
Sarah and Paul’s location Wedding Story
Sarah and Paul
05/05/2007 – Hotel Telmessos, Hisaronu, Turkey
How and when did you meet?
On the Internet! Yes, we’re those Internet weirdos. Actually it was on a forum a bit like the Confetti one (only not wedding related, as that would be a bit weird).
How old are you both?
I’m 32 and Paul is 33.
Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?
He proposed in Turkey in May 2006. We’d already discussed marriage and decided to go and buy the engagement ring out there as diamonds are much better value for money. We chose a ring then the night it was delivered to our hotel he arranged delivery of a bouquet of flowers and the hotel staff decorated the restaurant in honour of our engagement and he officially proposed. I cried, even though I knew it was coming!
Did you have hen and stag celebrations? If so, what did you do?
I went to Berlin with 8 girls for the weekend. We ended up in some very dodgy bars! Paul had a night in his home town with an old friend visiting their old teenage haunts. The night before the wedding I went for a meal with all the female guests and Paul went on a bar crawl with all the male guests.
How did your groom help with the wedding planning?
He chose the music, the suits and his wedding ring.
Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?
I used the forums, a LOT. The girls on there are a fountain of wedding knowledge.
Did you buy any confetti products for your wedding? If so, did you visit a store, buy online or by mail order?
Yes, I got some tissue paper, ribbon, thank you cards, table plan and gift bags. I went into the London store.
Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it
I had a Sincerity gown – 2952 – in ivory. Bought at Elderberry Brides in Basingstoke. As a plus size bride I was dreading buying my dress but Pam at EB was absolutely fantastic and I can’t recommend them highly enough. I felt like a princess.
Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?
I had my four oldest friends as bridesmaids. Three of them wore deep pink dresses from Next and the other wore a sari in the same colour, to reflect her Sri Lankan heritage. They looked gorgeous.
Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?
The boys suits were all hired from Debenhams. Paul went for traditional tails – although didn’t bother with the top hat or gloves. They had a mixture of ivory and gold waistcoats, ties and hankies.
Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?
Civil.
Where did you hold your ceremony?
At the Hotel Telmessos in Hisaronu, Turkey.
Where did you hold your reception?
At the Telmessos.
Did you have any special wedding transport?
A plane! We all had to fly to Turkey.
How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?
We invited 120 people and 45 of them accepted and attended our wedding. No separate evening guests – we thought it a bit mean to get them to come all the way to Turkey and only invite them to the evening!
Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?
We had a mix of ivory, gold and deep pink. However it was a very Turkish style wedding with a mix of colours and although it sounds dreadful, it really fit the location.
How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?
We had ivory favour boxes, gold ribbon, and gold gift bags for the children
Did you give your guests favours?
Yes – Turkish delight!
Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?
We all had white roses and lillies. They were incredibly fragrant and as the hotel had arranged the flowers we had no idea what we would be getting until they arrived on the day. They were gorgeous!
What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?
The hotel handled the catering. We had two different types of soup, 40 different mezes, a bbq with lamb and chicken kebabs and baklava for dessert
What did you choose for your wedding cake, and who made it?
The hotel arranged the cake from a local pattiserie. It was ENORMOUS. Five tiers of sponge and chocolate cake. It was not exactly what I’d asked for – I wanted understated and elegant – what I got was a huge multi-coloured monstrocity. However, it was very funny and has been a big talking point since.
Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?
We had a Turkish band and a belly dancer – both were great for breaking the ice.
Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?
No. We asked for cash or vouchers.
Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?
We stayed at the Telmessos for the first night and most of the honeymoon, although we did have a two day trip to Ephesus and Pamukkale – wonders of the Turkish world.
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
The first moment Paul looked at me when I got to the top of the aisle. I blubbed my way through the rest of the service.
Did you experience any ‘nightmare’ moments in the run up to your wedding or on the day?
We lost the cats’ vaccination certificates the day before we were due to fly out and the cattery refused to accept them without them. There were tantrums and tears. Turns out Paul had filed them behind the treadmill in the spare bedroom – obviously!
Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?
I wouldn’t march up the aisle quite so quickly! I zoomed up there and the bridesmaids had trouble keeping up! My advice would be to try and take it all in as much as possible. It goes so so fast and it’s almost impossible to remember everything. Make sure you have a guest book – we had a polaroid one and it’s one of our most treasured keepsakes from the day. Don’t worry about getting your dress dirty – it’ll stop you from having fun.