Introducing
Sam & Laura
When Sam and Laura set out to plan their wedding, they wanted a day that felt different – unique, personal and true to who they are. As keen wildlife lovers, they found Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve was the perfect fit. In fact, it was the first venue they visited, and they cancelled every other viewing straight away.
Their day had plenty of personal touches. There was a colour palette of Santorini whites and blues with a hint of sunset yellow, a nod to where they got engaged. Laura painted watercolour bears for their stationery, inspired by the bear trail in their home town. They said their vows under the pergola as a violinist played their favourite songs. After dinner, they swapped the usual lull before the evening entertainment for a safari through the reserve.
Read on to hear how Sam and Laura brought their vision to life, and the suppliers who helped make it happen.
The Venue
Q: How did you choose your venue?
A: We wanted our wedding to be different, more unique and personal to us. We came across Port Lympne while searching online and it seemed a perfect fit, as we both love wildlife! We also really liked the events team, who were extremely helpful throughout, and the package deal included everything we needed, with no hidden extra fees.
Q: Did you see mnay venues before deciding?
A: Port Lympne was the first venue that we visited. We immediately fell in love with the beautiful venue, buildings and landscape, so we immediately cancelled our appointments with other venues. We knew it was the one for us.
Q: Why was it the perfect venue for your wedding day?
A: We loved being by the animals and the stunning hotel, pergola and orangery – it is such a varied place with lots of amazing spaces to host guests throughout the day. We loved going on safari after dinner for a more unique experience, particularly as there’s usually a gap between dinner and the evening entertainment at other weddings. All the staff were so lovely and accommodating throughout the day, including Trevor the Toastmaster and the events team, who helped to direct suppliers and guests to ensure everything ran to time – allowing us to focus on getting married and enjoying the day! The waiters and bar staff were all really friendly too - they seemed happy to be there and some were even singing and dancing to our band, which was great to see.
The Outfits
Q: Tell us about your wedding dress/outfit - where did you buy it, and how did you know it was ‘the one’?
A: Laura tried on many wedding dresses but struggled to find one that suited her style. She visited Victoria’s Bridal Boutique and they helped her with her vision of a flowery dress that was customizable into her own style. Laura loved this as it made it like a custom design.
Q: - How did you choose the suits?
A: Sam did a lot of research and visited some tailors on Savile Row. He wanted a suit that he could also wear to work after the wedding and prefers Italian-style suits with less shoulder padding, but also likes English suits too. After trying on a few suits, Sam found Thom Sweeney, which boasts a lot of famous clientele and has a unique style with English and Italian influences. He still wears the suit regularly and it serves as a nice reminder of our special day.
Hair & Makeup
Q: Who did you use for your hair and/or makeup for your wedding?
A: A makeup artist, Zara Rose, did Lauras hair and makeup. As well as the bridesmaids, maid of honour, mother of the bride and mother of the groom.
Q: How did you decide on the style and look you wanted for the big day?
A: Laura wanted a more natural look that she would look and feel comfortable in.
The Ceremony
Q: What was your favourite moment of the ceremony?
A: The pergola is such a lovely spot for the ceremony! It felt magical. We also arranged for a violinist, Anna World Music, to play our favourite songs. It was a memory we’ll treasure forever.
The Reception
Q: What food did you have, and how was it?
A: The food was AMAZING. A lot of our guests commented on how nice it was. The portion sizes were perfect, no one went hungry and everything was so tasty. We also loved that we could give our guests a choice of starter, main and dessert, so there was something for everyone, washed down with the local Gusbourne sparkling wine, which is now one of our favourites! We’ve ordered bottles from them since on special occasions to remember it all.
The Décor
Q: What was your décor/colour scheme, and how did you decide on it?
A: We got engaged in Santorini, so we decided to use the whites and blues of Santorini as our main theme, together with sunset yellow.
Q: Who did your wedding flowers?
A: KC Weddings and Events did our flowers and décor. It was great how they did both the flowers and the decorations. We visited them and there were tons of options for chair backs and centre pieces. We were able to put together a mock layout and swap different colours and items out which made choosing it all much easier and real.
Q: What did you have in your flower arrangements/bouquets?
A: Roses, hydrangeas, Babys breath.
Q: Did you use any local suppliers for things like lighting, accessories and props?
A: The foam glow sticks were a hit!
The Entertainment
Q: Did you have a DJ or a band? How did you choose them?
A: Our band was called Electric Outfit – they were brilliant talented musicians with a broad repertoire. They were all so friendly and easy to work with, and really fun on the night – even dancing with our guests and playing songs in the middle of the dancefloor!
The Photography
Q: Who was your wedding photographer, and how did you choose them?
A: We booked Ryan Covill (GRC Photography) as our photographer. One of the best decisions we made. The photos are so lovely and really capture the day, with some amazing shots of the animals too! Ryan went above and beyond, directing all the shots we wanted and getting people in the right place at the right time, but while also capturing the natural moments of the day too.
And Finally...
Q: Do you have any tips or advice for other couples having a Kentish Ceremony?
A: BOOK IT! Can't recommend it enough, the planning team were amazing! Ceyda was a superstar, and I loved working with her. I can't wait to come back!
Suppliers
Photographer: Ryan Covill @grcphoto
Videographer: James David @jamesdavidfilms
Flowers and decor: Marcus Kyte-Collings, KC Weddings and Events (Kyte-Collings Collection)
@kcweddingsandeventsuk
Music: Ceremony - Anna Kuzmina, Violinist
Reception - Craig Phillips
Electric outfit @electricoutfitband
Toastmaster: Trevor Smith
Hair and Makeup: Zara Rose @hairandmakeupbyzara
Ready to start planning your big day?
Our dedicated wedding coordination team would be happy to help you with any questions you may have about our wedding venues and packages at Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve. Simply fill out out an enquiry form and someone will be in touch shortly.
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