Nikki and Mark’s Real Life Wedding

 

Nikki and Mark

28/05/2005

   

How and when did you meet?

We met in 1997 when I worked in our local shop. Mark used to come in and buy things he didn’t need just to say hi

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

We were on holiday in Switzerland in October 2002 and we were on our way to Italy (where he planned to propose!). However, Mark decided he couldn’t wait that long and so Switzerland was where it happened. We were going for a walk beside Lake Lugano when he dropped down on one knee. I had the shock of my life! It was beautiful with the Alps in the background.

Did you have hen and stag celebrations?

Mark went go-karting in Chester go-karting with nine of his mates including my brother. I went to Southport with four of my closest friends and then had a lovely meal in a local restaurant with family and friends.

Did your groom help you with the wedding planning?

We made every decision together. Mark chose the colour scheme as he knew what colour tie he wanted. I figured it was his day as much as mine and we did every little thing together.

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

The cafe has been a God send for all those little questions that you don’t know who else to ask. I also used the budget planner, the guest list and the to-do list!

Do you have a confetti web page?

No, we never seemed to get round to setting one up.

Did you buy any confetti products for your wedding? If so, did you visit a store, buy online or by mail order?

Yes, all our table decorations, cameras etc. were bought online.

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

I was so lucky when going to buy my dress. I had a few days off work and my mum suggested we go and have a look just to see what was out there. I didn’t want a strapless dress but, after trying on loads of others, the lady in the shop suggested I try a few. When I tried mine on my mum burst into tears and my little brother said ‘oh Lady!’ so I took that as a sign! I was a bit worried as that was in October 2003 and we weren’t getting married until May 2005 but it was definitely ‘the one’ and I haven’t seen one I liked more. It was a beautiful ivory dress designed and made in Australia. It has a gathered waist and is decorated with silver diamonte.

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

My cousin (who’s more like a sister) was my chief bridesmaid and she wore a strapless grape-coloured dress that my aunty made to mirror mine. My flower girl was my husband’s niece who is three and she wore a three-quarter length ivory dress. They both looked fabulous!

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

Mark chose his best friend Lee to be his best man. He asked Lee to be best man before he even proposed to me! Mark’s brother in laws helped out with the ‘ushering’ on the day. They all wore black Albert suits the same as Mark but he wore an ivory waistcoat and grape-coloured tie while they wore silver waistcoats.

Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?

We had a religious ceremony.

Where did you hold your ceremony?

In a beautiful little church next to the river.

Where did you hold your reception?

Our reception was at a country hotel about two miles from the church with the most spectacular grounds and views over looking a vineyard.

Did you have any special wedding transport?

No, but Mark’s uncle very kindly drove us in his silver BMW.

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

We had 74 to the wedding and about another 40 joined us for the evening.

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

We stuck to purple,ivory and silver.

How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?

The table linen was white and we had ivory candle sticks. My mum made purple runners to go on the tables and we had purple and silver confetti.

Did you give your guests favours?

We had little bags of sweets for the adults and then party bags full of things to keep the kids entertained.

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

We used a local florist and she did us proud. My husband and I both suffer with hayfever so we only had bouquets for me and my bridesmaids. We had a mix of purple and cream roses in hand held posies.

What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?

The venue handled the catering. The main course was roast chicken with all the trimmings and it was absolutely beautiful.

What did you choose for your wedding cake?

A friend made our two-tiered heart-shaped cake. The bottom tier was fruit and the top was sponge.

Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?

We had a disco.

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

We had a gift list with our travel agent so that people could contribute towards our honeymoon.

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

We spent our first night at our reception venue and honeymooned in the USA.

What was your most memorable moment of the day?

Every second was fantastic but one memorable moment was when my husband and I sneaked off half way through the night to go for a walk around the grounds. We looked up at the stars and vowed to remember that day for ever.

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

I wouldn’t change a thing. My advice would be to enjoy every second and not to stress about the small things – it goes too quickly.