THE LOVE OF MY LIFE

Lauren and Luke tied the knot on their 15th anniversary at Lythe Hill Hotel

Images courtesy of MoCo Photography

Lauren and Luke met in June 2006 at work. “My friend asked me to cover her shift, and we were put together in the same section,” says Lauren. “Luke later asked my friend what shifts I worked so he could keep seeing me. He eventually asked me out, and the rest is history.”

Luke proposed during a trip to Rome to celebrate Lauren’s 30th birthday. “We stayed near the Spanish steps, and every night after dinner, we would get gelato nearby,” shares the bride. “We would walk to the fountain and sit eating our desserts. On the last evening, he asked me to be his wife. I was surprised but thankful it was quiet and just the two of us. I had always wanted an emerald ring, so he proposed with a temporary ring, and on our 13th anniversary, we went to Brighton and picked the most gorgeous antique ring with two diamonds.”

Here the bride shares some of her favourite moments from their big day...

We had visited many venues, and nothing felt right, but as soon as we arrived at Lythe Hill Hotel for a wedding fair, we fell in love. The main Tudor building is stunning and having lunch on their patio overlooking beautiful views of their gazebo was perfect. All of the staff were so lovely, and we just knew it was the right location for us. Luke and I decorated the space with jars that we embellished with twigs and floating candles. Marley Flowers provided white and green roses and thistles which looked beautiful.

I made our table plan from an Ikea ladder. I painted it white, added faux rose garlands and used hessian string and pegs to hang the cards in the middle. As the ceremony and reception were in the same location, we didn’t need transport, but as my dad was a black cab driver, I had always wanted him to drive me. We rented a car from Classic London Taxi to be the centrepiece for our photos, and it was definitely worth it.

Lythe Hill Hotel was amazing at meeting all our dietary requirements and giving us a variety of options. We had so many positive comments about the canapés, and the dinner was lovely. The team were able to amend the meals to suit our tastes, and it was perfect.

I wore an Essense of Australia gown called D2717 from Aurora Bride. I always knew I wanted a Bardot dress as it suited my shape and balanced my broad shoulders. I looked at various patterns, but wanted something simple and elegant. As the dress was so simple, I didn’t want to over accessorise, so I chose a cathedral-length veil, a hair clip and Paradox London shoes. Luke wore a custom-made suit from King & Allen. It was a lighter grey than the groomsmen’s outfits and had a custom waistcoat that was lined with a red skull motif. He had a gold pocket watch as a wedding gift from me, a matching gold tie clip and cufflinks with our initials on them.

We chose dark green floor-length bridesmaids’ dresses.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we were limited on what we were able to do. As we were one of the first weddings to go ahead, there were still some restrictions, so we decided not to book a band in case of cancellation. We booked Lythe Hill Hotel’s DJ to play songs and get everyone on the dancefloor. We hired a beautiful wooden photo booth for three hours from Outside and Instant Photography. We got some wonderful photos of all our guests, and everyone loved it. I didn’t want the usual tacky accessories, so Outside and Instant Photography made their own wooden signs, including one they gifted to us on the day.

We were incredibly nervous about talking in front of so many people. Whilst getting ready, I felt calm until I was in my dress and the excitement and nerves kicked in. After talking to the registrar, I had a lovely moment with my dad and bridesmaids. We talked to each other and joked to settle the nerves even when my veil tried to blow away and take my hair extensions with it!

The day was made extra special by all the staff and suppliers, who all went the extra mile to make the day go smoothly. Even when we were a half-hour late to dinner because we were taking extra photos! The hotel staff went above and beyond for us not only on the day, but working with us beforehand. For the photos, we bought decomposable confetti cannons and white smoke bombs, but it didn’t go to plan! The confetti bombs went off at different times and the smoke bombs burnt two holes in the groomsmen’s shirts! You needed to pull the pin out at the bottom and turn around, but we weren’t quick enough, which made for some very funny photos.

Everyone made wonderful speeches that were uplifting, but it was Luke’s that brought a tear to my eye. At the meadow, we were given some champagne and were able to go off just the two of us, which was lovely.

LAUREN AND LUKE’S CONTACTS

Venue, catering and DJ, Lythe Hill Hotel, www.lythehill.co.uk | Photographer, MoCo Photography, www.mocophotography.co.uk | Bride’s dress and veil, Aurora Bride, www.aurora-bride.com | Bride’s shoes, Paradox London, www.paradoxlondon.com | Seamstress, Tailoring & Alterations by Zen, www.tailor-alter.com | Hair stylist, Charlotte Gibson Hair, www.instagram.com/charlottegibsonhair | Make-up artist, Charlotte West Makeup Artistry, www.facebook.com/charlottewestmakeupartistry | Groom’s suit, King & Allen, www.kingandallen.co.uk | Flowers, Marley Flowers, www.marleyflowers.co.uk | Transport, Classic London Taxi, www.classiclondontaxi.co.uk | Photo booth, Outside and Instant Photography, www.outsideandinstant.com | Centrepieces, Sticky Fingers Events, www.facebook.com/stickyfingersevents