Becky and Paul’s Real Life Wedding

 

Becky and Paul

05/10/2005 – Margarita

How and when did you meet?

We met in a local nightclub – I knew Paul’s brother from school and they were all out for Paul’s birthday. I got chatting to Paul and as they say the rest is history!

How old are you both?

I am 24 and Paul is 27.

Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?

Paul took me to London for my 22nd birthday December 2002. We went to China Town for a meal then on the way back through Covent Garden he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him – of course I said yes!

Did you have hen and stag celebrations?

I had quite a few hen parties! My main one being at Jongleurs in Birmingham then I had a quiet(ish) night round the local town. Paul, on the other hand had a big weekend in Edinburgh.

Did your groom help you with the wedding planning?

Paul was very good, he helped when he could, whether it was calming me down or helping deliver the invitations, he was just there when I needed him! As we got married abroad it was only really the big reception to organise when we returned back to the UK.

Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?

Yes, I used the Confetti website, it helped me with ideas for the reception.

Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it.

I got my outfit from a bridal shop in Shropshire. As soon as I tried it on I knew it was ‘the one.’ It is an Eddy K dress, a two piece and I can honestly say when I was looking for my dress I ended up with something completely different to what I set out to get!

Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?

I had one bridesmaid Jenny – she is my brother-in-law’s fiancée and they are getting married in 2007 so I can’t wait to help out with their plans! Jenny wore a gold two-piece from Veromia.

Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?

Paul wore together with the best man, our dads, my brothers and our best friend, lightweight stone-coloured suits with gold and an ivory waistcoat and a gold cravat.

Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?

We got married abroad in Margarita and had a civil ceremony.

Where did you hold your ceremony?

The ceremony was held on a terrace overlooking the hotel grounds facing the beach, it took place at 5.30pm in the evening. After the ceremony we drank Champagne, cut the cake and then we went to the beach where photos were taken with the sunset behind us – it was just amazing!

Where did you hold your reception?

The hotel we stayed at held a small reception for us – 12 of us went away and we had an intimate table where we did the traditional speeches and toasts. We also had a big reception when we got back home from Margarita where we had 200 guests help us celebrate – it was great we all got to dress up again!

How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?

12 of us went to Margarita – my parents, Paul’s parents, Paul’s brother and his fiancée, my two brothers and our two best friends. We had a reception when we came home when 200 people attended.

Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?

My theme was gold – I thought as we were going abroad it seemed the most appropriate colour in the sun!

How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?

We had gold balloons on each table with shells, gold confetti, gold party cannons, cameras, bubbles and we had coasters with photos of Paul and me growing up on each table.

Did you give your guests favours?

We had Bacci chocolates on the tables for our guests.

Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?

I had flowers from a local florist in Margarita, they were roses with ivy wrapped around with lots of greenery in a posy.

What did you choose for your wedding cake?

We had a cake made for us in Margarita, it was a 2-tier cake with fresh flowers on the top. Our cake for our reception, when we got back home was a 3-tier as suitcases, with mini-me and mini-Paul sitting on the top. The bottom layer was fruit, the middle layer being victoria sponge and the top layer, chocolate! The colours were gold and ivory to match in with the theme.

Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?

At our reception back home we had a disco and our friends and my brother are in a band so they played for us.

Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?

We asked for B&Q vouchers so we can get the kitchen of our dreams!

Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?

We spent the second week of our holiday as a honeymoon – we had our family and friends with us but we didn’t care as it was just so special that we were lucky to have people to come away with us.

What was your most memorable moment of the day?

The first time I saw Paul after spending all day getting ready – his face just said it all and I felt so lucky that I was going to be his wife!

Did you experience any ‘nightmare’ moments in the run up to your wedding or on the day?

Not really, everything just seemed to fall into place – I was so relaxed as I had an all over body massage and a jacuzzi before going to the hairdressers to have my hair done!

Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?

No, just go for it – enjoy your day no matter what you have, whether small or big, every wedding is special!