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Weddings and Parties Wot We Have Done

Hannah and Samuel's Wedding Day - March 2019

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The weather was gorgeous for Hannah and Samuel's wedding day - and so was the venue!  I often say to couples when they are starting to plan their wedding that the venue will set the theme for your wedding, and with this Edwardian Mansion being so elegant, our bride and groom chose to have a wedding without the need for any of the gimmicks and embellishments that can detract from the main purpose of the day - and also rack up the costs!

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Marrying in the Drawing Room, overlooking Highbury Park, our beautiful bride entered to the very traditional "Here Comes The Bride" - with all ceremony music provided by me with the disco set up unobtrusively to the side of the room. The exit music was less traditional - "You've Got A Friend In Me" from Pixar's Toy Story!

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Into the main room for speeches and dinner before cutting the stunning cake with both sword (fake cut) and knife and then the first dance with well choreographed routine (and lots of lovely looks at each other) to "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls
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Although the party then started, the fun wasn't over. A father/daughter dance to "Daddy" by Della Reese which was a cha-cha we then dropped straight into "Cha Cha Slide" 5,6,7,8 needed some help from the DJ (its my signature dance!) and then the Bride's dance teacher taught the room all the steps to "Night Fever"
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The event didn't end until 1am- and nor did the dancing! The playlist for the night really covered a little bit of everything, and at the very end Hannah and Samuel took to the floor for a private repeat of their first dance song.
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Tired and happy at the very end of a long day - and that was just me! .

Hannah and Iain - The Mitchell Wedding

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The British summer couldn’t dampen Hannah and Iain’s big day at Bonhams Barn in Hampshire. Their simple, personal, rustic wedding went ahead with an outdoor ceremony despite the dramatic looking clouds over head. Hannah was walked up the aisle by her father to the sound of “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perry played on our outside PA – with a precautionary dustbin bag protecting the laptop! Iain was waiting patiently at the front – Hannah was a little late – resplendent in his tweed suit, matched by the Father of the Bride. The service was conducted by an independent celebrant, and she made the wedding itself a special occasion for all – and staying totally unflappable as the bridesmaid had to run to the car for the momentarily forgotten rings!
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This look was continued inside the converted barn, with hessian on the tables, forming pockets for the cutlery and even covering the mini kegs of cider to keep the guests refreshed.  A naked wedding cake and a retro suitcase for cards and gifts completed the theme. Speeches preceded the food – a wonderful offering of burgers, sausages and lamb, with bowls of salad all served “family style” to each of the tables.

This very laid-back approach to the wedding not only kept the whole event personal, it also made it a dream from a practical point of view. With no crowded timetable to keep to, all the suppliers could be relaxed which in turns keeps the happy couple free of stress. I was pleased to provide a wedding butler service; bedecked in tails and just keeping an eye on proceedings – gathering the groups for photos, making an urgently needed cup of tea and liaising between caterers, bar, photographer and our Bride and Groom. The bar itself was outside – and was a converted split screen VW can, especially relevant to a couple who love a camper van!

With the meal completed, group photos finished off and evening guests greeted it was time (after Mum and Dad popped out to feed the dogs) for the last formal elements – cake cutting and first dance. The cake knife matched the theme, and the assembled family and friends enthusiastically joined in with the countdown – although they all balked at starting at 99! Ed Sheeran provided the music for the first dance, and the guests dutifully whooped and hollered at every mention of “The New Mr & Mrs Mitchell”. Joined on the dancefloor by married couples, unmarried couples and then everyone else Iain and Hannah truly had eyes only for each other – always a privilege to witness. A few songs later it was time for the Father-Daughter Dance, a mainly American tradition that is gaining in popularity in the UK. Hannah’s father has battled illness recently, but he was able to not only walk his daughter down the aisle, but also take her to the floor for a special dance to Michael Bolton’s “Fathers and Daughters” If anyone had a dry eye they didn’t after Bridesmaid Becky joined them as we invited all Fathers & Daughters to take to the floor. Both I and Sarah the photographer were unashamedly crying, hidden as we were behind the disco.

On with the evening party – no set playlist so the music covered everything from 60s to right now, lots of party because we don’t need to be too serious at a wedding reception! As always, it is important to finish a wedding on a massive high, so assemble the guests, make a throng around the happy couple and sing, clap, and see them off in style to “Marry You” – no quiet or old fashioned endings thank you!

A simple, rustic, elegant, personal and wonderful bespoke wedding, proving that you don’t ed to have a complicated packed day – its all about celebrating with your family and friends, and celebrate they did!

 

Congratulations to Hannah and Iain – the new Mr & Mrs Mitchell!


Photography on the Day - Sarah Elvin
Bar by Kombi Keg Surrey

Alex and Jason's Post Elopement Party - November 2018

Alex and Jason decided to not have a traditional wedding - so they opted for the growing trend of eloping, in their case to Florida, Just to ad to the non traditional nature one set of parents didn't even know about the wedding until the day before, and our happy couple spent their wedding night playing crazy golf!

Back in England and a party to celebrate the marriage was needed.  Alex and Jason booked the Copthorne Hotel near Gatwick so that they could party all night without any of the stress that can be associated with a wedding day.  As Alex works alongside one of my previous Brides, it was unsurprising that Silverball Leisure was the choice for the disco!

The room itself was decorated in  simple scheme - white swag curtains with fairy lights and up lighting which complemented the hand made wooden table centre pieces and the remarkable cake - demonstrating that simple can be hugely effective.  Of course the elegant disco set up fitted into this theme without detracting from anything in the room.

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Arrivals done, surprise visit from a Patsy look--a-like done, buffet (with hog roast) done and it was time to cut the cake. I arranged this as I would for any wedding day, with posed photographs and countdown from the crowd as this was essentially the only part of the evening that the couple wanted as "wedding". The rest of the time was a straight out party, with music ranging from 60s reggae, through party classics to indie rock, pop, eighties and singalong favourites setting up a big finish to "Marry You" which also gave Jason the opportunity to say a few heartfelt thank you's and the family and friends present a chance to congratulate our Bride and Groom and to say their goodbyes!

A great fun night from start to finish, and a perfect way to celebrate a wedding with a difference - congratulations to the New(ish) Mr and Mrs McKinless!


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