GO WITH YOUR HEART

from Your Kent Wedding - Issue 97 July/August 2021

READY, SET, PLAN

REAL WEDDINGS GO WITH your heart Despite a whole host of changes to their original plans, Georgia and Charlie were determined that their big day was meant to be and Charlie were determined that their big day was meant to be Images courtesy of Photography by Kirsty

Georgia’s family and Charlie’s were friends for many years before the pair became a couple. They bonded thanks to their mutual love of Millwall FC and their relationship blossomed over a series of Saturdays at its matches.

Charlie proposed to Georgia on her 21st birthday. During celebrations at her nan’s house, as she began to open cards and presents, Charlie told her he wanted to give her a meaningful gift that she’d remember forever. He then got down on one knee and asked her to marry him! “Of course I said ‘yes.’ My mum and nan were both in tears,” Georgia tells us. It was then revealed that before she’d arrived her mum and nan had been frantically tearing down congratulations banners at Charlie’s behest. He’d originally planned to propose over breakfast at the Shard, but when he got stopped by security on the way in thanks to the engagement ring in his pocket, he thought he’d been rumbled by Georgia and aborted the plan. Still, all’s well that end’s well.

So, by the time it came to planning the wedding, the couple were already used to rolling with the punches. The intention had been to get married in their local church and host the reception at Millwall Football Club, it being so dear to their hearts and key to their love story. However, due to the pandemic they thought it best to make some changes and decided to hold their day in one location. They’d discovered Westerham Golf Club the fi rst time they started looking for venues and it’d stuck in their minds. “Plus, Charlie’s hobby is golf, so it was a winner with him,” Georgia says.

As the Covid crisis worsened more replanning was necessary, but the couple were determined and set about rescheduling their day. Georgia explains, “When the country went into lockdown in March 2020 we knew our June wedding would be unlikely to go ahead. So, we decided to move it to 27th December and I began the process of replanning. However, as the big day approached the pandemic had started to worsen and we knew another lockdown was imminent, leaving our plans hanging in the balance. At this point we both decided we’d had enough of rearranging everything and decided to bring our celebration forward to 18th October – at the time just six weeks away.”

Read on as the bride shares more memories of the couple’s hard-won big day...

I wore an ivory LouLou dress. It was simple and elegant with a V-neck line and pearl trim around the waist. I tried on several designs but when I put this on, I knew it was the one.

I accessorised this with an ivory horsehair-edge cape, which I made and could be detached at the shoulder. I completed my look with a pair of Ted could be detached at the shoulder. I completed my look with a pair of Ted Baker court shoes with a pearl-adorned brooch detail and a clutch bag with “I do” on it.

We travelled to the venue in a white Hackney carriage taxi adorned in navy ribbon.

I was incredibly nervous on the morning of the wedding and even when taking my vows I could feel my heart beating through my chest. But, Charlie was as calm as ever! We were both on cloud nine for the rest of the day and even the day after. rest of the day and even the day after.

Charlie wore navy trousers with an ivory shirt and navy tie. He paired this with a grey and navy check waistcoat with a matching jacket and navy brogues. The groomsmen wore navy jackets, meaning the groom stood out. My bridesmaid wore a navy fi tted bodice with fl oral lace design, high neck detailing and chi on maxi skirt.

Blossom trees decorated the aisle on either side and we added Mr & Mrs Wood light-up letters to the reception space, which were surrounded by a navy, grey, silver and white balloon display. We bought everyone individual gifts, as well as mini bottles of hand sanitisers complete with stickers that read: “spread love hand sanitisers complete with stickers that read: “spread love not germs.”

Our centrepieces were hurricane vases containing candles, which sat inside a ring of fl owers and our fl oral arrangements consisted of ivory roses, hydrangeas and gypsophila.

As there were only 15 of us we wanted something simple and traditional. So, we opted for a six-inch extra-deep vanilla sponge cake with raspberry jam and swiss buttercream fi lling, covered in ivory sugar paste with our initials stencilled in navy. It was embellished with sugar petals and beads and a silver topper, which read: “fi nally married.”

We sat down to a traditional wedding breakfast of roast dinner, followed by our fi rst dance and the cutting of the cake. Although we weren’t able to have a full reception we plan to have one at later Millwall Football Club once all restrictions are lifted.

When we told our families that we’d brought our big day forward, they told us everything happens for a reason. Sadly, Charlie’s grandad passed away just six weeks after the wedding. Charlie’s grandad passed away just six weeks after the wedding. It meant the world to us to have our grandparents there.