IN THE NAVY

BATH MILL LODGE RETREAT

01225 333 909 https://darwinescapes.co.uk/bath-mill-lodge-retreat/weddings

Situated in a peaceful oasis, just a short journey away from Bath city centre, Bath Mill Lodge Retreat is surrounded by meadows, a babbling brook and beautiful countryside. It really is a slice of tranquillity in the middle of the city. Inside, the venue offers a blend of traditional yet quirky décor, and you have complete freedom when it comes to styling the space for your reception, along with a range of food options to suit you, all prepared with fresh, local ingredients.

Located in the 350-year-old mill house, the Newton Suite offers an idyllic setting for your celebrations. Throughout your big day you’ll be able to take advantage of the private bar, dancefloor private entrance and secluded patio area. The Newton has ramp access, all facilities are on the same level meaning they’re accessible and features a fullyequipped modern entertainment system. It can host 70 of your nearest and dearest.

The venue also offers a free tasting, discounted accommodation for your guests and a free night’s stay (terms and conditions apply). For groups who want to take advantage of the luxurious accommodation, you can opt for of one of the exclusive packages. The Night Before package is avaialble with a menu, which is perfect for bringing family and friends together beforehand. Alternatively, if you have loved ones staying the night of your wedding, you may prefer The Morning After package with breakfast menu – ideal for reminiscing about the celebrations the night before.

THE BISHOP’S PALACE AND GARDENS, WELLS

01749 988 111 | www.bishopspalace.org.uk

Steeped in history, The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens sits at the heart of the Medieval city of Wells, Somerset. Whether your arrival is by car or a relaxed stroll across the drawbridge, you’ll be greeted with breathtaking views of the stunning, 800-year-old Medieval building.

The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens boasts 14 acres of perfectly-kept gardens for you and your guests to enjoy, and there’s something quite magical about them. With the moat surrounding the Palace offering the tranquil sounds of flowing water, the stunning backdrop of Wells Cathedral, picturesque willow bridge and seasonal flowers and plants all year round, this is a beautiful place for you and your loved ones to gather after the “I dos” elsewhere.

Receptions can be hosted in one of two locations, both able to accommodate 105 guests. The Undercroft seats your nearest and dearest at bespoke wooden banqueting tables, and you can welcome a further 50 for the evening. The space is not only beautiful, but versatile, and the team work closely with a local catering partner to ensure quality, locallysourced ingredients and a high level of service.

Following the speeches and cutting of the cake, you can retire to the Portrait Gallery for coffee. Here, you can relax and take time to enjoy this more informal time with your loved ones, while the team transforms the Undercroft ready for your first dance followed by live music or DJ.

IN THE

navyElizabeth and Jack styled their big day in a gorgeous palette of blues ranging from dark to light Images courtesy of Tina Vedrine of The Vedrines Photography

Elizabeth met Jack while working at Cineworld. She’d just finished her degree in the U.S. and he was in his last year at university. Although the pair had mutual friends, they’d never met until this point. Elizabeth tells us, “A co-worker told me that she thought I’d really like Jack, and she wasn’t wrong! I’d definitely say it was an instant attraction on my part, but it did take him a few months to ask me out on our first date.”

Jack proposed to Elizabeth on her birthday at The Ivy in Bath. “When we arrived at our table a member of staff asked if we’d like to see the outside terrace, and as we headed out I knew Jack was about to propose. He started: ‘There’s a reason I’ve brought you up here today...’ After that I had tunnel vision until the moment I could accept,” Elizabeth shares. This was actually the back-up plan as Jack had hoped to pop the question on the bridge in Prior Park earlier that morning, but it had closed due to windy weather. But, Elizabeth says, “It didn’t matter where he asked me the question, the answer would always be, ‘Yes’.”

Elizabeth’s sister tied the knot at Clearwell Castle, partner venue to St Audries Park, so she’d known about it for a while. Once she became engaged to Jack, this was top of her list to go and see. “I cried the whole way around,” she tells us. Jack had to work that morning and met her at the second venue appointment of the day. By the time he reached her, St Audries Park was all she could talk about, so they returned later in the week to allow him to see it, and it was done. “We were actually very lucky as we booked our date, 21st May 2022, only a few days before the country went into lockdown,” Elizabeth remembers.

Read on as the bride tells us more about the big day...

SETTING THE SCENE

The couple decided on blue for their palette and with navy as the main base lighter hues were added as accents. This was beautifully achieved with the favours and place names, which were little acrylic cards in three different shades of blue rotated around the tables. Also made from acrylic were the frosted welcome sign, unplugged sign, order of the day and table numbers all with white vinyl lettering, which the bride made herself with her Cricut.

When it came to the flowers, Elizabeth had something super-simple in mind for her bouquet. “I went with mainly white flowers, specifically garden roses, which the boys also wore as buttonholes, with a little bit of light blue coming through via the thistles,” she explains. Elizabeth had collected lots of different crystal vases for the centrepieces and their wedding florist filled them with gypsophila, light blue delphiniums and lunaria. The smaller vases were used to hold tea lights – autumn pearl by Yankee Candle. Larger candles adorned the top table, which helped to fill the reception space with fragrance.

The big-day bake boasted three tiers and was decorated in icing to look like waves with a blend of different blues. The cake maker also made some lunaria for it to match the floral arrangements.

LOOKING THE PART

Elizabeth looked stunning in Jess by Eva Lendel. “As soon as I saw it, I knew it was the one,” she says. “I knew I wanted something clean, simple and elegant, but didn’t imagine it would be as incredible. It was the first one I tried on.” The bride paired the gown with a cathedral-length veil and in the evening wore a crown adorned in pearls, moons and stars. She was also able to remove her overskirt for a trip down to the beach. The pièce the résistence was a pair of glorious sparkly Jimmy Choos.

Jack wore a dark navy suit by Mark Darcy along with a cream waistcoat and navy paisley tie. The groomsmen were dressed in the same suits, but wore theirs with the matching waistcoats and light blue paisley

ties. The bridesmaids meanwhile wore floor-length Dessy dresses in midnight navy with cowl neck.

TIME TO CELEBRATE

Live singer Lucy from Lula Weddings performed and helped to create the right atmosphere during the canapé and drinks reception. Then, during the wedding breakfast, the couple set up a board with a first dance sweepstake. Everyone was asked to pick a song that the couple might have chosen for this special moment. It turned out to be Sleeping at Last’s version of I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles). There was also a photo booth for guests to enjoy in the evening – “Everyone had a blast with it,” Elizabeth says.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

The ceremony is the part of the day that comes to mind for Elizabeth as her highlight. “We’d been waiting more than two years to get to this point, so I was emotional throughout the morning, but once I saw Jack I was just so happy. He woke up with no voice though, so when we met at the end of the aisle and he croaked ‘hello,’ it was a big surprise,” she shares.

The bride continues: “All of our suppliers were absolutely fantastic but Courtney, our wedding planner, was such a star. She had everything in hand and was a pleasure to have around on the day.”