When Daisy gave her answer to Rob on holiday, it didn’t take long before they set about planning their perfect Norfolk wedding
We had been together for five years when Rob popped the question. It was the second day of our long-awaited holiday and unable to wait any longer he decided to ask me to marry him, and we spent the rest of the time, in newly-engaged bliss.
After we returned we got straight into wedding planning mode, as neither of us wanted a long engagement. Top of our ‘must have’ list was a venue where we could hold the whole wedding in one place. It didn’t take us long to discover The Norfolk Mead Hotel in Coltishall. It had everything we were looking for – a ceremony room, beautiful reception venue, stunning walled garden and plenty of rooms to accommodate our guests. In early September we booked our wedding date for the following August.
The months leading up to the big day were a whirlwind of designing invitations, choosing flowers, making decorations, trying on dresses and picking suits. Pinterest became my new best friend and provided inspiration for everything from save the dates to table centrepieces to cake designs. We decided on a very natural, summery theme for the wedding, with the central colour scheme of pale grey and a soft, light blue. Our invitations, designed by my artist cousin, were printed on rustic grey card featuring a simple floral design. We found dresses online in the right colour but the wrong style so my mum, a dressmaker, remade them into three unique dresses to fit our three beautiful bridesmaids. The men’s grey suits were from Slaters, and we sourced ties to perfectly complement the blue of the girls’ dresses. Rob wore a patterned blue and grey tie – a subtle way for him to stand out from his best men.
I spent just two afternoons in my hometown of Colchester, Essex trying on wedding dresses before I found The One. It was in MiliMili, a gorgeous bridal boutique owned by the very lovely and friendly Lauren. I had never seen a dress like it before – so stunningly delicate and exactly the style I had in mind, yet I would never have even imagined a dress so beautiful.
When the big day rolled around, I was relaxed and hugely excited. Whilst the girls and I spent the morning pampering ourselves, fuelled by Prosecco and croissants, the amazing team of staff at the hotel put the final touches to the venue. Our wonderful florist, Lucie, arrived juggling jam jars overflowing with pretty flowers for the tables and our beautiful bouquets. Jemma, our talented photographer, seamlessly darted between the boys putting their suits on, us girls having make-up and hair done, and the guests arriving.
Before I knew it, the time had arrived to take my dad’s arm and walk the path through the walled garden, past all the eager eyes of our family and friends, to my soon-to-be husband. The ceremony was fun and informal, just as we wanted, full of laughs and tears. The rest of day flew by but we made sure at several moments to stop and take it all in. The day went perfectly, mainly down to the professionalism of the team at The Norfolk Mead, who worked tirelessly to ensure everything ran smoothly.
My favourite decoration was our flower garland backdrop, which my mum painstakingly made by hand from sheets of blue and white crepe paper. It hung elegantly against the bare brick wall behind the top table, tying our colour scheme together and provided a pretty focal point for the room.
An unforgettable moment was our first dance to one of our favourite songs: The Beatles - I Saw Her Standing There. One of Rob’s best men plays guitar in a rock covers band, so we asked them to provide the evening entertainment. It was extra special to dance the night away to songs we love, played live by our friends.
Everyone complimented the delicious food and the fantastic venue and it was lovely for Rob and me to step back and see all our guests enjoying themselves. I especially loved watching our younger guests happily playing and chasing each other across the lawn. The whole wedding was better than we imagined it could ever be, and the following day we both wished we could experience it all over again. It really was the best day ever.
Daisy and Rob Recommend
Venue
The Norfolk Mead Hotel, www.norfolkmead.co.uk
Photography
JMA Photography, www.jmaphotography.co.uk
Flowers
Lucie Lou’s Florist, found on Facebook
Wedding Dress
MiliMili, www.milimili.co.uk
Suit Hire
Slaters, www.slaters.co.uk
Rings
Fraser Hart, www.fraserhart.co.uk
Bridesmaid Dresses
ASOS, www.asos.com
Bridesmaid Jewellery
Lisa Angel, www.lisaangel.co.uk
