The wonderful Ben and Natalie, originally from Kent were married last summer in Turkey Mill, Maidstone and it’s a day I’ll never forget. A few months later, I was delighted to catch up with Natalie who was only too happy to talk about their special day. Today, Natalie shares her favourite memories of their wedding, as well as some top tips for all you brides-to-be. So grab a cuppa and check out what she has to say about their wedding day.
Natalie, tell us about you and Ben
Ben and I are both from Kent, between Welling and Greenhithe but currently living in Medway. Ben is a general maintenance worker, and I’m a stay at home mum to our son, Ashley and I’m currently pregnant with our second child. I met Ben through friends when I was 16 and he was 19, before our friendship developed into a relationship when I was 20.
And how did he propose?
Ben proposed to me in front of all his family. It meant so much that they were all there.
When and where were you married?
We were married at Turkey Mill in Maidstone, Kent, on 5th July 2015.
What did you enjoy the most about planning your wedding?
The wedding planning was amazing, but there were a few stressful times, of course. The things we loved doing together were looking at different venues until we found the perfect one, choosing our catering company with lots of food tasting and doing our pre-wedding photo shoot with Marc. It was the perfect way to warm up for the wedding and we loved getting to know each other.
Your wedding dress is a gorgeous Ronald Joyce creation. Tell us more!
I didn’t find the journey to choosing my dress difficult at all. I had a style in mind from the very beginning and I was delighted to find a dress with the exact top I had envisioned. I wasn’t too sure about the bottom half when I saw it in the shop but as soon as I tried it on I knew that it was the one for me.
And your bridesmaid dresses?
My bridesmaids were my two friends; Adèle, who I met in primary school, and Charlotte from my secondary school. Their dresses were a gorgeous shade of purple with a romantic sweetheart neckline and straight floor length skirts. A delicate silver brooch at the left hand side finished them off perfectly.
What 3 top tips would you give anyone planning their wedding?
- Although it can be stressful at times, enjoy the experience as much as possible.
- Start planning and booking as soon as you can as things book up fast!
- Only go with what YOU want for your wedding and feel happy and relaxed with your decision or it will play on your mind.
How did you decide on Marc as your wedding photographer?
I met Marc at a wedding fair I attended with one of my bridesmaids. We hit it off straight away and I knew he was an amazing person. He helped with any questions I had and offering the engagement shoot was ideal as Ben wasn’t able to meet him at the fair.
After the engagement shoot we felt relaxed with Marc, which is definitely what you want for one of the most important days of your life. Also, Marc was fantastic with our son when he was in a few of the photos.
What did you love about his style of photography?
Quite simply, his style is amazing! Marc talked us through every process, stopping to show us what he was photographing and explaining what he was doing, which was a great help. I still can’t believe how amazing our photos are. The details Marc captured throughout the day were just brilliant and we have some amazing memories captured forever, thanks to Marc.