AND TIMELESS Fuss-free Soraya and Matthew’s timeless and intimate nuptials included their baby’s gender reveal for a double celebration Images courtesy of Gary West Photography Soraya and Matthew’s story began on the dating app Hinge, where they matched, and after several failed attempts at meeting, finally set up an impromptu date for drinks after work one night. Matthew texted Soraya asking for a second date before her train doors closed, and the rest is history. Matthew proposed to his love while on a boat trip in Capri. “My planned speech quickly went out of the window,” he shares. “With mumbled words and a racing heart, I asked Soraya to marry me.” The bride-to-be had attended two memorable weddings at Tottington Manor, and as soon as she showed it to Matthew, he was immediately won over. “Having everything on site – the ceremony, canapés, wedding breakfast and accommodation meant the venue offered us exactly what we wanted,” she explains. So, with the date set and an unfussy, simple and timeless theme in mind, plans were underway. Soraya wore a flowing, Grecian-style gown with a cape from Reiss, which complemented the eucalyptus used to decorate the ceremony room. The gorgeous greenery trailed along either side of the aisle, as well as the table used for signing the register. “It was a true vision,” Soraya remembers. Meanwhile, Matthew chose a tailored suit made by Paul Adler at Tom James. Tottington Manor offered local produce for both food and drink, which suited the couple perfectly as they were keen to ensure everything was as local as possible. “We also love Sussex wine, so the choice of Roebuck English Sparkling, Ridgeview Bloomsbury, and Poynings Grange Bacchus was the perfect offering,” Soraya says. “As we wanted an intimate, no-frills wedding, we tried to focus on three key things: good wine, good food and good company. Making sure the guests were topped up on local Sussex wine and delicious food in a beautiful setting meant we could also enjoy mingling inside and outside the venue.” The wedding breakfast featured a starter of soup of the day with crusty bread, sea bass fillet for the main course served with lemon caper butter, seasonal greens, buttered carrots and mashed potato, with a vegetarian option of seasonal squash and pine nut crumble tart with mustard drizzle. A delicious dessert of berry trifle with nutty granola crumble topping followed. The fire pits set up for the evening were a welcome addition as they allowed the couple and their loved ones to continue the celebrations al fresco. As Soraya was pregnant at the time, the couple decided to incorporate the baby’s gender reveal. They set up a confetti walk using coloured confetti cannons to reveal the news. “The gender was a surprise for us as well as our guests, so this was a really memorable way of receiving the news – only the venue staff knew the secret beforehand!” Soraya shares. Having organised a dreamy, intimate wedding day, the bride has some top tips for anyone looking to achieve the same: “Don’t get caught up in unnecessary extras and costs. Less is definitely more for an elegant, intimate feel. Focus on what really matters to you as a couple. My mum has always taught me that money can’t buy style, which is something I always swear by.” REAL WEDDINGS 29
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