Your Kent Wedding - November/December 2022 (Issue 105)

Chloe and Jamie were 16 and 17 respectively when they met, having been introduced by a mutual friend. Chloe found Jamie funny despite his shyness and the fact he only managed to give her one-word answers during the entirety of their first conversation. However, by their second meeting he’d come out of his shell and that’s when they really hit it off. “Even to this day, almost nine years later, no one makes me laugh like he does,” Chloe shares. Jamie booked a holiday to Iceland as part of his Christmas present to Chloe. It was going to be their last for a while as they were saving up for their first home. Whilst there they went on a tour of the Gold Circle including the Pingvellir National Park, the Geysers and Gullfoss Waterfall. Admiring the waterfall, Chloe was so engrossed in telling Jamie everything she’d learnt about its history on the journey, that it took her a few moments to notice that he’d been calling her name repeatedly. As she turned around there he was, down on one knee surrounded by American tourists encouraging her to say, “Yes.” With that she pulled her glove off so enthusiastically that it nearly went over the edge, but an onlooker rescued it and she held out her hand for Jamie to put the ring on. When the couple viewed Cooling Castle, they knew this was the place they wanted to host their special day. “The venue flows so nicely from the ceremony room to both barns, which ensured that as the bride, I could manoeuvre around the grounds without risk of being seen beforehand. We wanted a small, intimate wedding with a larger evening reception and Cooling Castle was perfect for this,” Chloe explains. The team were also able to cater for the bride’s dietary needs as a coeliac, ensuring she didn’t feel concerned or stressed on the day. So, the date was set for 14th April, 2022. Read on as Chloe tells us more about the big day... SETTING THE SCENE The couple opted for a rustic yet elegant theme with a palette of dusky blue and cream. The table plan was designed to fit in with this and featured vinyl writing, twine and blue and white flowers, along with various types of foliage. Chloe tells us, “The table names were based on places abroad that Jamie and I have visited over the years, which made our seating plan a lot more personal to us.” The wooden place names tied in with the rustic barn theme and doubled as favours since guests were able to take them home. The main favours however, were little jars of mints wittily labelled: “mint to be.” The centrepieces took the form of tall geo stands balanced on log slices. The floral arrangements they held were rugged in style with plenty of gorgeous green foliage, blue hydrangeas and roses. The bridal bouquet was hand-tied in a loose, natural style and included roses, blue hydrangeas and soft ruscus foliage. The bridesmaids carried gypsophila bouquets, while the groom’s party wore gypsophila buttonholes. Further florals featured in the ceremony room where foliage was draped down the stage. There was also a flower love heart designed to fit the couple’s palette. After moving through to the barn guests were met with LOVE letters, and when they made their grand entrance into the reception space, the newlyweds stood alongside them. The barn was also decorated with string lights running beam to beam creating a soft, romantic atmosphere. The three-tier gluten-free cake was flavoured with one tier of salted caramel, one with white chocolate and raspberry and the other as a cherry Bakewell. It was adorned in flowers to match the bride’s bouquet and a wooden cake topper. A crocheted bride and groom made by Jamie’s nan also sat on the cake table. REAL WEDDING 29

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