The Story
The story of our wedding day began when we met on a dating app in 2015, but didn’t go on our first date until November 2017.
We got engaged in Mallorca in 2021. We were having a pre-dinner drink on the balcony when I realised the music had changed to my favourite song and there was Ben on one knee. It was such a special moment just the two of us. After some emotional calls to our family, we celebrated with champagne over dinner.
As for the ring, there were a few things I was certain on – a very thin gold band with an oval diamond – Ben got it spot on, it was perfect and took me by total surprise.
Venue
We knew we wanted to get married in Cornwall and Launcells Barton was perfect. We wanted a relaxed venue where we could do everything in one place and loved the idea of getting married outside; if the weather allowed. Launcells ticked every box, from the beautiful house to get ready in, the gorgeous Rose Garden for the ceremony and a barn big enough for dinner and dancing.
Friends and family were travelling a long way to join us, so we had drinks in Bude the evening before to make a weekend of it.
Fashion
I got my dress in the first shop I went to; Dotty Bridal in Holmfirth. They stock a number of designers that I loved so it felt like the perfect place to start. I didn’t know what I wanted, I just knew what I didn’t want! Alex at Dotty made me feel so at ease. I was drawn to a long sleeved Pronovias gown that looked like a replica of my Grandma’s wedding dress, which I loved, but it wasn’t right for a summer wedding. Alex got me to try the Pronovias Hopkins dress, a similar dress, but more appropriate for the season. As soon as I tried it on I knew it was the one. I then worked with the Kylie at Perfect Fit Bridal Alterations. We added detachable straps for the evening and filled the plunge with tiny flowers to match the rest of the dress.
Ben wanted a linen suit and we found the perfect Navy linen 3-piece suit from M&S that he and his groomsmen wore, they all looked great!
Jewellery
The jewellery was my something old and borrowed. Ben had bought me a pair of gold pearl drop earrings for my 30th birthday the year before which matched my dress perfectly. For the ceremony, I borrowed my Grandma’s pearl necklace, which every female in my family has worn on their wedding day so it was special to follow in this tradition. I swapped the necklace for my embellished straps in the evening.
Bridal Party
I had two bridesmaids, my sister and my cousin and they both wore the Ghost Delphine maxi dress, they looked gorgeous!
I gifted them both a Jo Malone fragrance in their favourite scent and a pair of the Valentina earrings from jewellery brand, Raemi.
Tablescape
The tables were decorated with an ombré of pink flowers by local Cornish florist, Liv Cousins, who captured our summer floral brief perfectly. These were complimented with taper candles in different shades of pinks and stationery by Ten Story. Each place setting was finished with a pale pink velvet bow.
I am very fortunate that my best friend is luxury wedding planner Alice Wilkes who lent me a range of decorations including candle holders and gold name place stands which matched our gold cutlery.
She also had a huge collection of disco balls for the dance floor!
Food & Drink
We worked with the incredible, Beautiful and the Feast, a local company from Bude. Their ethos is seasonal produce made to share, which is exactly what we wanted. We had long trestle tables and we filled them with sharing dishes for each course. The highlight was a big bowl of chocolate cremosa for dessert which guests dug their spoons into. Friends are still talking about it to this day!
Ben’s brother is a keen baker and kindly offered to make our 3-tier wedding cake which we served with Cornish Pasties in the evening.
Entertainment
For the ceremony I walked down the aisle with my dad to Alexis Ffrench, Guiding Light, and one of my closest friends read a poem which she had written especially for the day. During the dinner I had a best friend speech by Alice, which complimented the other speeches perfectly.
For the evening, we hired, Dom Booth, who DJ’s alongside a saxophonist which was perfect for get guests on the dancefloor, we didn’t want the night to end. Our first dance song was a nod to my Yorkshire roots, an Arctic Monkey’s cover of Baby I’m Yours.
Our final song was Robbie Williams, Angels. One of our favourite memories that we will cherish forever is the lights coming on as we stood in a circle with our friends and family singing our hearts out. The perfect end to the perfect day!
Beauty Regime & Wellness
I have had the pleasure of working with MUA Cat Parnell over the years and I knew as soon as I got engaged that I wanted Cat to do my hair and makeup. She is a pro and made me feel so at ease, I felt beautiful.
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation was my go-to foundation and Lip Power in shade 109 was the perfect shade of nude lipstick. I religiously used my go to skincare products the La Mer Treatment Lotion & Moisturising Soft Cream in the run up to the wedding and my fragrance was Eau de Magnolia by Frederic Malle. I fell in love with this scent 10 years ago and one I always went back to for special occasions so only felt right to wear on our wedding day.
Honeymoon
The day following our wedding we stayed at the Scarlet Hotel in Mawgan Porth, it was so stunning and exactly what we needed. The next day we went to see Lionel Richie in concert before flying to Portugal for a week. We spent two nights in Lisbon followed by a few days in Comporta – a real hidden gem.
Advice
- Remember it is your wedding day. Whilst other opinions matter, make decisions that you and your partner love.
- If your venue doesn’t come with a wedding coordinator, I would recommend hiring one for the day. Our day would not have been the success it was without Lara at Launcells Barton, she was so brilliant and seamlessly fitted into the day whilst ensuring we had the best time.
- Every wedding playlist should end with Robbie Williams, Angels!
With Thanks…
Bride / Groom: @vickykparker @benparker10
Venue: Launcells Barton @launcells_barton
Caterer: Beautiful and the Feast @beautifulandthefeast
Dress: Pronovias @pronovias @dottybridal
Alterations: Perfect Fit @perfectfitbridalalterations
Bridesmaids: Ghost @ghostlondonbridal
Groom outfit: Marks & Spencer @marksandspencer
Florist: Liv Cousins @livcousinsfloraldesign
Tableware: Alice Wilkes Design @alicewilkes_design
Stationery: Ten Story Stationary @tenstorystationery
Photographer: Claire Menary @weddingsbyclairemenary
Videographer: Flow Motion Studios @flowmotionstudios_
Wedding rings: Queensmith @queensmith_official
Makeup & Hair: Cat Parnell @catparnell @unveiluk
Gift list: The Wedding Shop @theweddingshopuk
Bridesmaid gifts: Fragrances @jomalonelondon Jewellery @raemicollection
Stylist: Alice Wilkes Design @alicewilkes_design
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