Tell us all about how you met and the proposal…
We met in whilst both working as teachers in a Primary School. After weeks of coffee-fueled conversations and afterschool marking rendezvous, Tom courageously helped me move into my new flat and he never looked back! After taking me to Hannah’s Bar in Liverpool and fueled by Long Island Ice Teas, our relationship became official.
For the engagement, Tom had planned a romantic walk to see the amazing waterfall at Buttermere. But despite his best plans Beth, thinking she knew best, led the way. Her eye for rules and order made us follow a diversion unrelated to the desired route. After two and a half hours of a steep ascent up the side of a hill and over taking the only other two walkers who probably misread the signs as well, it finally dawned on us that something was wrong. No waterfall in sight, we decided to rest. With an audience of sheep and just when we had started our decent back down, Tom initiated ‘operation one knee’. After carefully unwrapping the ring from its protective square of toilet paper, Tom popped the question. Dazzled by diamonds and love obviously, Beth agreed without hesitation.
During our planning for the wedding we attended the North West Wedding Show at the Liverpool Exhibition Centre and it gave us plenty of inspiration for potential music and entertainment as well as helping us start to understand the immense variety in wedding suppliers. I would really recommend going to wedding fairs to introduce you to what is out there and from this begin to picture how you would like your day to look.
How was your dress shopping experience?
I only visited one wedding dress shop and this worked really well as they helped me systematically try a range of dress shapes on and methodically work out which bits I liked or didn’t work and gradually we narrowed it down. Very much a team effort!
Before wedding shopping I had not prepared myself for the wealth of variety in styles, shapes, materials and colours of wedding dresses! As we had booked a winter wedding I felt sure I wanted a long-sleeved dress, something delicate but covered. However as soon as I put one on it just wasn’t for me!
I ended up choosing the Tate – from Boutique Brides of Crosby. It felt unique, sophisticated and beautifully embellished to add that icy winters touch! I loved the high neck, which was adorned in pearls and delicate sparkles. It was such a flattering shape for my body and when I saw it I went from feeling like a customer to suddenly picturing myself as a bride on my wedding day for the first time. I felt I wore the dress with confidence, rather than some dresses that feel like they’re wearing you.
I tried to create a sophisticated vintage look, with this I focused on accentuating the pearl details through my earrings, hair clip and shoes.
What tips and advice do you have for brides to be?
Get the suppliers right! Explore the reviews, have informal conversations, go to wedding fairs, ask the venue for their trusted suppliers, seek recommendations and judge whether potential suppliers are getting on board with your ideas. This is going to be a day you remember for the rest of your lives so make these decisions count. During the wedding day we felt so relaxed and present because the suppliers took everything out of our hands. They all communicated with each other and sorted the logistics out between themselves and because of their expertise we were not distracted from enjoying every precious moment of the wedding. It all felt completely seamless and we are so thankful for everyone who helped make that happen!
On the wedding day you need to leave any thoughts out of your head and just be present. There were things that didn’t go to plan on our day, this happen to every bride, but take a breath and focus on the day ahead. I honestly wouldn’t change a thing now and I am so glad I felt calm and enjoyed every moment because you’ve worked so hard to create this beautiful memory and you deserve to feel wrapped up in the beauty of all your hard work!
What was the best bit of your wedding, and the funniest bit?
There are so many precious little moments that came together to make the day so special that it is hard to choose! To us, it felt like the day just naturally and effortlessly evolved. But if we were going to pick some ‘stand out’ parts they would have to be walking down the aisle to each other as it was the moment when everything just came together! The live music throughout the day was a real highlight too as it created a great atmosphere and took us from day to night with the pianist during the ceremony and live band to kick off the evening. I suppose we did also breathe a huge sigh of relief after the first dance was over … so we would both agree that we definitely had fun on the dance floor!
Photography by: Sarah Jane Edwards of Simply Beautiful Photo and Film.
