DRESS FOR SUCCESS Claire didn’t envisage she’d have to travel so far to find her dream dress. “I found my Ronald Joyce Hudson gown browsing online,” she says. “Sadly, the boutique where I’d seen it didn’t have my size, so I rang other local stockists in the hope I’d find one – or something similar. My search proved fruitless, but just as I’d nearly given up I found one in a shop 120 miles away! Driving to Huddersfield, I was over the moon to discover it was, in fact, the one. A bargain due to it being a sample that needed fixing, I could afford to have bell sleeves added, as well as some rips fixed on the train. I can’t thank Aimee at Corsetry & Couture enough – she made it fit like a glove; and I felt like Frozen’s Elsa on the day!” Dan, however, wasn’t as keen picking out something to wear. “Suit shopping was the one thing Dan was dreading, as he hates fuss,” continues Claire. “However, the Royal Quays Moss Bros store really helped him feel at ease. His suit was made to measure, with Dan choosing all the materials, buttons and thread. In keeping with our tropical theme, he also picked out a tiki lining for his jacket and waistcoat, before personalising the inside pocket with our names and wedding date. The restrictions were fully gone by this point, so there were no worries about date changes ruining his customisation!” FOOD OF LOVE The couple ensured there was an abundance of food for friends and family to choose from. “We were blown away by the selection available at Newton Hall,” says Claire. “We decided on canapés at the drinks’ reception to start with; then, not wanting to limit our guests to a set menu, mixed things up for the wedding breakfast by having a BBQ! It meant that instead of everyone being stuck inside on a warm May afternoon, they could sit out in the sun to enjoy their burgers and potato salad. We followed this with sticky toffee pudding, plus coffees and a selection of lovely local cheeses. But it didn’t stop there: after our first set from the wedding band, everyone was served mini fish and chip cones, pizzas, and nachos with a huge choice of toppings.” The cake was also something that got Claire and Dan’s guests talking. “We ordered ours from a cake shop in Prudhoe that doesn’t usually cater for weddings,” says the bride. “However, their cakes and traybakes are always delicious and leave you wanting more, so I asked – and they delivered! We chose a two-tier cake with Lotus Biscoff and Rocky Road flavours. I still dream about that cake now! It was, pun totally intended, the icing on the cake to a day of fantastic food options.” SING FOR YOUR SUPPER Music was another important element to the couple’s wish-list. “We played Boyce Avenue’s cover tracks throughout the ceremony and breakfast,” says Claire. “If you haven’t heard of the band we recommend a listen – it’s a simple way to make the wedding more personal, but with no extra cost!” Next up came the entertainment. “I’d seen numerous singing waiters and magicians at wedding fairs, but it didn’t seem right for us,” continues Claire. “I wanted something our guests wouldn’t expect, so asked a close friend of mine, who performs as a Drag Queen, to get involved. Miss Gloria Love waited until everyone had finished their sticky toffee pudding, exploding into the room with enormous energy singing Proud Mary. I’ll never forget looking around at a sea of surprised faces, feeling ecstatic because I’d achieved it. They loved every second!” Claire had yet more surprises up her (bell) sleeves. “Dan’s jaw dropped when I started singing Eva Cassidy’s Songbird to him, which I used to sing to my late grandma,” says the bride. “He stood in the middle of the dance floor and looked straight into my eyes, while I did my best to fight back the tears. We then turned that raw emotion into a night of incredible dancing, hiring the fantastic House of Sax experience, who brought Ibiza all the way to Northumberland. Their mix of sax and bongos to a DJ set was the perfect end to our beach vibe wedding, and we wouldn’t change a single thing.” CLAIRE’S TOP TIP “Plans go wrong, but you won’t remember any of it! Instead, you’ll treasure the first time you see your other half, who it was that caught the bouquet, and who you danced the night away with.” REAL WEDDINGS 33
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