BEGINNINGS

Becky and Josh’s love story started at university, where they met through mutual friends. A few years later, Josh proposed in the Lake District next to Derwentwater in Keswick one early evening, followed by dinner and cocktails to celebrate. The location was very special as Becky lost her mum eight years ago, and the Lake District was her favourite place.

Setting The Scene

The lovebirds tied the knot on October 28th 2022, surrounded by their nearest and dearest. As the pair wanted guests to feel relaxed and have lots of fun, they kept the formalities of a wedding but chose a relaxed vibe to represent them the most.

Whittlebury Park was the perfect location for their special day; they fell in love with The Orangery from the moment they saw the venue. The added benefit of guests being able to stay overnight after dancing the night away was crucial for the pair with family travelling from Scotland to attend. The Orangery was stunning, with the sunshine shining through the glass onto the floor, and the team transformed the setting after the vows for the reception. Becky says, “The events coordinator Janine was lovely and took away the pressure of planning such a big event. She didn’t make us feel silly asking questions and was the only person who didn’t assume that we were both fortunate to have parents. She showed compassion and even offered ideas to help make the day feel easier.”

All In The Detail

The couple stayed with family and friends the night before the wedding at the venue. Most people just walked to the ceremony, but the team offered a Rolls-Royce to take the bride and her squad down to The Orangery.

The flowers were showstopping, thanks to Charlotte at Charlotte Ayre Floral Design. The bride initially sent a photo of the blooms she liked to the florist, who explained the importance of using different textures to create the free-flowing and wild style the pair wanted. She combined other natural-coloured florals to bring their ideas to life and a thistle to highlight the Scottish part of the family.

On the ceremony chairs were wedding newspapers, which introduced the wedding party, shared funny stories, thanked loved ones and had a crosswords based on the newlyweds. It also listed the order of the day so guests wouldn’t miss a key moment.

Two pedestal flowers were on either side of the register table, which were moved to either side of the top table for the wedding breakfast. On the table itself was a stunning arrangement of flowers with trailing eucalyptus.

The wedding breakfast setting looked stunning, with drapes aligning the walls and ceiling with lights to add a romantic atmosphere. The groom’s dad created mesh boards on wooden blocks to showcase photos of the bride and groom, which guests loved to see. They were also thankful for the basket of flip-flops to help their aching feet and the blankets to help them stay warm.

The pair opted for a simple design using a metal grid to ensure the table plan could be easy to switch and swap closer to the time if there were any last-minute changes. The centrepieces featured wooden logs underneath vases full of beautiful blooms and scattered candles, which looked perfect in photos.

The couple had charity badges from Cancer Research and British Heart Foundation for favours; both charities represented loved ones that they’ve lost. There were also mini-heart biscuits for an extra treat on the tables as well as personalised bags containing games, pens and goodies for the children.

Whittlebury Park provided a three-course meal in the day and a hog roast in the evening to ensure no one went hungry. The stunning cake provided a delicious treat in the evening, and featured stunning iced flowers. The three-tiered bake included chocolate, lemon and Victoria sponge flavours. Another treat that was a big hit with guests was the sweet table full of goodies.

Looking The Part

The bride picked a stunning gown when dress shopping and added off-the-shoulder mesh sleeves as well as lace butterflies in memory of her mum. The bride says, “I kept the accessories simple with a silver diamond bracelet, matching earrings and a small, interlinked hoop necklace. My godmother lent me her headpiece as my something borrowed. I was happy with how everything looked together and still felt like me.”

The groom wore a navy suit with a waist jacket and Marvel cufflinks as a nod to the couple’s love of the franchise. The groomsmen wore matching suits with different ties to allow Josh to stand out.

The bridesmaids had the choice of eight dusty pink dresses, each picked the style that best suited their figures and preferences. They also had Katie Loxton handbags personalised with their initials and smaller versions of Becky’s bouquet, while the flowergirl had an adorable heart flower wand.

Time To Celebrate

The couple hired a caricaturist to entertain loved ones during the drinks reception. It was the perfect icebreaker between loved ones; many still comment on the supplier today. The bride says, “It was something different and allowed guests to take a special token home. It was a nice extra that fitted with the flow of the day.” Lincoln Noel played the piano for the ceremony, and during the reception – he played a great selection of music and entertained the room with his sense of humour. He played Becky’s mum’s song on the piano when she walked down the aisle, which made the moment even more special. The pair enjoyed having sparklers outside and dancing to the DJ in the evening.

Memorable Moments

The couple had the most incredible day from start to finish – they wouldn’t have changed a thing! The bride comments, “Everything was just how we’d pictured it; the day was relaxed and fun –although it went so quickly! We were proud to have organised the wedding and sat at the top table watching all our loved ones having fun, which made any little wedding stress worthwhile. It was magical to have our family and friends in one room.”

Walking down the aisle was a moment the bride will always treasure; everyone but Josh disappeared. Becky says, “We squeezed each other’s hand tightly, and I remember turning around to see my grandads in the front row smiling. Dancing on the dancefloor was another special moment as it was full all night, and everyone had so much fun.”

After the speeches, the bride and groom went for a stroll for the first time as newlyweds. Becky adds, “After a crazy year buying a house and planning the wedding, it was just a moment of peace and contentment. We promised our next thing would be to buy a dog, and we now have a little puppy!”

Josh had been a best man for his friend Ben’s wedding earlier in the year and shared embarrassing photos of the groom with guests. During Josh’s groom speech, Ben returned the photos to show the guests on A4 paper for some payback!

Leading up to the big day, one of the page boys asked to be wedding security! He brought special secret agent glasses and walked into the ceremony with them on. He kept everyone in order with his ninja moves. One of the nephews did a reading during the ceremony, and so did Becky’s grandad. These were proud moments that the lovebirds would treasure for years to come.

ROBYN HAS OVER 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN STYLING HAIR, AND HAS SPECIALISED IN BRIDAL FOR 7 YEARS www.brambleandtwine.co.uk jessica@brambleandtwine.co.uk

She loves helping making people feel their best on their big day, always working closely with them prior to the day to make sure they have the perfect style to compliment their dream wedding day look!

I have had the privilege of creating floral designs for many weddings, at some beautiful venues in the Midlands and further afield too. Each and every wedding is different and it is a huge honour to be a part of every single one. I love to use bountiful seasonal blooms - British where possible. I draw inspiration from the seasons and I like to include interesting textures and unusual details to make every wedding unique.

It would be lovely to hear from you and start your floral journey.

07521 340043 www.perfectsilhouettehairdressing.com

07584304535 | robynwood88@gmail.com

Perfect Silhouette Hairdressing @perfectsilhouettehairdressing Multi-award

I love being part of a wedding day, whether its make up or hair, or both! My favourite part is seeing someones reaction when they look in the mirror once I have done hair or make up, I have to had shrieks of delight, hugs, smiles etc.. its so rewarding. ere is nothing that feels as good as making a woman feel good about herself, especially on her wedding day.

While there are many reasons to hire and hairstylist and make up artist for your wedding day, your wedding will be forever remembered through wedding photographs and the hiring of professional artists will help ensure that you are awless and beautiful the day of and into the lasting moments of your big day. (ps, your photographer will love you for it too!)