names were wooden love heart keyrings tied with burgundy ribbon which also attached to the table plan,” Anya describes. “We had photographs in frames dotted around the reception of all the married couples who attended our wedding on their big day.” Guests enjoyed prosecco and canapés after the ceremony and for the wedding breakfast, they tucked into a barbecue. “I’m from South Africa where barbecues, known as braais, are very popular so we ate burgers, sausages and chicken served with a variety of salads and chips,” Anya says. “We also had an ice cream station for dessert serving four delicious flavours and an assortment of toppings and sauces plus a brownie pyramid.” Anya and Andy had a sweetie table and a white and burgundy buttercream cake decorated with silk flowers. “It featured a combination of our favourite flavours including biscoff and red velvet,” Anya describes. “It was displayed on a cake stand that Andy’s dad made for us mounted on a personalised metal ring that Andy created finished with Mr & Mrs initials and the date of our wedding. My daughter crocheted us some cute wedding bears that took pride of place on the sweetie table!” LOOKING THE PART Anya wore a beautiful dress called Sheryl by Romantica of Devon that she loved. “It was a mermaid shape with lace shoulder straps, a layered bodice adorned with handbeaded detail and an illusion back,” she tells us. “I teamed it with a cathedral-length veil and a rose gold Swarovski crystal hair accessory.” Andy chose a navy three-piece suit with a contrasting burgundy and gold trim on the pockets that tied in with the colour scheme. “He wore a burgundy waistcoat and bow tie along with a Louis Vuitton pin on his jacket instead of a buttonhole,” Anya says. “Our best man wore the same suit with a navy waistcoat and burgundy tie and Mason, who was our ring security, wore a royal blue three-piece suit with a burgundy bow tie and a ‘ring security’ badge!” The maid-of-honour and flowergirl wore gold gowns while the two bridesmaids wore different burgundy dresses. “One featured a classic round neck with a lace bust and one was a sleeveless empire-line style,” Anya says, TIME TO CELEBRATE The couple had a DJ to entertain guests during the evening of the wedding and a live singer on Sunday evening after lunch. “We also had coloured smoke bombs that looked fantastic in the photographs with the last one turning the back of my dress green which everyone found amusing!” Anya tells us. “I then tripped over my dress on the dancefloor and fell backwards with one of my friends falling on top of me which added to the entertainment!” “Our photographers and videographers were outstanding, they worked so hard to capture everything that we asked for and more.” – Anya and Andy 31 REAL WEDDINGS
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