BEAUTIFUL BLUEBELLS AND A 5 TIER CAKE DESIGNED BY FATHER OF THE BRIDE FOR EMILY & MARK

EMILY & MARK

BLUEBELL CENTRE PIECES | NAVY + COBALT GROOMSMEN | IVORY LACED + DELICATE FLORAL HAIR ACCESSORIES | OUTDOOR BANDSTAND CEREMONY | FINGER PRINT TREE & BUNTING

Emily and Mark worked together for over three years in TV news before finally becoming a couple. “Mark was a director and I was a studio operator,” says Emily. “There had always been a spark between us but we stopped anything developing initially because Mark was my boss!”

But it soon became evident Emily and Mark were meant to be together and they went for their first date of flying kites in a local park in April 2012. “It definitely made news in the office!” laughs Emily. Mark proposed to Emily in her favourite place in the world – a secluded woodland in Kent. “I have grown up walking in this area and in Spring it’s covered in bluebells – my favourite flower,” says Emily. “Of course I said ‘yes’, we were both in tears!” Emily had been to lots of different shops and tried on many beautiful dresses but Wedding Ideas saved the day after she saw her dream dress by Stella York in the mag! She ordered the ivory-laced gown, which had a court train from Victoria’s Bridal. “The neckline gave me the confidence I needed and the café colour complemented my skin tone,” says Emily.

Emily’s sngle-tier, chapel-length veil was a gift from her sister – who was also her Maid of Honour – bought from The Couture Veil. Mark wore an amazing Ted Baker suit from Moss Bros with stylish brown leather shoes from Russell and Bromley. He also wore a watch Emily gave him as a wedding present from Uniform Wares. “He looked so handsome, my heart could have burst with pride,” says Anna.

To honour the couple – who are known to their friends for wearing odd socks – all the groomsmen were ordered to wear odd socks, too! Emily’s four bridesmaids wore stunning floor-length chiffon silk gowns in royal blue by Sorella Vita. Award-winning hair stylist Vicki Lord decorated Emily’s up-do by adding fresh Gypsophila into her hair – the same flower Emily’s mum wore on her wedding day. “Katy Angelidi did my make-up using Laura Mercier,” says Emily. “I’ll be using ‘Tea Rose’ lipstick for the rest of my life!” Pageboy, Thomas, walked down the aisle at the couple’s civil ceremony at The Old Kent Barn holding a sign saying ‘uncle Mark here comes your bride’. Emily’s father walked her down the aisle to the song Feels Like Home by Edwina Hayes – a proud moment for both of them. Emily’s talented father also made the wedding cake! “He designed it and I had no idea what it would look like,” says Emily. “Seeing it for the first time brought me to tears. It was served as our fourth course and dad made cake slice holders, decorated with bluebells.”

Guests dined on puff pastry asparagus towers, chicken breast wrapped in parma ham and a selection of desserts. The couple personalised details for their bluebell-themed wedding. As guests entered the reception barn they had their photos taken on a Polaroid camera to stick in the guest book, and their fingerprint tree is now a framed work of art in the couple’s living room. Emily sent out bunting triangles with the invitations, asking guests to write messages on them and return in their RSVPs, she then sewed all the pieces together and the bunting was hung around the reception room.

Emily’s family decorated jars for the centrepieces and she painted the table plan and attached real flowers to it the day before. In place of traditional place names, Emily wrote guests names on round blocks of wood. The evening entertainment was provided by The Kingsdown Band, who performed Madonna’s Like a Prayer for the couple’s choreographed first dance.