Ashley and Paul’s beautiful Newland Manor wedding was held on the 7th August 2015. The couple are happily preparing for the birth of their child and I managed to grab a few moments with Ashley to chat about their wedding day. Here, Ashley reminisces about their wedding, sharing her favourite memories of the day.
Ashley, how did you and Paul meet?
We actually met online. We chatted for about a month before meeting up and we hit it off straight away. We went on dates every couple of weeks and as they say, the rest is history.
How did Paul propose?
It was really romantic! He took me on a surprise holiday to Saint Lucia, which is special to me due to our family heritage. He told me to pack a bag and took me to the airport. I had no idea where we were going! On the fourth day into our holiday, he proposed on the beautiful Jalousie Beach with the twin Pitons in the background. It was beautiful.
Now onto your wedding day… did you have a theme?
We didn’t necessarily have a theme but we wanted everyone to be relaxed and comfortable, which was funny as it turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year. For our colour scheme we chose a combination of royal purple, silver, cream and baby pink.
Tell us about your wedding dress
The story of my wedding dress is a funny one! Initially, I began looking at high end dresses and nothing looked good on me. Then on TV, a news story caught my eye. It was about how 300 wedding dresses had been donated to the PDSA so we decided to take a trip to the store. I ended up choosing a 2 piece wedding dress, which was the complete opposite of what I had envisioned. I had a few alterations made to it but I loved it. And it felt good knowing I was doing my bit for charity.
Who did you have as your bridesmaids?
My bridesmaids were my friend Maggie and my sister Rebecca. Getting their dresses was a nightmare. I ordered them online from Zara and when they tried them on, they fitted really badly and had uneven hems. Returning them even proved difficult as I had to contact head office in Barcelona, which involved endless phone calls. So brides beware – avoid dress shopping online! In the end we went to Debenhams and the dresses we choose were beautiful!
What did you love most about wedding planning?
I really liked to the food element. For West Indian families food is a big thing so our families catered for our wedding, which was amazing as it meant we could have exactly what we wanted. For Paul, it would be choosing the music as he has a huge interest in this.
What three tips would you offer other brides?
- Be organised and allow yourself plenty of time to plan all the elements.
- Have regular meetings with your fiancé to discuss how your planning is going so that you are both on the same page.
- Enjoy the day as it just goes by so quickly. Grab a few moments together so that you can take it all in.
How did you decide on Marc as your wedding photographer?
We went to the Excel Wedding Show and spotted Marc on our way out. We instantly liked him and were really impressed with his work. We are delighted with our wedding photos and love how Marc captured everything, including things we didn’t get to see.
If you are still looking for your wedding photographer why not consider my photo experience. My photo experience sessions are perfect for ensuring that your money is being wisely invested and I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to email or call FREE on 0800-634-4455 or by mobile on 07961-101-725 to discuss your big day in greater detail.