MOMENTS Magical All things mystical would underline Suzanne and Ashley’s wedding at Brandshatch Place Images courtesy of Natalie Le Mare Photography Suzanne and Ashley met on Tinder, and it truly was love at first swipe – Ashley was Suzanne’s first and last swipe on the app! They met up the very next day and it was an instant connection for both. Suzanne adds, “it didn’t take me long to know that I was going to marry him (roughly two weeks). It took him a bit longer to realise this (nine years!), but it was worth the wait. Ten years on and we are happier than ever with a baby on the way.” You can see flashes of Suzanne’s baby bump in these wedding photos, which makes this romantic day even more special! So nines years after meeting, how did Ashely pop the question? After the sad passing of Suzanne’s dad in 2024, Suzanne and her mum decided to go on a cruise of the Norwegian Fjords; little did she know that Ashley was coming too. Here Ashley tells us more, “my plan was to wait until the next day to propose but fate had other ideas. That evening, Rob and I were leaving one of the bars, and across the room – staring straight at me – was Suzanne. I panicked! I did what any man would do: I dove behind the nearest cover, which just so happened to be a man selling roses. I had two options; jump overboard and swim for mainland OR grab a rose, and propose. I chose option two.” Brandshatch Place would be the venue for this this lovely couple’s wedding day. They needed a location that would lend itself well to their chosen theme, which was Dungeons & Dragons with a dash of fantasy role play games. With help from Chic Weddings, they turned Brandshatch Place into a whimsical woodland which included trees on half of the guest tables and low-level, natural woodland materials on the others. Suzanne details, “for decoration of the top table, there were two fullheight trees at either side that extended to meet in the middle, with moss and foliage at the base; this was paired with natural woodland materials.” For the cake, they opted for a three-tier extravaganza, topped with two figurines to represent their D&D characters – who were hunted by a red dragon swooping in from above. Suzanne wore a champagne-toned gown by White Rose, which had structural design changes, to remove the sleeves and make room for an ever-growing bump. The bridesmaids wore forest-green dresses with lace detailing and chiffon skirts, all of which suited the other shades of green at the wedding. Ashley wore a three-piece suit with a floral tie and pocket square and the groomsmen wore similar suits with green accessories. When Suzanne isn’t co-hosting a wedding, she’s a teacher and really came into her own during the entertainment segments. Suzanne adds, “Ashley has a unique way of expressing himself – we coined these ‘Ashisms’ – quirky references to phrases only he understands. We decided to turn them into a multiple-choice quiz! I was in my element getting guests to swap quizes for marking after the main meal.” To lean on the fantasy theme of the day, this couple crafted some well named mocktail “potions” called “Dragon’s Blood, Fairy Nectar, and Goblin’s Fortune”. After downing your magical mocktail, you could head over to the guestbook table and leave a “blessing scroll” for the newlyweds; which the master of ceremonies ensured were all collected, so that the couple could sift through them the next day. To entertain the children in attendance, Suzanne and Ashley set up a crafting station for them. Here they could decorate dragon mobiles and play with colours and stencils. Suzanne recalls, “We were very surprised when we were presented with a collage of messages and drawings dedicated to us! It was lovely to see the children occupied and being creative.” REAL WEDDINGS 27
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