As we prepare ourselves for the extravaganza that is the Royal Wedding on Friday, I want to introduce you to another Princess of Wales, Ceri. This gorgeous bride wanted a fairy-tale castle wedding for her big day, and her dream came true. With a venue as gorgeous as
Caerphilly Castle, a groom in top hat and tails and a bride in white gloves, a cathedral-length veils and red lipstick, this was a humdinger of a wedding. Don't miss all the gorgeous details, including a cake made of cheese {yum!}, the harpist {wow!}, the fabulous cake-toppers and the subtle nod to Niki's favourite football team. Gorgeous, dramatic pictures published with thanks to the team at
Janda Photography.
The Before the Big Day Bridal Q&A - Ceri was kind enough to fill in our questionnaire, aimed at helping other brides with their planning process. Feast your eyes on her answers for helpful hints and tips from someone on the other side of her big day!
Where and when did you get married?
7th of August 2010 at Caerphilly Castle, South Wales.
What was your thinking behind choosing the venue and the decoration of the reception?
We wanted a fairytale wedding with a touch of class. I have always wanted to get married in a castle and as I am from Wales it had to be a Welsh one. We both discovered Caerphilly Castle together and both fell in love with it the moment we walked into the Grand Hall.
Did you have a theme, colour or motif in mind?
Yes, black and white with a touch of red. A classic Hollywood look.
Who made your wedding outfit, and how did you come to that decision?
My dress and veil came from a shop called All about Eve in Newport. I tried on a few dresses but once I had tried on the Hollywood Dreams Dress {called Nadine} I couldn’t stop smiling and I knew as soon as I saw myself in the mirror that it was the one for me!
What about your husband’s outfit? Where was it from?
It was hired from a Moss Bros suit hire.
And how about your bridesmaids’ outfits?
The brides maids dresses were from Coast. And the flower girls dresses were from Ebay.
What type of cake did you go for, and how did you come to that decision?
We brought a 3 tiered cake from M&S and decorated it with black and white flowers and then had two porcelain figures on one of the tiers. A footballer looking at his watch - clearly late for the wedding, and a bride with black hair waiting for the groom to arrive. Niki loved the black and white theme on the cake as he supports Newcastle United.
Did you have any favours? What were they? Was there any particular reason why you picked them?
Yes, we gave chocolates in little black organza bags with a little scroll that contained a message thanking our guest for sharing our special day. The children had chocolate money in their organza bags and the babies had a bodysuit in a larger bag with a personal message that read 'I attended the wedding of the year' with the date of the wedding. Our son Owain’s read 'I attended my Mummy and Daddy’s wedding'. I loved making all of our favours - the personal touches make a wedding your own!
Who was your florist, what flowers did you choose, and how did you come to that decision?
Our florist was recommended by my mum who lives near Abergavenny. The florest were called Powells in Abergavenny. The flowers were stunning - very striking!
Who was your photographer and how did you choose them?
Janda Photography! We saw their website and fell in love with their work straight away! I knew I had to have them and I was right. They are worth every penny and I am so proud of my wedding album. I didn't want traditional portraits, we both wanted something more contemporary and artistic. Out of all of the choices that we made we are the most happy with our choice of our photographers. They're absolutely stunning people too!
Did you enjoy planning your wedding?
Yes, we both planned the wedding together. I was very lucky because Niki wanted to be part of the planning process. Usually the men often leave much of the planning up to the ladies but my lovely Niki couldn't get enough of planning our special day together. It was touching to know that he cared so much and it made me feel more confident knowing that I was marrying the right person! We had a great deal of fun planning our wedding together!
Did you have any DIY projects?
We made the table plan ourselves. We chose 3 long tables rather than lots of round ones. We wanted it to be in keeping with the castle e.g. how people would have eaten at banquets. Each table represented a different country from the UK - the top table being Wales {because I am Welsh}. We had a hog roast and in the evening we had a cheese cake that looked just like a wedding cake but it was made from Caerphilly cheese.
Who designed your stationery? What did it look like and how did you come to that decision?
My mother-in-law made all of the invitations and place settings. The invites had pearls on them and a stunning picture of Caerphilly Castle. They were classy, elegant and fitted in perfectly with the black, white and red colour scheme.
What advice do you have for brides planning their big day?
Always stick with what you want - it is your wedding day and you will never get to do it again (hopefully!). Make your wedding personal to you - it is the personal touches that make a wedding unique and interesting. Spend generously on a decent photographer as this is what you will have to remember your wedding by for the rest of your life. Ensure you see the work of the photographer before you pay a deposit - make sure you like to work first. Prepare a speech - all brides should say a speech even if just a short one! Let's break the tradition that the bride just sits there whilst all the men talk around her! Have your say - I did and I loved having the last word.
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