13 minute read
YOU’RE ONE IN A MILLION
Kerry and Matt said “I do” at The Ravenswood in December 2020
Images courtesy of John Scofield Photography
Matt proposed to Kerry in the summer of 2019 at Cottesmore Golf and Country Club. One of the little chalets had been arranged, or so Kerry thought, for his family to stay in while visiting for the weekend. But when she arrived to find the room decorated with rose petals, balloons and flowers, she realised a surprise was afoot! Both sets of families eagerly awaited the newly engaged couple to emerge so they could all celebrate together. “I was lost for words when it happened,” Kerry tells us.
The couple looked at many venues across the county when planning began in earnest, but had been unable to find quite what they were looking for until they found The Ravenswood. Kerry explains, “The turreted exterior is beautiful and the grounds are astonishing with the old boat house and three lakes. I really wanted somewhere that offered the opportunity to hold our ceremony in the open air, so the Little Castle truly ticked my box of being a princess for the day. Inside, the venue had everything to offer and the staff were so welcoming and helpful, nothing was too much hassle.”
With the venue booked for 1st December 2020 and the guest list finally whittled down to 60 the couple were excited for their big day. However, Covid had different ideas. “It was really difficult deciding who to invite when we discovered our guest list would have to be halved, but when we were later informed we had to halve it again to just 15 that was the real challenge. We still wanted to get married though, that was the most important thing for us. So, we decided to go ahead joined by our closest family and friends followed later by a fantastic celebration with all of our loved ones once restrictions have been completely lifted. This is already being referred to as ‘Wedding 2.0’!” Luckily, they’d chosen to move the wedding back slightly by two weeks to 15th December, which meant they were clear of the second lockdown and able to go ahead. Thank goodness for technology too as many of their original guests were able to join them virtually via the live stream, and the couple were delighted to receive lots of lovely video messages, which they played with the speeches in the evening.
So, without any further ado join us as Kerry tells us all about their intimate wedding day…
For me as a bride waking up on wedding morning felt like Christmas Day when I was a little girl! The butterflies were unreal, but I knew I was marrying the most amazing man and that I couldn’t be luckier.
Matt looked so handsome as I walked towards him and the sun was shining so brightly. The whole day we were surrounded by people who truly love and care for us and my smile was ear to ear. Even when I tried to stop I couldn’t!
I knew this dress, Katherine, was the one from the moment I put it on. One of my bridesmaids recommended it, and although it wasn’t a style I’d ever considered myself wearing I felt so beautiful in it. The alterations were done by a fantastic seamstress in Horsham, It’s Sew Vintage.
My bridesmaids wore TFNC’s Jeanny Mulberry Maxi Dresses with blush-coloured shawls. They all finished the look with a different pair of gold shoes to suit their individual style.
Matt wore a tailor-made suit in navy paired with brown shoes. He stood out by wearing a mulberry bow tie instead of the neck ties worn by the groomsmen. He also had a few sparkles in his buttonhole to complement by bouquet.
Our favours were jars of homemade honey labelled ‘sweet as honey’ along with our names and wedding date.
We opted for silk flowers, which included a mixture of colours from our wedding palette. My bridal bouquet had small pink sparkles and incorporated my something blue gift. Each centrepiece featured a candle in a goldfish bowl surrounded by a wreath of green, mulberry, navy and light pink flowers.
Our three-tier cake was decorated with the same flowers as our bouquets, along with tiny golden Mickey Mouse heads. The top layer was a gluten- and diaryfree carrot cake with caramel buttercream, with the rest being red velvet and vanilla buttercream.
Since we weren’t able to hit the dancefloor together, we played Mr & Mrs and Boogie Bingo. Guests also had general knowledge quiz questions on their tables, which they all enjoyed.
Our first dance was particularly memorable as we’d choreographed it ourselves and had been rehearsing it for months. Our wedding coordinator Katie was amazing throughout. Even in the midst of a pandemic she made sure the day ran smoothly and for that period of time it felt like life was normal. No question was too silly and no favour too big, she understood all my dilemmas and made us feel at ease.
My mum was my maid-of-honour and listened to all my worries, wobbles and insecurities. She made sure I got everything done and was the gift that kept on giving. I’m eternally grateful for everything she did for us. Our best advice would simply be to talk to each other, air your fears and concerns. Write a list of things you need to conquer and try to identify areas that your bridal party can help with. Think about alternative ways to get your guests involved, a live stream for example.
THE W-DAY TEAM
Venue and catering, The Ravenswood, www.theravenswood.co.uk | Photographer, John Scofield Photography, www.johnscofieldphotography.co.uk | Dress, Bride By Aster, www.bridebyaster.com | Dress alterations, It’s Sew Vintage, www.facebook.com/itssewvintage | Bridesmaid dresses, TFNC London, www.tfnclondon.com | Jewellery and accessories, Lace and Favour, www.laceandfavour.com | Hair stylist, Beckie’s Bridal Hair, www.beckiesbridalhair.co.uk | Make-up artist, Emily Petty Makeup, www.facebook.com/emilypettymakeup | Suits, Moss Bros Ltd, www.moss.co.uk | Cake, Clare’s Cake Boutique, www.clarescakeboutique.co.uk Flowers, Hedgerose and Honeysuckle, www.hedgeroseandhoneysuckle.co.uk | Wedding rings, Wakefield’s Jewellers, https://wakefieldsjewellers.co.uk Venue styling, Mulberry Events, https://mulberry-events.co.uk | Entertainment, JPC Events, www.jpcevents.co.uk | Live stream video, The Filming Co., https://thefilmingco.com
Image courtesy of www.johnscofieldphotography.co.uk
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