Wild about you

Lisa and Kieron met at school when they were 14. They were friends and went on many adventures together, including festivals and raves. “I moved to Newquay when I was 16, and Kieron used to visit,” says Lisa. “I went travelling in South Africa when I was 19, and Kieron e-mailed me every week. We finally got together after a trip to Amsterdam for my 21st birthday, and quickly bought our house and adopted three cats. Our relationship blossomed, and a few years later, Kieron proposed to me in Lapland at midnight on New Year’s Eve. It was perfect, like being in Narnia with sparkly snow and fireworks.”

Setting The Scene

“Safari Venues, located on the grounds of the West Midland Safari Park, was the first place we took our son when he was just a few weeks old, and we’ve spent many family days there over the years,” shares the bride. “I remember walking around the park when I was overdue with our daughter and then taking the kids there every year as they’ve grown up. We loved the safari theme of Spring Grove House, and autumn is our favourite time of year, so it was perfect for us.

“The décor was themed around sunflowers with blue thistles and autumn Chinese lanterns,” adds Lisa. “As you entered the magnificent entrance hall, we had scattered autumn leaves on the floor, and the team at Safari Venues were kind enough to let us use their pumpkins to dress the steps of the venue.”

For their favours, the couple filled small glass bottles with different coloured liquors that tied in with their colour scheme. These doubled up as place names which were hand-written by their daughter.

To continue the safari theme, they named their tables after animals. “The venue was preparing for their lantern festival, so there were gorgeous animal models decorating the lawn,” explains Lisa. “These made for unique photos and added a real Disney feel to the day. We continued the theme with our cake, which was three tiers with a plume of flowers in the centre. Cake Creations Redditch added mini-pumpkins to the base, and we chose giraffe figures dressed in wedding attire as the toppers.”

Dressed To Impress

Lisa wore a Christina Wu dress from Daisy B Nell Bridal in Evesham. “It had the right balance between romantic and traditional and flattered my figure,” recalls the bride. “It sparkled so much under the lights, which I loved. Kieron chose a navy DJ Formal Wear suit with a yellow cravat which went beautifully with the flowers. Our wedding rings were made by Luke at ComparetheDiamond.com; they were stunning and very unique. He also lent me some beautiful diamond earrings to wear on the day.”

The bridesmaids opted for navy dresses that suited their figures and that they felt comfortable in.

Time To Celebrate

To keep their guests entertained, the couple hired a photo booth, which was a hit with their friends and family. “Everyone could walk around some of the attractions at the safari park when our photos were being taken,” remembers Lisa. “We also had an excellent DJ who kept the party going, and we provided goody bags for the children.”

Memorable Moments

“Our wedding was perfect from start to finish; the venue was so romantic and unique, the weather was great, and it was wonderful having all the people we love in the same room,” says the bride. “Some of my favourite moments were walking down the amazing staircase and through the safari park carrying my amazing Jimmy Choo shoes and riding on the carousel. The photos on the lawn and the private photos of just us by the big tree at the back of the lawn were also a highlight. I loved it at the end of the night when it got a bit quieter, and we took over the decks and played some drum and bass, creating our own private rave.

“My godmother/aunt Jayni’s speech was an amazing poem she’d written for us; it was funny, clever and perfect for the day,” continues Lisa. “Our photographer, Rebecca Hadley, made sure she captured so many amazing moments. She co-ordinated the day and made sure we had wonderful memories. She really went above and beyond. Our videographer, Al Kings Films, also made the perfect video for us.”

Top Tips

“Our top tip for any couple about to get married is less is more,” shares Lisa. “The day goes by so fast, so don’t try to pack too much in and leave some time to just enjoy the day. I’d also suggest having some comfortable shoes for later in the night. My shoes were amazing and cost a small fortune, but they were like torture devices after the photographs!” to view video www.alkings.co.uk

LISA AND KIERON’S CONTACTS

Venue, Safari Venues, www.safarivenues.co.uk | Photographer, Rebecca Hadley Photography, www.rebeccahadleyphotography.co.uk

Videographer, Al Kings Films, www.alkings.co.uk | Bride’s dress, Daisy B Nell Bridal, www.daisybnell.co.uk | Wedding rings and bride’s earrings, ComparetheDiamond.com, www.comparethediamond.com | Bride’s shoes, Jimmy Choo, www.jimmychoo.com | Groom’s suit, DJ Formal Wear, www.danieljohnmenswear.co.uk | Hair and make-up artist, Nicola Honey Artistry, www.nicolahoney.com | Cake, Cake Creations Redditch, www.cakecreationsredditch.com | Flowers, Bluebells Florist, www.bluebellsofdroitwich.co.uk

With many designs to choose from, it’s easy to theme your wedding day online and over the phone at Bunji.

We offer foil-stamped invitations, UV-printed invitations, screen-printed invitations and letterpress invitations.

To meet our customer’s requests, we are constantly updating our product line, which now includes acrylic invitations, vellum paper invitations, wedding signs and speciality paper in various colours.