Summer Loving

Claire and Paul celebrated their summer wedding in relaxed countryside style.

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Early days…

Claire was a client of hairdresser Paul's, which is how the couple met. After a few visits to his salon, he decided to ask her out on a date, which led to a nine-year relationship."We soon realised that we had similar priorities in life," says Claire. "We got on so well with each other's families and could go anywhere and do anything together."

The proposal…

Their love prompted Paul to pop the question during a trip to New York for Claire's 30th birthday. "He chose the ring and went to great lengths to find the perfect place to propose and even used a work contact to reserve a table at a Michelin starred restaurant at short notice," recalls Claire. "It came as a complete surprise."

Hen and stag parties…

Claire celebrated her hen party in Bath with 14 friends. "We had a flower arranging class at Rachel Lilley, champagne and nibbles on a canal boat and then headed out on the town to meet some other friends. We all ended up in Moles club until the early hours."
For Paul, two stag parties were arranged with one trip to the country and one in the city. "I had a day of outdoor activities, like quad-biking, go-karting, shooting and archery in the Oxfordshire countryside with male family members and my best man," he recalls. "Then we hired a pub in London with 20 mates, who surprised me by all wearing afro wigs!"

The venues…

Paul and Claire chose Guyers House to host their big day, a relaxed country wedding. "We wanted to make the most of the beautiful countryside around Bath," says Claire. "Family and friends were also travelling from across the UK, Greece and America so we wanted somewhere that guests could stay the night and get to know one another better.
"Among other reasons we chose Guyers for its gardens and bar, which served real ale. The flexible space meant that people could dance or just chat and enjoy the gardens," says Claire.

The dress…

In keeping with the relaxed feel of the day, Claire chose a long Grecian-style dress. "It was made from ivory silk and had a v-neck and a bias cut, with a small train," she says.
Her sister was maid-of-honour on the day and Paul's three nieces Charlotte, Deanna and Giselle were bridesmaids. "The bridesmaids wore long, pink gowns with a bow on the back," says Claire. Maid-of-honour Lisa stood out in a knee-length lilac-coloured prom dress.
Paul, along with his best man Billy and ushers Richard and Matthew, wore their own suits, each finished with a pale-pink tie.

The flowers…

To evoke an English country garden feel, Claire and Paul decorated their venue with fresh flowers in pale pink and lime green colours. "They included roses, jasmine, gerberas and carnations," says Claire. "For our centrepieces we had tightly packed displays of flowers in round vases."

Top tips…

"Start looking for venues the minute you get engaged. We nearly missed out on Guyers House even though we booked a year in advance, so search early and get the date you want" - bride

The honeymoon…

Newlyweds Claire and Paul enjoyed a two week honeymoon, dividing their time between
Singapore, Bali and Borneo. "We experienced great service, great value, amazing scenery - and frozen margaritas!" says Claire.

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