Charlotte & Ashley

The Venue

Q: Did you see many venues before deciding? 

We actually only viewed Port Lympne. We had visited for a day out a little while before we got engaged, and I happened to see that they did weddings. From that moment, I knew that I wanted to get married there. When we got engaged, we booked a viewing and just knew that we would not be able to find anything that compared. I mean, where else can you get married in a stunning setting, while also being able to take your guests on a safari and be surrounded by animals?!   

Q: Why was it the perfect venue for your Kentish ceremony?

The venue is just beautiful. We particularly loved how each part is different - from the hotel, to the pergola, to the orangery. Each unique, but equally as beautiful. And, the best part is, it is so beautifully decorated you barely need to add much more to it. All of our guests commented on how stunning the venue was and some even said it was the best wedding venue they had ever been to.  

The Outfits

Q: Tell us about your wedding dress/outfit - where did you buy it, and how did you know it was ‘the one’?

I bought my dress from Adella Bridal, which is in Norfolk. It was very different to the type of dress I thought I would go for, and was actually picked out as a ‘wild card’ by the Bridal Consultant. Had she not suggested it, I may not have even looked at it! I loved the understated simplicity of it and bonus points that it was incredibly lightweight, so very comfortable to wear all day. 

 Q: Did you have any special accessories or shoes to complete your look?

I instantly fell in love with my veil, and loved how it added a bit of drama to my simpler dress. I was also gifted a piece of myrtle from my sister-in-law to put in my bouquet. It was grown from the plants at Queen Victoria’s holiday home which have been used in British royal wedding bouquets since 1858 and symbolises lasting love. Finally, I also carried a locket on my bouquet with a photo of my Dad, who sadly passed away shortly before we got married.   

 Q: How did you choose the suits?
We loved the idea of classic black dinner suits. To make Ashley stand out, he went with a velvet blazer and bow-tie which worked really well.  

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Hair & Makeup

Q: Who did you use for your hair and/or makeup for your wedding? 

Bridal Hair by Suzy for hair (https://www.bridalhairbysuzy.co.uk/) and Bridal by Holly O’Connor for makeup (https://www.hollyoconnor.co.uk/). Both of them were AMAZING and helped make my morning so special.  

Q: How did you decide on the style and look you wanted for the big day? 

I don’t typically wear much make-up, so I wanted something fairly light. My brief was basically to look like me, but on a really good day! For hair, I knew I wanted it up as I felt this would hold better throughout the day, and also best complimented the simplicity of my dress. I couldn’t have been happier with the way both my hair and make-up look came out, and they both indeed managed to last all day (despite rather a lot of dancing).   

The Ceremony

Q: Did you pick any special music to walk down the aisle to, or have any readings?

We decided we wanted to have a string quartet play during and after our ceremony, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. We chose Leon String Quartet (https://leonquartet.co.uk/). I walked down the aisle to ‘I Get To Love You’ by Ruelle and it was so beautiful.  

The Reception

Q: What food did you have, and how was it? 

Salmon Gravlax & Salt Beef for starter, Chicken & Lamb for mains and Chocolate Torte & Lemon Meringue for dessert. We absolutely loved that each guest got to pick between two options, as this is not always offered by venues. The canapes and evening buffet were also a great addition, and meant not a single guest was left hungry.  

Q: Tell us about your wedding cake. Who made and designed it for you?  

We actually opted for a more budget friendly option when it came to cake. We ordered a two-tiered sponge from M&S and my mother-in-law and sister-in-law decorated it with some fruit on the day. I actually really loved how it turned out.  

The Décor

Q: Who did your wedding flowers? 

Billow Rose (https://billowrose.com/). The ladies here were so lovely to work with, and created such stunning pieces perfect for a spring wedding (despite me changing my colour scheme part way through the planning process).  

Q: How did you add personal touches to the look and feel of your day?  

We made wedding newspapers to use instead of an order of service, which we could really personalise and make our own. We also had a ‘Sip and Solve’ crossword where guests had to answer questions about us as a couple for during our cocktail hour – it was a really great talking point. Me and my maid of honour also handmade some biscuits the day before the wedding, which we gave to everyone as favours.  

The Entertainment

Q: Did you have a DJ or a band? How did you choose them? 

We had a DJ and we went with Ian from Celebration Sounds (https://www.celebrationsoundsdisco.co.uk/terms.html). He was listed as a recommended supplier by Port Lympne. Ian was so friendly and kept the party going all night long.  

Q: What was your first dance, and why was it special to you? 

We both hate the limelight, so we didn’t fancy the idea of slow dancing in front of our guests for 3+ minutes. We therefore chose the ‘You and Me Song’ by The Wannadies as we have always loved this song and thought it was something a bit different. We danced together for the initial slower part of the song, and then invited all of our guests to join us for the chorus. It was honestly the most perfect song for us. Everyone coming on the dancefloor to join us when the chorus broke out was probably one of my favourite moments of the day. It got everyone up and dancing and the party just went from there!   

The Photography

Q: Who was your wedding photographer, and how did you choose them?  

Mark O’Brien (https://www.markobrien.photography/) was our photographer, and he brought along Lottie (https://lottiepovallphotography.com/) as well as we opted to have two photographers on the day. We were mainly drawn to Mark as we wanted more ‘fly on the wall’ type photos, rather than posed photos.  

Q: What style/look did you want for your photos?

We are both quite awkward in front of the camera, and we knew we also wanted to spend most of our time with our guests (as opposed to posing for photos) so we opted for more natural photos, and honestly, half the time we didn’t even know that the photographers were there. It meant that we captured so many lovely moments though, particularly moments of our guests that we didn’t get to see ourselves on the day.  

And Finally...

Q: What was your absolute highlight of the day? 

I don’t think I could choose one particular stand out moment, as the whole day was so special.  

Q: Do you have any tips or advice for other couples having a Kentish Ceremony?

Go for it, you will NOT regret it! We loved every moment - from booking, to planning, to the day itself. The team is so great to work with, everything is so well organised, meaning you will feel so safe knowing that everything is covered and you will have an amazing day. We can’t thank the Port Lympne team enough!  

Suppliers

Photographer: Mark O’Brien / Lottie Povall 

Flowers: Billow Rose 

Dress and Veil: Adella Bridal 

Cake: M&S 

Hair and Makeup: Hair by Suzy / Bridal by Holly O’Connor 

Band: Leon String Quartet 

Entertainment: Celebration Sounds 

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