It’s Wednesday, which means we are halfway through the week! But it also means that it’s Real Wedding Blog Day. I am really enjoying sharing so many different weddings with you. This week’s gorgeous colour scheme was created for the lovely Kimberley and Neil, who chose beautiful brights to compliment their royal blue colour scheme. It was an absolute pleasure to assist them on their wedding day!
Our questions were answered by Kimberley.
How long have you been together?
We have been together 11 years this month (August).
How did you meet?
We met at work. I arrived in the UK from New Zealand on July 27th 2008 with a job lined up as a Locum Pharmacy Technician at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. I met Neil on August 4th, my first day at work!
Tell us about your Engagement!
31st July 2012. It was the week of my 30th birthday, we had a day in London at the Olympics, before going to Christchurch for a couple of nights. I love the south coast as it reminds me of home and I had been living in Christchurch in New Zealand before moving to the UK. Neil booked dinner at the Christchurch Harbour Hotel and he proposed there.
Which date did you chose for your wedding day?
30th August 2015. No special significance, we chose the Sunday of a bank holiday weekend, so we could take advantage of cheaper venue prices but our guests would still have the day after off work .
Where did you hold your ceremony & reception?
St Johns Church in Lacey Green for the ceremony, the church was Neil’s choice, as he grew up in Lacey Green and was baptised in the church. The reception was at the Spread Eagle Hotel in Thame, just because we liked the outdoor space and it was a good size for the number of people we were inviting. Not that we used the outdoor space as the rain started while we were on the way to the hotel.
Who was involved in planning your wedding?
Neil and I planned the wedding together.
Did you both have Hen/Stag Do’s?
Neil went on a real ale trail by train to Birmingham. I had a spa weekend in Southampton.
How many people did you invite to share your special day?
60 day guests plus a few more for the evening
Who were your Bridesmaids?
My sister, Victoria was Maid of Honour and Neil’s sister Louise and my friend Emma were Bridesmaids.
Who were your Best Man/Men & Usher?
The Best Man was Neils best friend (and Emma’s husband) Chris, the Ushers were my brother, Aaron and Neil’s friend Kevin.
What was your Bridal Gown like?
It was a Mori Lee wedding dress, from the Blu collection. Style number 5103.
What did Neil wear?
Neil hired a blue suit from Suitors in Buckingham. They looked so good that when Neil’s sister got married, they hired exactly the same suits.
What about your Mum?
Something she bought in New Zealand.
What theme/colour scheme did you chose?
We chose a Royal Blue colour scheme, just because it is my favourite colour. For flowers to go with the royal blue we decided on bold, bright colours rather than a traditional white, because we wanted the day to be bright and full of colour.
How did you feel on the morning of your wedding?
Nervous! I couldn’t eat breakfast, but I was also quite calm. The hairdresser commented that we were the calmest group she had ever come across on a wedding day, and we were ready early!
Who made speeches?
Speeches were made by the Groom, Best Man and Maid of Honour. My dad passed away in 2006, so my sister gave a speech instead, (then I had to do it for her wedding last year). The Best Man’s speech was very clever, he wrote a rhyme for it. My sister mentioned my dad in her speech and that set me off.
Which song did you choose for your ‘First Dance’?
‘Unforgettable’ by Nat and Natalie King Cole
What was your favourite part of the day?
Seeing all my friends that had made long journeys from all over the world.
What was your one Wedding Day ‘Must Have’?
A picture of my dad that was tied onto my bouquet.
Would you change anything or do you have any advice for currently engaged couples?
I wouldn’t change anything. My advice is to be organised when planning. Visit a few different wedding fairs to see different suppliers and get ideas of what sort of things you would like, and you can talk to people face to face. Most of our suppliers were found at various wedding fairs rather than on the internet.
Also pay attention to details – I found that it was the small details that we incorporated into the day that made it special and also made it memorable for our guests.
Would you like to mention any particular wedding suppliers who assisted with your day?
We loved our flowers from Signature Flowers. We wanted bright colours but weren’t too worried about which flowers exactly so we left it up to Emma to choose and she didn’t disappoint.
Thank you Kimberley, for taking the time to share your wedding day story with us.
Wishing you lots of fun, whatever you’re up to for the rest of the week.
Emma x