We were slightly tipsy in a dodgy pub at midnight a month or two into our relationship when Matt told me I was the most beautiful girl in the room. To be honest, there weren’t many people in the room and the clientele at that point was questionable. But it was very sweet and we were absolutely fixated on each other.
Grace — We live in London where I’m a marketing manager and Matt is a service manager with the NHS. We have lots of shared interests, including cooking (well actually, probably more eating!) and socializing— karaoke is always fun. I don’t have a huge amount of hobbies but one thing I love doing is planning.
I take great joy in organizing various elements in our lives, such as interior design for our home, planning holidays, and creating mood boards for this wedding. Matt loves the simpler things in life, such as cycling. We’d known each other for a few years but had never really spoken much.
I was friends with his twin brother, who I actually hit on first, which was a good joke for our wedding speeches! But from a personality perspective, when we first spoke properly, we clicked immediately. We went on a date the day after and it’s pretty much-been fireworks ever since.
To be honest, Matt totally gave it away by buying a bottle of Dom Perignon right in front of me when we were in the supermarket. He proposed that night while we were lying in the hot tin bath outside, looking up at the stars. Soaking wet and on one knee, he said, “Do you want to get married, then?” The vision I had for our wedding was Italian Riviera and we would have loved to do a European wedding but it was tricky to get people to fly out. The venue we chose was very Renaissance. Having citrus in the flowers, the tux, and modern graphics on the stationery helped to make the venue feel slightly more chic and youthful.
The venue wasn’t cheap but it was perfect. It felt like two worlds: grand and very stately (think Bridgerton), with a full-on nightclub in the basement. I hate wedding dresses and have always been a bit of a tomboy. I spent three difficult days trying on dresses and didn’t get emotional about any of them.
When I went into Amare, I spotted a dress on the rail which I tried on for a laugh because it was huge and girly and so unlike the style I was going for, but when I saw myself in the mirror, I started shaking. To this day, I still get compliments about how gorgeous the dress was. Sometimes going out of your comfort zone can reap huge rewards.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Imogen Xiana, @imogenxiana / LOCATION: St Giles House, Wimborne, UK, @stgileshouseweddings / WEDDING DRESS & VEIL: Halfpenny London, @halfpennylondon from Amare, @amare_bride / MATT’S ATTIRE: Bespoke tux by Artefact London, @artefactlondon / RINGS: Simon Wright, @sw_jewellery / MAKEUP & HAIR: Amazing Face, @amazing_facedorset / FRAGRANCE: Baccarat Rouge, @baccarat / VIDEOGRAPHER: Perky Pug Films, @perkypugfilms / BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES: Norma Kamali, @normakamali / JUNIOR BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES: COS, @cosstores / MAN OF HONOUR’S ATTIRE: Favourbrook, @favourbrook / PAGE BOYS’ ATTIRE: Mayoral, @mayoralmakingfriends / SUNGLASSES: Victoria Beckham, @victoriabeckham / FLORAL: Martha & The Meadow, @marthaandthemeadow / CELEBRANT: Dorset Council / ENTERTAINMENT: Cascada Strings / DJ: Swim Deep, @swimdeepbaby / CATERING: Victoria Blashford-Snell Catering, @victoriablashfordsnell / REGISTRY: Japan Honeymoon Fund on Prezola, @prezola / CAKE: Sugar & Salt, @sugarandsalt.ldn
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