Your Hampshire & Dorset Wedding - Jan/Feb 2018 (Issue 72)

REAL WEDDINGS 45  to choose as I wanted to find a style they’d all feel comfortable wearing,” she recalls. Andy looked smart in royal blue tails with an ivory waistcoat and cravat and ivory rose buttonhole. His groomsmen wore matching suits but with burgundy cravats and sunflowers to match the bridesmaids’ bouquets. SETTING THE SCENE They chose a traditional theme with a burgundy, navy and gold colour scheme for the décor. The table plan was written on a large antique framed mirror and instead of names for each table they picked numbers that were meaningful to them as a couple, including five, the number of their first house; 17, the day in May 2015 when they first met and 19, the day Andy proposed. In keeping with the tall ceilings and grand atmosphere of the reception room they had candelabra on mirrors surrounded by flickering tea lights as centrepieces. Andy’s friend James made their cake with burgundy and lace detailing for the bottom layer, gold marble effect with touches of gold leaf in the middle and pearlescent ivory for the top tier. “There was a cascade of burgundy roses down the side and bride and groom elephants at the bottom, which Andy’s mum made in a nod to our safari honeymoon,” says Danielle. TIME TO CELEBRATE Family and friends were entertained by a steel band during the drinks reception. “We chose it because we both love the Caribbean and went to the Dominican Republic for our first holiday together,” explains Danielle. They also had a caricaturist who circulated post-vows and during the wedding breakfast. “He was brilliant and managed to draw everyone at the wedding. Our guests loved it and the caricatures made great keepsakes.” For the evening do, the DJ played a mix of music and the fun included an appearance from a pantomime horse doing the conga. “I’ve been in an amateur panto group since I was 12, along with my parents, and many of the members were at the wedding so it fitted our celebration perfectly,” adds Danielle.