Lisa and Sophie, May Real Life Wedding
What is your first name?
Lisa
What is your last name?
Charlwood-Green
What is your maiden name?
Charlwood
What is the name of your groom?
Sophie Charlwood-Green
When was your wedding?
16th August 2008
What is your email address?
Would you like other brides to be able to email you?
yes
How and when did you meet?
We met in September 2007 after chatting as friends on the internet. I fell for Sophie straight away and we decided to start dating. After a week I knew U wanted to marry her.
How old are you both?
We were 30 and 31 when we got married.
Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?
I proposed after 4 months in the Glasgow botanic gardens glasshouse. I was very nervous but fortunately she said yes, after she got over the shock!
Did you have hen and stag celebrations? If so, what did you do?
We had a joint burlesque hen do. I also had a stag do with some male friends of mine, and Sophie had a seperate hen do in london, her home town.
How did your groom help with the wedding planning?
As two brides we shared the wedding planning completely, although I was the ‘project manager’!
Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?
I used confetti’s forums to bounce ideas off people and to get suggestions for suppliers. It was also nice to see a few other same sex couples planning their days.
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?
Yes, I went to the store in Glasgow to buy confetti and table ornaments to create my ‘mock up’ table.
Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it
We both had our dresses custom made by the same designer. They were both purple – our colours were purple and orange.
Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?
We didn’t have bridesmaids, but I was walked in by my twin and Granny. Sophie was walked in by her Dad and one of her brothers. I did buy my sister a dress from M&S limited collection in orange.
Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?
Both brides asked that the men wear shades of white, grey and black and to avoid browns and creams. We didn’t want a ‘matchy matchy’ wedding but we didn’t want a clash either.
Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?
We had a civil partnership and in October of the same year we had a Jewish blessing lead by Sophie’s Mum. We wore white dresses for this.
Where did you hold your ceremony?
Park Circus in Glasgow
Where did you hold your reception?
Partick Burgh hall in the west end of Glasgow – it is right by our house which was very handy!
Did you have any special wedding transport?
Yes, we had a vintage bus to transport all of our guests from the ceremony to the park for photos and then to the reception.
How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?
We had 28 during the day and a further 50 at night.
Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?
Our theme was purple and orange
How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?
We used purple confetti with table crystals and had centrepeices of bird of paradise flowers with purple calla lillies.
Did you give your guests favours?
Yes – we made earrings for the ladies and keyrings for the men.
Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?
Neither of us carried flowers – I find bouquets very awkward! We bought our flowers from the flower market and I arranged them myself with my Mum.
What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?
We had a menu to reflect our backgrounds – Jewish and French, combined with a Scottish flavour as this is where we live. The menu included Chicken noodle soup with Matzo balls, and a French and Scottish cheeseboard.
What did you choose for your wedding cake, and who made it?
We had a 3 tier cake – the top teir was wheat and gluten free, the middle tier was a carrot and walnut, and the bottom tier was a fruit tea loaf – My Granny’s favourite! I made all 3 cakes myself, along with Sophie, and we got a local cakemaker to ice them and decorate them with purple ribbon and gold butterflies.
Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?
Yes we had a ceildh.
Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?
We had a gift list with Debenhams and one with the Wedding shop.
Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?
We spent our first night at the Raddison in town, and we holidayed in Sitges and Barcelona.
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
Probably the ceremony, although I made sure not to drink too much so the whole day was memorable.
Did you experience any “nightmare” moments in the run up to your wedding or on the day?
Yes, our photographer cancelled with less than 3 months to go, and our drinks supplier was very elusive although he was fine on the day.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?
I would have had water bottles on the bus, and candles on the tables at night but these are very minor things. The main thing I would say to other brides and grooms is that although it is your day, when you invite others to share it with you, make sure you are mindful of their feelings to a degree. Yes you should have the day that you want, but that doesn’t mean trampling on people to get it.
