Posted by Kelly Andrews on 16 February 2023
Chloe and Jamie were 16 and 17 respectively when they met, having been introduced by a mutual friend.
Chloe found Jamie funny despite his shyness and the fact he only managed to give her one-word answers during the entirety of their first conversation. However, by their second meeting he'd come out of his shell and that's when they really hit it off. "Even to this day, almost nine years later, no one makes me laugh like he does," Chloe shares.
Whilst there they went on a tour of the Gold Circle including the Pingvellir National Park, the Geysers and Gullfoss Waterfall. Admiring the waterfall, Chloe was so engrossed in telling Jamie everything she'd learnt about its history on the journey, that it took her a few moments to notice that he'd been calling her name repeatedly.
As she turned around there he was, down on one knee surrounded by American tourists encouraging her to say, "Yes." With that she pulled her glove off so enthusiastically that it nearly went over the edge, but an onlooker rescued it and she held out her hand for Jamie to put the ring on.
When the couple viewed Cooling Castle, they knew this was the place they wanted to host their special day.
"The venue flows so nicely from the ceremony room to both barns, which ensured that as the bride, I could manoeuvre around the grounds without risk of being seen beforehand.
We wanted a small, intimate wedding with a larger evening reception and Cooling Castle was perfect for this," Chloe explains. The team were also able to cater for the bride's dietary needs as a coeliac, ensuring she didn't feel concerned or stressed on the day.
So, the date was set for 14th April, 2022. Read on as Chloe tells us more about the big day...
The couple opted for a rustic yet elegant theme with a palette of dusky blue and cream.
The table plan was designed to fit in with this and featured vinyl writing, twine and blue and white flowers, along with various types of foliage.
Chloe tells us, "The table names were based on places abroad that Jamie and I have visited over the years, which made our seating plan a lot more personal to us." The wooden place names tied in with the rustic barn theme and doubled as favours since guests were able to take them home. The main favours however, were little jars of mints wittily labelled: "mint to be."
The bridal bouquet was hand-tied in a loose, natural style and included roses, blue hydrangeas and soft ruscus foliage. The bridesmaids carried gypsophila bouquets, while the groom's party wore gypsophila buttonholes.
Further florals featured in the ceremony room where foliage was draped down the stage. There was also a flower love heart designed to fit the couple's palette.
After moving through to the barn guests were met with LOVE letters, and when they made their grand entrance into the reception space, the newlyweds stood alongside them. The barn was also decorated with string lights running beam to beam creating a soft, romantic atmosphere.
The three-tier gluten-free cake was flavoured with one tier of salted caramel, one with white chocolate and raspberry and the other as a cherry Bakewell.
It was adorned in flowers to match the bride's bouquet and a wooden cake topper.
A crocheted bride and groom made by Jamie's nan also sat on the cake table.
"Kiss The Bride was the second shop I'd been to. I explained my taste to the consultant and told her exactly what I was looking for, and this was the first dress she put me in. All of my guests commented on how amazing and different my gown was," Chloe remembers.
Jamie wore a grey three-piece suit with a blue, paisley tie and his groomsmen were dressed to match.
Chloe's bridesmaids were dressed in dusky blue floor-length dresses, while the maid-of-honour wore a different style allowing her to stand out. Hers was draped at the top with a sparkly belt, whereas the other ladies wore an off-the-shoulder silhouette.
"We decided to go with a photo booth for the evening, which was a huge hit, with many using it multiple times," Chloe says. "The DJ also took our recommendations into consideration when asking what type of music we like and was able to create a fantastic atmosphere on the dancefloor."
Chloe felt extremely happy and excited as she was getting ready. "After all, this was a day I'd been picturing since I was four-years-old with a pillowcase over my hair," she says.
Jamie started getting nervous the day before, once they'd said their goodbyes and dropped everything off at the venue.
So, by the time the ceremony arrived the nerves caused him to make a few mistakes during the vows. He had to repeat them for legal reasons, but all was well and no doubt he felt better with Chloe by his side.
For Chloe, the couple portraits were a true highlight. "Not once were we staged and we had time to enjoy each other's company while laughing about how nervous we were," she remembers.
"All of our suppliers were fantastic, but Noteworthy Photography was amazing. We felt so relaxed the entire day.
Our only regret is that we didn't book them for the evening reception, as it would have been funny to see the drunk photos!
My hair and make-up lady, Chloe, was also wonderful. Never have I felt so beautiful and I'll always be grateful for that."
"We booked the bulk of the trip via Virgin Holidays and simply booked the internal flights ourselves. It was by far and away the best holiday we've had," Chloe concludes.
Cake
Dress
Flowers
Hair and make-up
Jewellery and accessories
LOVE lights
Photographer
Suits
Venue
