Your West Midlands Wedding- February / March 2021 (Issue 72)

painting and handwriting and decorated them with artificial stargazer lilies, silver glitter and ribbons,” explains Gill. “Simon also built a ladder to display photos of those that couldn’t be with us and wedding photos from the previous generation. While we were on the lookout for wood to use for the welcome sign, we were lucky to spot a pool table in a charity shop. As we met playing pool, we grabbed the opportunity to buy it and were able to play a game on the day. As we had several children there, we set up a games room featuring the pool table, giant snakes and ladders, dominos, Jenga and skittles.” The happy couple served their guests canapes after the ceremony, followed by a three-course meal and evening buffet. DRESSED TO IMPRESS Gill wore a gorgeous Maggie Sottero gown called Ettia from Serendipity Brides. “I knew I didn’t want a traditional design and I wanted to be comfortable, so I could play with our children on the day,” says Gill. “I picked out some sparkly styles, but none of them quite hit the button. The owner, Lisa, went to pick a wildcard and came back with my dress. It was so slim compared to other dresses that I barely noticed it on the hanger. As it was such an elaborately beaded design, I kept the accessories simple.” Simon decided to wear a black lounge suit and shirt with a teal pattern from Peter Posh. “We wanted our wedding to be informal, and the look suited our theme perfectly,” explains the bride. “We then used a cut off from the girls’ dress alterations to fashion a handkerchief for his pocket.” “My best friend that I’d grown up with since the age of five was my maid-of-honour, and our daughters were my bridesmaids,” adds Gill. “We had a fantastic trip to Bea’s Bridal Studio to pick out their dresses. We were all able to work together to choose a style that suited them and was age-appropriate. We were so pleased that despite being an autumn wedding we chose bright colours for our bridesmaids as by chance lots of our guests wore dark hues, so it helped them stand out. As a nod to my grandma, our eldest daughter was able to wear her pearl and gold brooch in her hair.” TIME TO CELEBRATE “In line with my love for glittery thing I’d have loved to have had fireworks but knew this wouldn’t be an option at Warwick House due to their location,” shares Gill. “We agreed that we were willing to sacrifice them for the perfect venue. Instead, we chose to celebrate with sparklers on the terrace before the disco started.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS “We were excited but nervous on the day – after all, it had been a long time coming,” Gill shares. “For the end of October and following a week of rain, we had such a gloriously sunny day and were so lucky. Our registrars were fantastic. I was worried about meeting the person who was due to marry us 20 minutes before the ceremony, but Julia and Dee quickly grasped that we wanted to have a fun, informal ceremony and it really was that. It gave us the perfect start to our marriage.” The couple’s family and friends made their nuptials REAL WEDDINGS  35