Jonathan first met Cathryn at work, but it wasn't until she left the department that they started to miss each other. They began meeting outside of work and spent a lot of time chatting in coffee shops, restaurants and going on walks. Jonathan always made Cathryn laugh as they shared a similar sense of humour. He says, "One day, I gave an impromptu proposal which Cathryn accepted. It was such a surprise that I had to ask again in the kitchen on one knee, although she's still waiting for the ring!"
The couple set the date for November 6th 2021, and created an intimate day surrounded by their nearest and dearest.
When it came to finding the perfect setting for their special day, the couple first visited Fanhams Hall in Ware and fell in love with the spaces. Jonathan says, "We felt connected to the property, and everything about it just felt right."
From the time of booking the venue to the actual wedding, the couple had five weeks to plan their big day and opted for a simple and classic theme.
For the wedding breakfast aach table featured balloon centrepieces in ivory, pearl and white shades, which matched the bows on the back of the chairs. There was a floral centrepiece on the registrar's table, which tied in with the floral cake topper and bouquet with autumn yellows and cream flowers. Place names and table numbers were created using card and green olive leaves to match the overall colour scheme. The two-tiered cake looked delicious with white icing and a green ribbons to make the design pop.
When it came to finding her dream dress, the bride wanted a simple and elegant look with a vintage and fun style. Cathryn opted for a cream floor-length gown with two thin straps – it was a perfect style. She accessorised her look with an autumnal russet, sparkly cream shoes, a gold threaded wrap and long silver and gold twisted earrings. After getting ready on the special day, the bride was glowing inside and out, and the groom looked dapper in a black tuxedo with a matching waistcoat, bow tie, art-deco styled cufflinks and black leather shoes.
To keep guests entertained, the couple’s close friend created a playlist to cater for all ages from four to 84. There were several tracks selected from each decade to appeal to everyone. The lovebirds received many positive comments about how much their loved ones enjoyed the music.
The couple felt so overwhelmed with love, warmth, and happiness throughout their special day. The groom says, "The day was made even more important and magical because we could share it with our close family. It was a perfect day for us, which was full of fun and laughter." The bride says, "Seeing Jonathan at the end of the aisle waiting with a big smile on his face made all my nerves go away." A special moment for the pair was hearing the readings during the ceremony and seeing how emotionally involved everybody was.
A funny moment from the day was when the registrar announced the couple as Mr and Mrs but with Cathryn's maiden name rather than their new married name, which made everyone laugh. Another memorable moment was one of the children being caught on camera attempting to sample the icing on the cake before it was cut!
A special touch for the couple was matching rings designed and made by Chapter 79. The groom says, "The rings were based on an existing piece that I'd had for many years. We ordered them in November 2020 with no idea of when we would get married, but it was great to have them when we finally found a venue and only had five weeks to arrange everything.
On the night of the wedding, the newlyweds and the groom's family stayed at the property, enabling everyone to enjoy the evening even more without worrying about travelling home. After the special day, the couple had a minimoon at the Belton Woods Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort in Lincolnshire and had a relaxed time full of pampering.
