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Lexi & Michael
Fall in love with this fairytale blush and ivory Worcestershire wedding
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Courtney Louise Photography,
courtneylouisephotography.co.uk
Love at first sight. Few couples are lucky enough to experience such a magical beginning, but Lexi and Michael did. “We met on our first day of university while queuing to collect our keys and were pretty much together from day one,” Lexi smiles.
But while their relationship began in a whirlwind, the couple waited almost eight years before getting engaged. “Mike likes to wind me up, so he spent the week before he proposed teasing me about him not having enough money to get engaged yet. Then, on the May bank holiday weekend, his brother, wife and cousin joined us for a walk on the Malvern Hills. We posed for a photograph at the top and, as I smiled for the picture, Michael got down on one knee with a gorgeous ring! I burst into tears.”
40 dresses stood between Lexi and the gown she fell in love with.
“It was in the fifth boutique I visited that I finally found my dress. I hadn’t really known what I wanted, which made searching quite difficult, but the spontaneous visit to Gatehouse Brides in Worcester cleared all of that up. I tried on 12 gowns and it was the final one I tried. Before it was even done up, I knew it was the one!”
Lexi chose a tulle princess dress with a long train and lace detail. “I loved the low back and textured detail on the bodice. It was such a strange feeling wearing my dress. I really did feel like a princess!”
“My mum married in a very similar gown 32 years ago, which was a lovely coincidence.”
Roses and gypsophila were woven into the bride’s hair. Lexi added Jenny Packham shoes, a cathedral-length veil by Richard Designs at Cathedral Belles and a garter. “I wore pearl drop earrings and my grandmother’s blue ring for my ‘something old’.”
The groom teamed a navy suit with a pale pink tweed waistcoat and a pink bowtie and handkerchief. “He wore an old pocket watch that I had engraved for him to open on our wedding morning. I also gifted him a Hugo Boss watch and a pair of socks that read, ‘in case you get cold feet’. He looked so handsome and every bit the man I wanted to marry and spend my life with.”
Lexi asked four of her favourite ladies to join her as bridesmaids. “They wore blush, chiffon dresses from Monsoon that fell just below the knee. You could wear the top of the dress in different styles, but I chose the one that I felt suited them all.”
Makeup artist Jessica Ava joined the bridal party to create their makeup looks, using airbrush makeup for their foundation and blush, Charlotte Tilbury and Ilasmasqua for their eyes and MAC for their lips. “My regular hairdresser came to my house to do our hair. I wore mine loosely curled with a waterfall braid and flowers woven in, while my maids had up-dos that were curled, pinned and plaited.”
The couple married at Fladbury Church after falling in love with the stained glass windows, village setting and welcoming congregation.
“One of my best friends from school read A.A. Milne’s ‘Just Us Two’. We love Winnie the Pooh and felt it summarised our relationship quite well. Michael’s brother also read from 1 Corinthians 13.”
The reception took place at The Wood Norton. Guests were treated to a gourmet feast of gin-cured salmon and orange salad, chicken supreme and frozen marmalade parfait, served with chocolate soil and ganache.
“We wanted a classic and elegant theme with ivory and a touch of pink. Our invitations from Paper Themes were tied in ivory organza ribbon to set the tone. We added candles and copper votive holders, floral garlands, a birdcage to hold cards and gifts, paper pom poms, lanterns and fairytale-inspired signs to decorate, also choosing a confetti mix from Shropshire Petals for our confetti.”
“We bought Wedding Ideas every month for ideas. I loved seeing how real brides brought their big days to life.”
Andrea, the venue’s resident florist, created bouquets, buttonholes, centrepieces and vases of flowers to decorate with, as well as arranging flowers around the twig heart top table backdrop.
“Both of our parents had square wedding cakes, so we chose a square base tier with two round tiers on top. The cake was really important to Michael, so we chose chocolate orange and chocolate fudge flavours – it was utterly delicious!” Cake Creations by Julie supplied the cake and the florist decorated with flowers. “I also have a slight obsession with pick and mix sweets, so we filled jars with jelly babies and gummy bears for the favours.”
A DJ and photo booth, which was supplied by Bam Booths, kept the party going. “We had a slideshow of photographs as our background for our first dance. It made it all the more magical.”
Lexi and Michael minimooned in Devon, staying at Moorland View Cottage, after the wedding.
SUPPLIERS
CEREMONY St John the Baptist Church, Fladbury
RECEPTION VENUE The Wood Norton
DRESS Gatehouse Brides, Worcester
BRIDESMAID DRESSES Monsoon
GROOM Nicholas Smith, Worcester
ACCESSORIES Richard Designs at Cathedral Belles, Jenny Packham at Debenhams
MAKEUP Jessica Ava
INVITATIONS Paper Themes
CONFETTI Shropshire Petals
FLOWERS Andrea, The Wood Norton
CAKE Cake Creations by Julie
PHOTOBOOTH Bam Booths
MINIMOON Moorland View Cottage, Devon
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