding day too.

Together, the rings are a reflection of both of us, individual, meaningful and made to belong together.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

The two things that mattered most to us were photography/ videography and the overall atmosphere of the wedding.

Photography and videography were something we were particularly happy to invest in because, once the day is over, they were what allowed us to relive it. We wanted someone who could capture the emotion and energy of the day naturally, rather than simply documenting what happened. Looking back, we’re so grateful we made them a top priority.

We also cared deeply about creating an atmosphere that felt like us. We wanted our guests to walk into the venue and immediately feel that it was a reflection of our relationship: romantic, intimate, elegant and full of warmth. We also wanted guests to enjoy themselves and have an amazing experience too.  That meant investing in styling, florals, candles, draping, the photo wall, and the little details that brought the overall vision together.

Ultimately, we weren’t trying to create a wedding that was simply beautiful in photographs, but it was a ‘you had to be there ’ moment. We wanted to create an experience that our guests would feel, and that we would remember long after the flowers had gone and the candles had burned out.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?  

There are so many moments from the day that we’ll treasure, but one of the most special was our ceremony. It was incredibly meaningful because it felt like everything else disappeared for a moment and things were quiet around us. Our celebrant was telling our love story, and in that moment we were both fully present and together.  There was something surreal about looking at each other, surrounded by the people we love most, and knowing that we were making a promise to choose each other for the rest of our lives.

We’ll also always remember the feeling of seeing our friends and family together in one room, celebrating, dancing and eating with us. So much of what made the day special wasn’t something we had planned at all; it was the tears, the hugs, the kisses, the laughter and the spontaneous moments on the dance floor and seeing people we love genuinely enjoying themselves.

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?  

To us, being married means choosing each other every day, and creating a life where we both feel completely at home.

Marriage isn’t just about the big milestones for us; it’s the ordinary moments that make up our life together. It’s knowing who needs a little extra love after a long day, laughing at the same silly things, being there through the difficult moments and celebrating the good ones. It’s having someone who knows every version of you and loves you through all of them.

That feeling of being each other’s home is something that has always been important to us both, and after a long day at work, coming home to one another is the best part of our day.  Our favourite rituals are often the simplest ones; we adore cooking together in the kitchen so much that one night a week we promise to cook something different together when we can. We are currently prioritising travelling together and making new memories.  We hope marriage always feels like that for us: travelling the world, cooking together, making memories and coming home to your favourite person.