Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding - Jan/Feb 2018 (Issue 43)

38 LOOKING THE PART Steph looked amazing in an ivory lace fishtail-style gown by Mori Lee. “It was exactly as I imagined, but it wasn’t all plain sailing,” she explains. “I tried on at least 30 dresses before finding the one . The talented team at Natalie Ann Brides were great and tailored the dress to fit like a glove.” She accessorised it with a single-tier veil that beautifully framed the dress’ long train, a statement hair slide and a pair of Valentino shoes, courtesy of her brother. The men looked dashing in black-tie attire. “Craig wore a navy velvet jacket with a subtle paisley print. He looked like the perfect gentleman – which he is,” Steph says. The bride wanted her best girls in evening gowns, rather than traditional bridesmaids’ dresses. “I bought them a year before the wedding because they were exactly what I wanted – a blush pink backless gown with a pleated halterneck and long train,” she says. “Our parents all looked wonderful too – perfectly in keeping with the theme.” TIME TO CELEBRATE With such a traditional venue, the pair were keen to strike a balance between formality and fun. “We had a singer for the ceremony and reception drinks called Tolu Ajayi. He put his own spin on noughties and current R&B songs, which created a great atmosphere for everyone sitting in the sun, drinking and having a good time,” Steph tells us. “After our first dance, we had a saxophonist and percussionist from Jonny Ross Music perform Show Me Love by Robin S. The crowd went crazy!” The couple even got involved and played the bongo with the musicians at the end of the night! A magician did the rounds during the day and wowed everyone with his tricks and got their guests mingling. MEMORABLE MOMENTS Steph was calm on the morning of the big day, which she was surprised about as she admits that she can get stressed out. This is in contrast to the groom whose morning was a little more hectic as he had to get his hair cut and finish his speech! It wasn’t until Steph reached the entrance to the venue that it hit her. “Jason and Jo from the venue fluffed out my train and asked if I was ready. Then it all became very real,” she remembers. “My heart was pounding as I walked down the aisle to see Craig sobbing with emotion. It still gives me butterflies now. Then dad gave me my last hug as Miss Wynne before I turned and said our vows.” The pair took a moment for themselves on the terrace in the evening. “We looked around at everyone having a ball, unable to believe we’d pulled it all off and it was even better than we could’ve imagined,” the bride says. The couple knew they couldn’t have done it without the help of some very special people. “Our parents were wonderful and did so much to make the day a reality,” Steph says. “While the entire team at Knowsley Hall were amazing, Jason was the star of the show. From day one we got on like a house on fire and he continued to go above and beyond for us.”