Your Surrey Wedding- June/July 2020 (Issue 83)

REAL WEDDINGS 45  S ophie and Abel met at work. “Abel had the cheek to ask my boss to set us up on a date,” says Sophie. “My boss suggested I go for a drink with him as I was new to the role. I thought he was really fun and attractive and we’ve been together ever since.” Abel popped the question during a trip to South Africa. “We had been on a beautiful safari and popped back to our villa to change for dinner,” shares the bride. “He took us on a different route to the restaurant, and I happily followed as I have zero sense of direction. Turns out he had planned a private dinner for us, complete with candles, flowers, champagne and incredible views of the stunning landscape. During dinner he asked me to marry him, and I cried (a lot). It was the best day of my life.” SETTING THE SCENE “We moved to Richmond when we bought our first home and quickly fell in love with the area,” explains Sophie. “We have made so many happy memories and really wanted to keep our wedding close to home. Our venues perfectly captured our personalities and were exactly what we were looking for.” The lovebirds decided to give their guests miniature pots of marmalade made by Sophie’s grandad as favours. “They were delicious,” shares the bride. “We had messages for months afterwards from guests saying how much they enjoyed it and asked if they could get hold of more!” For their table plan, they hired the talented Kate Ridyard Calligraphy. “We loved it so much that we’ve since had it framed,” explains Sophie. “Our tables were named after our favourite vineyards and Kate incorporated our theme into the design perfectly.” The couple’s big-day bake was made by Le Papillon Cakes. “We wanted something pretty, but not too fussy, that all our guests could enjoy,” shares Sophie. “We loved the design. It was a tower of mini- sponges with a cake at the top. Everything was gone by the end of the night and tasted amazing.” Sophie and Abel decided to have lots of beautiful flowers. “Our florist, Bramble & Moss, created stunning bouquets, buttonholes and gorgeous arrangements for the church,” says the bride. “Our wedding coordinator, Trust in Love, then moved them to our reception venue. Petersham Nurseries did all of our table displays, and our coordinator ensured our burgundy theme flowed throughout the décor.” “We wanted to incorporate our colour scheme into the reception venue, so we hired balloons from Bubblegum Balloons,” reveals Sophie. “The team transformed the space, which looked amazing. In the evening, we had the most incredible meal at Petersham Nurseries, followed by finger food at the Terrace Bar at Revolution. We also created our own sweet table that proved to be extremely popular.” To transport everyone, they booked a lovely car from White London Taxi and a mini-bus from Mayday Travel.