Kirsty and Neil
26/05/2003 – Grecian Sands Chapel, Cyprus.
How and when did you meet?
We met at a bar in 1993 when we literally bumped into each other! He later told me he had been looking for the love of his life and he knew he had found her that night!
Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?
I had been hinting for so long and every time we walked past a certain jewellers I pointed out the sort of ring I would like! One day as we walked past he suddenly turned round and said ‘I suppose we had better get this ring then’. That was my proposal!
Did you have hen and stag celebrations?
A lot of our friends are married with young children so we decided to have Neil’s first and then mine a week later. We have both been on some really elaborate days away before but we just wanted a good time with our friends somewhere local. We hardly ever all got together so we didn’t mind where it was! Neil got dressed up as a nun and he was driven to the first port of call in a limo which I was desperate to have but didn’t get! The day started at 10.30am so of course he had one too many and was home in bed by 8pm, on his own I hasten to add! I, however, lasted considerably longer, starting at 11.30am and getting home at 12.30am. I was dressed as a devil, donning red fishnet suspenders! We had lunch at TGI’s, cocktails galore and free bottles of champagne!
Did your groom help you with the wedding planning?
Neil looked after his and the rest of the male wedding parties outfits. I dealt with pretty much everything else.
Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?
Yes – I bought a wedding speech book and also one with different readings and vows.
Do you have a confetti web page?
No.
Did you buy any confetti products for your wedding? If so, did you visit a store, buy online or by mail order?
I first bought some cameras for the reception tables at a wedding fair. Then I bought table decorations online, such as balloons, mini lovehearts and I bought a lovely bridesmaid book for my niece that she could fill with photographs and memento’s of the day.
Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it.
I bought my dress from Berketex and it was the first one I tried on. It was a two-piece, bodice and skirt in buttermilk. The bodice was strapless and embroidered with ribbon to lace up at the back. The skirt was raw silk, gathered at the hips with a very long train that you could gather up at the back to make into a bustle. I didn’t think any of the more traditional tiaras suited me so I had a fine hairband with a ‘shooting stars’ arrangement of crystals just on one side. I loved it as it was that bit different. I wore an ivory organza wrap that was kindly offered to me from a very close friend who had worn it at her own wedding the year before. My shoes were ivory with gold swirls on them with a diamonte on the buckle.
Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?
I had five! I would have had six but my best friend, sadly couldn’t make it. I had my sister (my Matron of Honour) and four nieces, three on my side and one on Neil’s. The three eldest wore lilac silk dresses with fitted bodices flowing out to the floor. My sister’s dress was strapless and she had an organza wrap to match. The two middle girls had the same dress with thin straps and little flowers on the skirt of the dress. The two young girls (aged three and four) again had lovely lilac party dresses and carried butterfly wands with matching butterflies in their hair and ballet shoes.
Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?
Neil chose his brother Andy as his best man. They wore beige trousers, cream shirts, gold embroidered waistcoats and cravats. Neil wore a lilac cravat and the others wore cream.
Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?
We had a religious ceremony in a lovely Greek Chapel.
Where did you hold your ceremony?
At the Grecian Sands Chapel in Cyprus.
Where did you hold your reception?
Originally we were holding it under a marquee overlooking the sea but we had a few drops of rain (which I’ve heard is lucky!) so we had it inside which was just as wonderful, still with the gorgeous backdrop of the sea and palm trees in the distance.
How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?
We had eighteen guests, just close family members. Then we had a bigger party back home a week later.
Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?
Yes, ivory and lilac.
How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?
The colours were carried through to our cameras, place settings, flowers and even personalised wrappers on chocolates!
Did you give your guests favours?
Yes – the men had miniature bottles of alcohol in a box with personalised ribbons and the ladies had personalised soaps and candles. The children had personalised goody bags with sweets and toys and I also had personalised chocolates and lollipops that were left on tables in plant pots!
Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?
My bouquet consisted of cream roses and forget-me-nots with ivy cascading down into a teardrop shape. The three elder bridesmaids had the same but smaller with a cage of greenery interspersed with crystals.
What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?
To start we had a light tomato-based salad, (I wanted something light as it was fairly hot even though we got married at 5pm). For the main course, we had Chicken Millennium – the sauce was the best thing I have ever tasted – and for pudding we had a strawberry dessert.
What did you choose for your wedding cake?
In Cyprus we had a two-tiered strawberry and sponge cake which was delicious. For our reception at home we had a three-tier cake with three fillings – fruit, chocolate and carrot cake – with ivory icing and the wedding vows inscribed in gold around the cake with a cream rose on the top and ivy trailing around the edges.
Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?
In the evening we had a DJ. For our all-important first dance, we chose Always by Atlantic Starr.
Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?
Yes, we had our gift list with Argos. There was a huge variety of items are really good prices.
Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?
The honeymoon was incorporated in with the wedding in Cyprus. The room was decorated for us on our wedding night with confetti and rose petals and a big banner on the door of our room for all to see!
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
I had recently lost the first ever ring that Neil had bought me (10 years ago) and I was really upset about it. Unbeknown to me Neil found it two months before the wedding and decided to present me with it on the morning of the wedding as a surprise for me to wear! We stayed in different hotels the night before the wedding. When I woke up on the morning of the wedding there was a knock at the door and I opened it to find room service with my breakfast. I thanked the waiter and settled down to eat. When I lifted off the silver lid, there, along with bacon and eggs was a box containing my ring! I couldn’t believe it!
Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?
I don’t think I would do anything differently except maybe not worry so much. Take a moment to savor the day – looking at your family and friends. Also, if you can, try and get a few minutes on your own with your new husband during the day just to reflect on things, to relax and enjoy the moment.