pearl earrings, a necklace and a bracelet from loved ones to accessorise her look. Later in the evening, she swapped into a diamanté necklace, her grandmother’s sapphire ring and a bracelet Alex had gifted her on the morning of the wedding. Silk flats finished off her look with a bit of bling around the edges. The bride comments, “I felt happy and comfortable with my look. I had this odd moment where my bridesmaids and mum were all out of the room getting ready, and I was standing alone in my dress. I remember feeling completely at ease, which is all I could have asked for.” The bridesmaids wore beautiful off-the-shoulder chiffon dresses with beautiful details on the back with buttons and ribbon. Alex wore a morning suit hired from HRH Holmes & Son Ltd in Hitchin. He had a different waistcoat from the groomsmen to stand out; he wore blue while the others had grey. The company shared plenty of advice with the pair and were fantastic throughout the process – they even sorted last-minute alterations. TIME TO CELEBRATE The pair hired a DJ and saxophonist to help keep guests entertained in the evening; they were great and really got the party started. The bride says, “The team nailed the playlist! It’s hard to entertain loads of 30-year-olds and 60-yearolds, but they did a great job of catering to all.” The pair both felt at ease and really happy during the day. Sophie says, “During the ceremony, I felt a bit like a dear in headlights as everything happened so quickly – we couldn’t remember afterwards what we’d even said! We took moments to sit back and enjoy it together during the day, which we’re grateful for. I remember desperately wanting to remember every moment and detail by trying to be as present as possible.” The couple had rehearsed their first dance and set up fireworks as a surprise for all of the guests, and they felt more relaxed after this had taken place. Seeing all their guest together was so special for Sophie and Alex. The bride says, “After spending months trying to plan and visualise the day, seeing it all come together in front of you is a great feeling and a bit surreal! We also had so many happy guests – lots of love and happiness all day.” She continues, “One thing that stood out was the staff at Offley Place. Our on-the-day coordinator, Angela, was absolutely incredible and was there before you needed her every time. She covered everything and made us feel so at ease – the whole team were outstanding, and we couldn’t have asked for more. We felt as though everyone really cared about our day, and they were so happy to help.” The couple’s parents and the wedding party helped the day come together – the pair will forever be grateful to everyone involved. The fantastic photographer and videographer Nikki and Kane Watkins are wedding experts! They were excellent at directing guests to ensure everyone was in the right place and at the right time while making the pair feel relaxed in front of the camera. They knew the venue and the timings to the minute – a benefit of using local suppliers! The team helped the lovebirds envision the day before it happened and captured the most incredible shots that the newlyweds will treasure forever, including excelling at the almost impossible task of surprise firework photos! Most guests commented on one hilarious moment: how the flowergirl dropped a wedding ring during the vows. After the unmistakable ‘ding’ as the ring hit the floor, the whole room erupted into laughter – thankfully, the piece was located and it helped everyone relax while setting the tone for day! 35 REAL WEDDINGS
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