WHERE: St Bega’s Church, Cumbria
WHEN: 10th June 2006
HOW THEY MET
Helen and Darren met whilst on a skiing holiday in Italy - they were with two different groups of friends using the same tour company. They got talking one evening, ended up skiing together for the rest of the week and the rest is history!
THE PROPOSAL
Darren popped the question on the spur of the moment after a shopping trip for home furnishings for their new house.
SHE WORE
Helen’s amazing gold dress came from Sposa Bridal Wear, Warwickshire. She teamed the dress with a sage green bolero jacket that had a high collar, and was very "Titania" from “A Midsummer Nights Dream.”
ACCESSORIES
Helen’s tiara was adorned with green antique dress beads and pearls to complement her jacket. She borrowed her Mums pearls and wore fabulous Jimmy Choo court shoes.
HE WORE
Darren’s traditional morning suit with ivory waistcoat and oyster silk tie was hired from Tom Little Menswear, Cumbria.
THE BRIDESMAIDS
The bridesmaids wore gorgeous ivory satin, backless dresses with a praline satin ribbon belt around the waist.
THE FLOWERS
Helen wanted country flowers for their wedding so chose a bouquet of ivory roses, peonies, fuschias and ivy. The bridesmaids carried white roses entwined with twigs.
TRANSPORT
Helen and Darren borrowed an XJ Jaguar and a Range Rover Sport from friends. They transported their guests in a vintage bus.
THE RECEPTION
The marquee was dressed with huge hanging baskets of country flowers in ivory and green and the tables had terracotta pots filled with roses, peonies, fuscia and ivy. They wrote each of the guests’ names on pieces of slate that had been collected from the local mountains. They named their tables after mountains in the lakes.
THE CAKE
Their scrumptious cake was a 3 tier chocolate sachertorte covered with roses, pearls and ivy, and designed by Chocolate Tiers.
FAVOURS
The ladies were all given pretty heart shaped boxes with two pieces of gingerbread inside. It is said to be a medieval token of love and was sourced locally.
THEME
With many of the guests coming from outside Cumbria, Helen and Darren wanted to give them a taste of Lakeland hospitality. The caterers provided a Lakeland wedding breakfast with local produce such as game casserole and caramel sticky toffee pudding. The favours are a local delicacy as are the barrels of beer from the Coniston Brewery. It was also to reflect a mid-summers country day with lots fresh local flowers giving the sense of the outdoors, indoors.
BRIDES TIP
“I am not a creative person, but it is amazing what you can create with a good printer and a PC. I made all of the orders of service, menu's and table names and was so proud to see my hard work finally set out. If you are planning on supplying your own drink go to France for wine and Champagne as it’s much cheaper over there - and buy more white than red (my caterer's top tip - we didn't believe her but she was right!)”
GROOMS TIP
“If you can't decide who to have as a best man choose more than one. I had two to help me out on the day but beware it could be double the trouble in the speeches!”
SPECIAL MOMENTS
“Helen’s mother did one of the readings "The Song Of Solomon" and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Also, the day after the wedding we met our photographer and climbed one of our favourite mountains in our wedding attire to have photo's taken with our favourite valley in the background.”
THE HONEYMOON
Helen and Darren love seafood so went to Cornwall to stay at Rick Steins then on to St Ives where they rented a quaint cottage and went on a kite surfing course!
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