Love at First Sight

Within a week of dating, Kate and Phil knew they were destined to spent the rest of their lives together

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Early days…

Kate and Phil met at work. He was manager of an ambulance control room and she was a PA. “We had been friends from his first day and had loads in common but we were both in other relationships at the time,” recalls Kate. “Phil then went back on the road as a paramedic and I split from my boyfriend. What can I say – I couldn’t resist the uniform!” After Phil separated from his girlfriend too, the couple started to see much more of each other. “We went on our first date on Tuesday 17th July 2007 and by the Saturday, we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together,” she adds.

The proposal…

“Our first holiday together was in Ireland,” says Kate. “We flew in to Dublin and spent a wonderful week together. One day while shopping we strolled past a jewellery shop call Rocks. I spotted the ring in the window and was in awe of its beauty. Phil remembered it and later on that month, he arranged to buy it.” A few weeks later, the couple returned to the city for a long weekend. “We checked in at The Sherbourne, an amazing five star hotel on St Stephen’s Green,” continues Kate. “Phil popped out and said he was going to get some coffee for us! I met him afterwards and we took a stroll around the Green.” Afterwards, the couple went back to the hotel and after a glass of wine, Phil got down on one knee and popped the question, producing the ring Kate had dreamt about on their last trip.

Hen and stag parties…

Kate’s maid of honour and bridesmaid arranged a surprise weekend away in a beautiful Victorian house on the coast at St Ives. “The first evening was full of laughter, alcohol and dancing in the living room until 5am,” laughs Kate. “My mother-in-law was getting up as we were going to bed!” On the second day, Kelly arranged for a day of pampering for the bride-to-be, with a message, tanning session and manicure. This was followed by the arrival of a private chef, who cooked a delicious three course meal.

As part of Phil’s stag party, his two best men hired a mini bus and arranged for a day of go-karting. “Loaded with 13 wannabe Lewis Hamiltons and several crates of lager, the bus departed for Thruxton race course in Hampshire,” recalls Phil. “We had a thorough briefing and then we were given racing suits, gloves and helmets. We had a full Grand Prix-style race, with qualifiers, fastest laps and then a final. There was a presentation for the top three finishers, and then we got back to the bus for a well-deserved beer.” The lads stopped off at a local hotel to shower and enjoy a meal, before heading back to Weston where the celebrations carried on long into the night.

The venues…

The couple knew immediately that they wanted a traditional church wedding, and chose St Mary’s in Yatton, Kate’s family parish church. “It is beautiful inside and out and was perfect for our special day,” she says. After many hours of searching for a reception location, the couple decided upon Halswell House near Bridgewater. “It is a historic William and Mary mansion located deep in the Somerset countryside,” adds Kate. “It has 20 bedrooms, beautiful function rooms, very friendly and helpful staff and even a hot tub on the roof! It was exactly what we wanted.”

The attendants…

Kate had one maid of honour, her sister Emma. Her bridesmaid was her best friend Kelly, whose daughter five year-old daughter, Hope, was a flower girl. Emma and Kelly wore Alvina Valenta strapless fish tail gowns in honeydew with kiwi sashes, while Hope wore an ivory flower girl dress from John Lewis.

Phil’s two best men were his brother, Darren and best friend Shaun, who wore lightweight tails suits with a faint black pin stripe, ivory waistcoats and handmade cravats.

The dress…

Kate chose a Helen Marina dress in ivory silk. “I ordered it completely plain as I wanted to choose my own decoration in a one-off design,” she explains. “The bodice was boned and laced up at the back. The top was embroidered with crystals and pearls in a starburst effect, each hand sewn to create the look I wanted. The skirt was A-line with a small train on the back. At the front, the fabric was slightly gathered, creating a small bustle effect. I wanted something classic and simple with just a hint of glitz – less is more in my opinion!”

The bride accessorised with a handmade tiara by Evangelines, with real pearls and Swarovski crystals. She also chose a full length veil by the same maker, with small crystals scattered over it. “My jewellery was by Monet at John Lewis – I wore a necklace and matching bracelet,” she says. “My diamond solitaire stud earrings were my wedding gift from Phil.”

The flowers…

Kate chose orchids, which have a special meaning for her family. “We used to live in Singapore, and the orchid is the country’s national flower. It seemed a perfect choice.” The bride’s bouquet consisted of green cymbidium orchids with ivory roses, while the bridesmaids carried posies of purple phalaenopsis with ivory roses. The men wore matching buttonholes. The flowers at the reception venue were arranged by Kate’s close friend, Mel Glanville.

The transport…

Phil’s brother Darren arranged car hire for the wedding, and chose to surprise the couple. “We were absolutely speechless when he rolled up in a bright red Ferrari F430 Spider,” remembers Phil. “Kate travelled to the church in a 1932 classic ivory Sunbeam, and I travelled in the Ferrari. The bridesmaids arrived in a classic 1930 navy blue Austin 20.”

The decorative touches…

The room was decorated with simple yet effective flower arrangements. There were a few sprays dotted around the room, and garlands were hung from the grand staircase. The napkins were tied with kiwi-coloured ribbons, with small ivory roses on top. Each table was adorned with a fish bowl with a stem of phalenopsis purple orchid inside, and a piece of flexi grass wrapped around. Sitting just inside the bowls were small glass cups, which were filled with vanilla scented sand and an ivory candle.

The best bits…

“I don’t think we could narrow the day down to one best part,” considers Phil. “It was all amazing, from the Ferrari to seeing Kate in her beautiful dress and the fantastic music. The ceremony was full of love and meaning to us both. It was perfect.”

Top tips…

“Everyone told us that the day would go quickly,” adds Kate. “We tried to take this on board but didn’t expect it to fly by quite as fast as it did! Make sure you take some time for yourselves during the day. Look at the decorations, the cake and your guests having a wonderful time. Just grab five minutes with your new husband to really look at your wedding day and take stock.”

The honeymoon…

The couple honeymooned in Thailand and Singapore. “Bangkok is such a vibrant city with so much culture and history to explore,” says Phil. “Kate has been before so it was a little easier to navigate our way around.” After four days, they flew to Krabi, near Phuket, where they stayed at Rayavadee Resort and Spa, nestled between two beaches and limestone rock formations. Before returning home, Kate and Phil spent a few days in Singapore, catching up with old friends and indulging in a spot of retail therapy.

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