This quintessentially English rose wedding is making me fall in love with home-grown weddings all over again. I've had a bit of a destination wedding phase, but now I'm firmly back in Britain, and looking forward to a whole summer of gorgeous UK blushing brides. Hannah themed her gorgeous wedding along a fairytale pink theme, with her stunning
Naomi Neoh gown as inspiration. Avalanche roses were a recurring motif, from the sash on Hannah's dress, to the table flowers, and incredible wedding cake. Can you believe that the cake was DIY'd by Hannah's aunt? Nope, me either! Other details to steal include Hannah's Rachel Simpson lacy shoes and the fabulous Stoke Place wedding venue. Stunning pictures published with thanks to Kelly Green at
Lola Rose Photography. Don't miss Hannah's answers to the Before the Big Day Bridal Questionnaire. She's got lots of hints and tips for future brides like yourselves!
The Before the Big Day Bridal Q&A - Hannah was kind enough to fill in our bridal 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?
On 1st May at Stoke Place in Stoke Poges in Buckinghamshire.
What was your thinking behind choosing the venue and the decoration of the reception?
Stoke Place was the very first venue I looked at and fell in love with it straight away, but my now husband said we needed to look at others before we made our minds up. After seeing another 4 or 5 venues, it become clear nothing would beat it. I just love its grandeur, and the fact it's still quite an intimate venue, with amazing grounds. Also the decoration is quite quirky.
Did you have a theme, colour or motif in mind?
The style on my wedding was pretty pink, all very soft and with a real fairy tale feel to it. I designed the theme around my dress, as it had a very soft pink fabric under the layers of silk and a pink rose round the middle.
Who made your wedding outfit and how did you come to that decision?
My dress and veil were from Naomi Neoh and my shoes from Rachel Simpson. All my accessories were my own.
What about your husband’s outfit? Where was it from?
He wore a tailor-made suit from The Wedding Centre in Marlow.
And how about your bridesmaids’ outfits?
My three flower girls wore dresses from John Lewis.
What type of cake did you go for, and how did you come to that decision?
My aunt made the cake and it was truly amazing! It turned out even better than I imagined. It was a three-tier fruit cake, covered in ivory roses with diamante dotted around. She also made sponge cupcakes for the children that looked like ice creams with a flake.
Did you have any favours? What were they? Was there any particular reason why you picked them?
We bought scratchcards for adults, and presented them in pearl envelopes with personalised pink stickers saying 'Lucky in Love Hannah & Dominic 01/05/11'. The children were given activity and sticker books to keep them busy during the wedding.
Who was your florist, what flowers did you choose, and how did you come to that decision?
We chose Love Flowers {contact Ryan}. Our main blooms were pink avalanche roses with hydrangeas {green with pink fleck}, peonies, ivory roses, and other greenery. I love avalanche roses and wanted to keep the softness throughout the flowers, while including hydrangeas. Our florist suggested the rest.
Who was your photographer and how did you choose them?
We picked Lola Rose Photography, and Kelly Green. I found her by chance on the internet, and loved her website and the blogs. When we met up with her, we were completely confident that she would do a fantastic job and she did!
Did you enjoy planning your wedding?
I loved it! I'm feeling very lost now with the planning. At times it was stressful, as you want every detail to be perfect but it was definitely worth it.
Did you have any DIY projects?
Our table plan, place tags, and the very popular sweetie table!
Who designed your stationery? What did it look like and how did you come to that decision?
Our invitations were by Hummingbird Cards. They were ivory pearlised A5 cards with 'He asked, She said Yes' on the front. I DIY'd all other stationery myself.
What advice do you have for brides planning their big day?
Enjoy it! You'll miss it when it's over. Just make a To Do List and tackle one thing at a time, giving yourself enough time on each, so you get it right and can enjoy it. Make sure you work out what's important to you both about your big day and don't lose sight of that.
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