IN LOVE Lessons Teachers Karleen and Fiona tied the knot in the very school where they met Images courtesy of Kate Bamber Photographic Karleen and Fiona met at work, when Fiona started teaching at the same school at Karleen. After hitting it off, it was Karleen that got down on one knee at a romantic treehouse retreat during a weekend away! Fast-foward, their wedding date was set for 4th August 2025, with Marden Park Mansion setting the scene for their special day. Picking the venue came easily to Karleen and Fiona, deciding the school they work at would be the perfect place, and with exclusive weekend hire, it was a no-brainer! Karleen adds, “It’s a beautiful venue with stunning grounds providing great opportunities for beautiful pictures. The wedding planners at the venue are so helpful and a real dream to work with – especially as we did it in 56 days!” Karleen and Fiona’s chosen theme was ‘travel with rustic charm’; featuring soft pinks, browns, and wildflowers. Karleen and Fiona tasked their florist with transforming five spaces with flower displays, in keeping with their theme and paying homage to the period features in the venue. For favours, they had mini suitcases packed with sweets and personalised aeroplane magnets. Their wedding cake exuded all things travel, with each layer being decorated with the theme in mind. The flavours of this cake extravaganza included vanilla, Oreo, Biscoff and chocolate – delicious! Karleen and Fiona decided to name the tables after locations they’d visited as a couple which perfectly highlighted the travelling theme. These locations were signified by map outlines in gold on sage-green backgrounds, tying in the gold on the magnets and cake. The key to ensuring your theme is cohesive is to implement elements of it throughout. The catering is a highlight for guests at any wedding, to keep their loved ones satisfied, Karleen and Fiona served up a delicious range of canapés, including jerk chicken skewers, Peking duck and many other delicacies. For the wedding breakfast, barbecue pulled pork was the star of the show, followed by a dessert aptly named Woldingham mess! In the evening, they rolled out an impressive buffet with all the classics, finishing with waffles, churros, and an ice cream cart – wow! For their bridal looks, Karleen wore her mum’s dress, a Bridgette Moore design, something she’d always had her heart set on. She adds, “I’d always loved its unique style with the long jacket. I didn’t even go to look at other dresses, I just knew.” Fiona wore a Victoria Jane dress by Ronald Joyce which perfectly complemented Karleen’s. Their bridesmaids wore dresses ranging in colours from coral, brown and sage. To entertain their guests on the big day, before the partying started, Karleen and Fiona hired some garden games to keep everyone busy. For the evening, a DJ ensured everyone celebrated in style, dancing the night away, and a photo booth allowed people to take away a memento from the day. Karleen adds, “our two dogs, Niko and Nala, kept guests busy too!” For this lovely couple, some moments that stood out to them was being in a room surrounded by their loved ones, and their rugby teammates hoisting them up in the airon the dancefloor! REAL WEDDINGS 25
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