Tell us a little about yourselves: what you do, what you love…
Vicky: Ben manages a pub in Chelsea in London – food and wine are two of his biggest passions, along with design, music… and antiquing! He absolutely loves socialising and hosting, and has always been a bit of self-designated ‘social chair’ among friends.
He is such an amazing chef and goes all out when we have people over for dinner, all of which is proof that he has to open his own restaurant or pub one day. His friends always told me, “Life will never be boring with Ben”, and that’s completely true. He is incredibly generous and always goes above and beyond to make everything the very best and most fun it can be – whether that’s a home-cooked meal, a holiday, our flat…or our wedding.
Ben: Vicky has worked for NET-A-PORTER for eight years across editorial and marketing. She has a laid-back nature which has a calming influence on those around her. Working in fashion, she always looks stylish, but in such an unfussy and effortless way. Vicky grew up going on some pretty amazing holidays (her mum was BA cabin crew) and she still loves to travel. One day we’ll tour the world together writing about the places we visit and the food we find along the way, before settling down to run a little hotel and restaurant.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
Ben: We met while we were both at uni in Sheffield. I spotted Vicky ahead of me in the queue for a nightclub, and told one of my best men that she was ‘the one’. And 13 years later, she officially is!
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
Vicky: It was probably as soon as I fell in love and couldn’t imagine my life without Ben in it.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
Vicky: Ben proposed in front of our closest friends at a country manor house in the middle of the Scottish Highlands. It was after his 30th birthday dinner, around midnight, and the ground was completely blanketed in snow. We all gathered outside for a group photo, and there were snowflakes falling as he got down on one knee and popped the question – it took me by total surprise and felt like a scene from a movie!
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding…
Ben: We wanted it to feel like a relaxed weekend away with friends, in a place of our own. Apart from the wedding day itself, we took care of all the catering and hosting ourselves, with loads of help from our family and friends. On the first night we laid on a welcome party spread of cheese, meat, quiche and pate-en-croute, and plenty of Champagne.
Vicky: The Friday-night welcome drinks were a great opportunity for guests to get to know each other, and for us to properly catch up with the people we hadn’t seen in a while. We loved watching new friendships being made! It also meant that by the time we reached the wedding day on Sunday, we all felt more relaxed and could just enjoy everyone’s company.
One of the reasons we chose Chateau de Mairy as our venue is because it’s so beautiful and tastefully restored – it has an elegant, faded grandeur to it that felt perfect for the relaxed feel we wanted.
Tell us about your main outfits: what was unique? Is there a story?
Ben: I was so fortunate. One of Vicky’s best friends, Emily, is a coat-maker for Anderson & Sheppard and graciously offered to make my suit. That was incredible enough, but she went even further and offered to also make my two best men’s suits. The whole process was so much fun, particularly getting to go through it together with the boys. I gave them completely free reign to choose whatever they wanted. Emily and everyone else at A&S involved in making our suits were unbelievably patient, knowledgeable and skilled – I can’t speak highly enough of them.
I opted for a navy cloth from Harrisons called Spring Ram – the wool is woven in Huddersfield from sheep bred in Yorkshire, meaning it has a much lower carbon footprint than the more typical New Zealand sourced wool. It has a very open weave, allowing it to be really breathable, whilst still being heavy enough for the pleats to stay sharp all day long. I chose a single-breasted jacket to wear during the day, and a matching double-breasted waistcoat to change into later in the evening, but as you’ll see from the photos, I was having far too much fun and completely forgot!
Vicky: I wore a Pronovias gown with draped off-the-shoulder sleeves – it was actually a top and skirt that I had converted into a dress, and I had buttons added down the back – with a simple silk-effect tulle veil. My cousin and bridesmaid Becca has an accessory brand called 1940Bridal, and offered to make a bespoke crown for me as a wedding gift, which I put on for the dinner after I removed my veil. It featured curved arches with freshwater pearls and teeny-tiny hand-painted flowers in off-white to match my gown. It was really special to wear a bespoke design that Becca had made by hand and is something I’ll cherish forever… I love the idea of passing it down to my own daughter one day. For the evening, I wanted something I could dance all night in (without worrying about any spillages), so I changed into a sequined gown from ASOS. It was so sparkly and had a ’70s disco feel to it with the super-wide sleeves, plunging neckline and backless cut.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
Ben: Vicky and I are probably both at our happiest when eating and drinking with friends, so fantastic food and wine was non-negotiable. The desire for a memorable wedding meal was a key factor in choosing France as a destination; there aren’t many places you can so readily surround yourself with the very best wine, cheese and delicious produce.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight, even if it was stressful at the time?
Vicky: One of my bridesmaid’s suitcases was lost by the airline, so she had to make an emergency dash around the shops to find a replacement bridesmaid dress – plus a whole new weekend wardrobe for herself and her boyfriend. Serendipitously, the blue dress that she found worked perfectly with the other two Reformation dresses, and I was really pleased with the overall look in the end. (My tip to other brides would be take essentials in your carry-on, where possible!)
And there were always going to be some funny stories once the Champagne was flowing… One of my bridesmaids nearly caught fire after standing too close to a candle, and a few guests got carried away while dancing and started swinging around the marquee tentpole a bit too enthusiastically, so much so that it actually moved – I had visions of the whole thing crashing down around us but thankfully it didn’t!
Ben: The buttonholes arrived from the florist while the boys and I were getting ready, but the one labelled ‘groom’ was slightly on the large side. The pre-game nerves were clearly getting to me a little, as suddenly I became a complete diva and refused to wear it, declaring it ‘humungous’, possibly with the odd expletive thrown in for good measure. Fortunately, Ross, a great friend and our chosen celebrant for the day, stepped up and offered to wear it instead, allowing me to wear his marginally smaller arrangement, which placated me.
Ceremony + Reception: Chateau Demairy | Videographer: Friend | Photographer: Victoria Somersethrow Photography | Entertainment: Michael G Moore | Catering + Beverages: Wijnenkris | First dance Choreographer: The Next Stop Co | Honeymoon registry: Honeyfund | Brides Dress: Pronovias | Veil: The Wedding Veil Shop | Crown: 1940Bridal | Sequined party dress: ASOS | Ring/s: Zoe and Morgan | Shoes: Loeffler Randall | Makeup: Friend | Hair: Bride did own hair | Fragrance: Sana Jardin – Revolution De La Fleur | Groom’s Suit: Friend custom made Anderson Sheppard + EK Hayward | Shoes: George Cleverley | Tie: H.N. White | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Reformation | Bridesmaids’ Headbands: bespoke, handcrafted designs by 1940Bridal | Bridesmaid gifts earrings: Astrid & Miyu | Groomsmen attire: Anderson Sheppard + EK Hayward
