These newlyweds not only shared their celebration with us, but also some great wedding day top tips as well...

Katie and William first met at the University of Essex in 2013, when they were both 18. “Our first date was months later at a local pub,” says Katie. “William proposed on the 18th December 2021 at a small pub near where we live in Essex. We were in an outdoor private dining pod when he popped the question.”

Shopping for the dress

“I discovered wed2b on Instagram and I am so glad I did,” says Katie. “It was the best experience buying my dress at wed2b Chelmsford. I was able to try on different styles, with different accessories, and I was made to feel so comfortable. It was a really fun and enjoyable experience.”

Katie chose Taron, a lace and crepe sheath with contemporary illusion cut outs. “I knew the sheath shape fitted my body best,” says Katie. “I also wanted a dress with straps and a low/dramatic back, so Taron was perfect. It was my dream dress and I loved the shape and the lace and button details.”

She also wore a Wunderskirt, Willa veil and Auben pearl hair pins. “My veil and hair accessories completed the look perfectly,” says Katie. “My mum also kindly bought me the ivory ‘Bride’ satin robe to get ready in. It looked so beautiful and was very comfortable too!”

A country house wedding venue

The couple married at Friern Manor in Essex on the 8th September. “Friern Manor is a country house hotel that's local to us,” says Katie. “It’s a lovely venue and we chose it because both the indoor and outdoor spaces are equally beautiful.”

The big day

“I got ready with my Mum, maid of honour and three bridesmaids in the venue's bridal suite, and it was such a fun morning,” says Katie. “The day was beautiful. It was sunny and around 30℃, so very hot for the UK. My Dad walked me down the aisle and William picked the song I walked in to, which was ‘At Last’ by Etta James. My brother also read two short and funny poems during the ceremony, which made everyone laugh!”

The afterparty

After the ceremony there were drinks and canapés for guests while the newlyweds had photos taken. “For the wedding breakfast, we served tomato and red pepper soup to start, Champagne chicken for the main and a beautiful chocolate brownie for dessert,” says Katie. “Our first dance was to ‘Never Too Much’ by Luther Vandross. We picked this because it’s my favourite song and means something to both of us.”

Elegant modern greens

“We chose sage green for our colour theme, as we wanted a natural boho feel,” says Katie. “Everyone looked beautiful in it. We kept the decor quite modern and minimalistic, with white and green flowers in lots of bud vases and floating candles. We also had a beautiful gold mirror table plan and matching seating plan.”

“In the evening, we had a local DJ who was great and had everyone up dancing,” says Katie. “Our cake was made by a local cake maker and had one tier of buttercream, decorated in gold-leaf and with a few white roses. It tasted as beautiful as it looked.”

The best bits…

“The most memorable moment of the whole day was seeing my husband cry as I walked down the aisle,” says Katie. “Also, watching all of our loved ones dancing the night away to celebrate with us.”

My 25 wedding day top tips:

“I have plenty of wedding day top tips for other brides, so it’s great to share them!” says Katie.

1. Use a crochet hook for your dress buttons (and get your husband to learn how to undo them, too).

2. Use white chalk for makeup stains on your wedding dress. Don’t use water.

3. Make sure someone in your bridal party brings a steamer and knows how to use it (don’t be responsible for steaming dresses yourself).

4. Pack extension leads, you’ll need them for your steamer.

5. Pack a makeup touch up kit with translucent powder, lipstick, blotting sheets, eyelash glue, etc.

6. Buy mini Amazon perfume pump bottles, so you can reapply during the day.

7. Buy comfortable flats, as your feet will swell from your shoes. 

8. Pack a mini, hand-held fan!

9. Have plenty of food and drink plenty of water. It’s a very long day. Also, try to be ready around 1 hour 15 mins before the ceremony (bridal party and parents too).

10. While you're getting ready, play music to hype everyone up and get you excited.

My 25 wedding day top tips continued:

11. Give gifts (if you’re giving them) before hair and makeup starts. It takes longer than you’d expect.

12. Clean your teeth before makeup and before you put on your dress. 

13. Have one of your bridal party take pics while you get ready.

14. Get your wedding jewellery out of the boxes and lay it on the side, so you don’t need to look for it.

15. If you can, prep your bathroom to get unready that evening (makeup remover, hair brush, towels, etc) 

16. Remove hair bands, smart watches, socks, bras; anything with a strap.

17. Tell the wedding party no smart watches, as they will date in your pictures. 

18. Try to keep your bridal suite clean for photos. 

19. Take bouquet flowers out of water an hour before ceremony, so they dry off.

20. Before you go, have individual photos with your bridesmaids and parents.

21. Don’t chew gum before walking down the aisle, have a mint instead.

22. Create a page on a photo sharing gallery app, so your guests can upload their pics from the day (you will miss a lot of what they do otherwise).

23. If you’re having children at your wedding breakfast, get them a small table favour (like a colouring book or games pack). Then they won’t have toys all over the table, which is better for your pictures.

24. If you’re having confetti shots, do the first shots with the parents, bridal party and groomsmen, as it looks better in your photos.

25. Finally, ask the best man or groomsmen to take the guest book around to guests so they sign it (and pack extra pens too!)

Katie and William’s Dream Team

Photographer: Rob Moore Photography

Venue: Friern Manor

Wedding dresses Chelmsford: wed2b

Decor: Hire My Decor 

Cake: Shannon’s Cakes

DJ: Midnight Star Entertainment

Hair and Makeup: Flawless Faces Essex

We hoped you enjoyed Katie’s wedding day top tips! If you would like us to feature your big day, then please click here to share your story and photos with us and we’ll be in touch. Your nearest WED2B is closer than you think, click here for your nearest store and here for what to expect when you visit.