An Essex Wedding - May/June 2020 (Issue 92)

There were some funny moments during the ceremony. We decided to write our own promises to each other. I was struggling to get my words out and accidentally said, “I’m so happy to call you my wife.” As you can imagine, the whole barn erupted with laughter, and Joel still gets mocked for this! Joel wore a two-piece Ben Sherman suit with an embossed white waistcoat and bow tie. He’s very particular about his accessories, so he treated himself to a new watch and Italian leather shoes. He had a large groomsmen party, each wearing the same waistcoat as Joel but in silver. I had just as big a bridal party! My girls wore two different styles of neckline but in the same full-length chiffon style. For me, the cake was one of the best parts of our day! It was four yummy flavours: red velvet, carrot, vanilla and lemon and elderflower. It was adorned with brightly coloured flowers and sat on an old whisky barrel. My dad got an old pallet from his work and used it to make the table plan with plant pots and lolly sticks. We named our tables after words that represented our wedding theme – our parents and grandparents were not pleased to find they were on the table called Antiques! We used another pallet for the order of service, which our florist decorated with a pretty garland. We gifted our guests personalised candles and hangover kits as favours. When Joel and I first started talking about what we wanted from the day, the main thing we agreed on was for all of our loved ones to have fun, with a laid-back vibe. We utilised the space at the venue by hiring giant garden games. REAL WEDDINGS 43 