IT WAS ALWAYS YOU

Heidi and Lloyd chose a white and gold colour palette for their fairytale celebration at Hensol Castle

Images courtesy of Philip Warren Photography

For Heidi and Lloyd, it was love at first sight. “We met in a night club 10 years ago and have been inseparable ever since,” says Heidi. “Over the years, we grew closer and in 2018, Lloyd popped the question during a holiday to Rome. He gave me some preserved roses with the ring at the centre of the bouquet. It was a complete surprise, and although we’d been together for six years, we’d only just bought our first home together, so I wasn’t expecting an engagement. Lloyd booked the trip for us as a small getaway, and he didn’t disappoint with his choice of hotel. We stayed at Aleph Rome Hotel, and it was so special and beautiful. I was completely shocked but over the moon.”

SETTING THE SCENE

“As soon as we saw Hensol Castle, we knew it was the one,” shares the bride. “We fell in love with every aspect of it, from the stunning grounds to the picturesque views of the castle. Not forgetting the gorgeous private lake, which we knew would look great in pictures. It had so much character and was perfect for the fairytale wedding that I’d always dreamt of.

“To decorate the space, we used gold chairs and charger plates from Be Our Guest Events,” adds Heidi. “We also used a gold frame to display an LED sign behind the top table, which lit up the room.”

For their favours, the couple gave their guests miniature bottles of flavoured gin and Jack Daniels. These were put next to the place names, which were cut out of gold acrylic. This tied in well with the couple’s table plan, which was clear acrylic with gold table numbers.

“The centrepieces grabbed everyone’s attention,” explains the bride. “We had gold stands in the centre of each table with artificial white flower balls on top supplied by Be Our Guest Events. The flowers played a massive part in our wedding theme. Hilary’s Floral Design made my bouquet which was filled with white and ivory flowers with a small amount of greenery. We had a bespoke flower arch, which made the beautiful castle entrance even more stunning. We also had a fresh flower garland draping down the amazing staircase, and a spray of flowers on the fireplace and ceremony table. We later used the ceremony table display as the top table centrepiece.”

The couple’s big-day bake was made by Ponty Carlo Cakes. “It was breathtaking,” recalls Heidi. “It was made up of four tiers, all of which were decorated slightly differently to suit our theme. The bottom tier was vanilla and raspberry sponge covered with sugarpaste and paper ruffles, which sat in a hydrangea skirt made by Hilary’s Floral Design. The second was strawberry and champagne, with the third being a chocolate and salted caramel sponge covered in light gold icing. The top tier was white chocolate and passionfruit, with our initials in acrylic gold. We also had a seven-tier chocolate-covered strawberry tower from Fruity Bouquets and a Welshcake tower from Calon Lân Cakes.”

To transport Heidi and her bridal party to the venue, the couple hired a white and black vintage car from Prices Wedding Cars.

DRESSED TO IMPRESS

Heidi wore a Martina Liana gown called 1078 from Laura May Bridal. “The detailing was out of this world, and the ivory lace and sequins showed off my figure perfectly,” remembers Heidi. “It had a V neckline with the most magical beaded train. I accessorised with a floor-length veil, a silver comb and Christian Louboutin shoes, which had small diamond rhinestones covering the toes that could be seen as I walked.”

Lloyd chose a bespoke tux handmade by Nathan Palmer. The suit was black with a velvet jacket, making him stand out from the groomsmen who all wore black tuxedos. “The suit was second to none with velvet detailing going down the side of the trousers,” says the bride. “All the

groomsmen wore patent black shoes, and Lloyd chose designer Christian Louboutin shoes.

“The bridesmaids opted for champagne-coloured halter neck dresses from Yasmin Rose Bridal,” continues Heidi. “The style and open back complemented their figures, and my maid-of-honour stood out by wearing a gold sequined gown.”

TIME TO CELEBRATE

“We booked James, an outstanding solo artist from the band Trilogy, to entertain our guests during the drinks reception,” shares the bride. “We then had the rest of the Trilogy band perform in the evening. They had our guests up on their feet and entertained all night long and provided DJ coverage and a disco during the breaks. We also had a photo booth from Ultra Booth, which captured our guests enjoying themselves.” have been any better, and we felt like we were in a dream. It was the best day of our lives. We felt overwhelmed with just how perfect the day was and so proud that our plan came together.

“Every supplier we used went above and beyond and provided more than we ever imagined they would,” adds Heidi. “From the venue décor and flowers to the cake, photographer, and videographer, everything was perfect! The speeches were also memorable, and we were so grateful to be able to share our amazing day with those closest to us.”

HONEYMOON

Heidi and Lloyd went to Bali and Dubai for their honeymoon. “It was outstanding,” explains the bride. “We went for three weeks and easily could have stayed for another three. We had planned our honeymoon for the year before but had to postpose because of the pandemic. Lisa Lockhart from Travel Counsellors planned it for us and incorporated everything we asked for. The honeymoon was a trip of a lifetime and will always be the most special holiday we have ever been on.”

HEIDI AND LLOYD’S CONTACTS

Venue and catering, Hensol Castle, www.hensolcastle.com | Photographer, Philip Warren Photography, www.philip-warren.com Bride’s dress, Laura May Bridal, www.lauramaybridal.co.uk | Dress alterations, The Perfect Fit, www.facebook.com/theperfectfitcardiff Groom’s suit, Nathan Palmer, www.nathanpalmer.co.uk | Bridesmaids’ dresses, Yasmin Rose Bridal, www.yasminrosebridal.com Mother-of-the-bride’s and groom’s dress, Baroque Boutique, www.baroqueboutique.co.uk | Hair stylists, Envy Hair Studio, www.facebook.com/envyhairmaesycwmmer and Emily Love Hair Marchant, www.facebook.com/love.hair.3998 | Make-up artist, Kirsty Rowlands Make Up Artist, www.kirstyrowlands.co.uk | Cake, Ponty Carlo Cakes, www.pontycarlocakes.com | Strawberry tower, Fruity Bouquets, www.fruitybouquets.co.uk | Welshcakes, Calon Lân Cakes, www.calonlancakes.co.uk | Flowers, Hilarys Floral Design, www.hilarysflowers.co.uk

Centrepieces, Be Our Guest Events, www.beourguestevents.co.uk | Styling, Dazzlevents, www.facebook.com/dazzlevents1 | Stationery,

Crystal Fizz, www.crystalfizz.co.uk | Transport, Prices Wedding Cars, www.pricesweddingcars.co.uk | Band, Trilogy, www.trilogyband.co.uk Photo booth, Ultra Booth, www.ultrabooth.co.uk | Honeymoon organiser, Lisa Lockhart, www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/lisa.lockhart