Real Weddings Kent: Samantha and Nathan’s funky festival wedding

“Nathan pursued me for a while before I agreed to go on a date. Our first official date was to Burger King at Bluewater!”

A beautiful proposal in Vietnam

Nathan proposed after the couple had been together for 10 years. “I thought it would never happen, so didn't expect it at all,” says Samantha. “We were backpacking in Vietnam and had gone on a moped ride through the mountains. I was panicking about getting lost and kept asking Nathan to drive us back to the hotel. Little did I know, he was looking for the perfect spot for our proposal. Eventually he pulled over by a river and popped the question. It was so unexpected, I just cried and forgot to say, Yes!"

"Nathan was quite anxious beforehand, so he went to buy two cans of drink and ended up almost paying £50 for them! He got confused with the currency. Luckily, the lady selling them was super honest and kept trying to give him all the change. He kept telling her to keep it, as he thought it was only around £1, not £49!” 

Dream dress shopping in bridal shops Kent 

Samantha found her perfect dress in WED2B’s bridal shops Kent, Ashford. “As soon as stores reopened after the first lockdown I booked an appointment. I didn’t expect to find my dress but it was actually Bali, only the second one I tried on. (For similar styles try Dion, Valdez and Elysia) It was so beautiful and I loved the way the sequins caught the light. I couldn't believe the quality for the price."

"My mum, mother-in-law and best friend came with me. They were all emotional when they saw the dress and it was this reaction that really sealed the deal. The girl who helped me in store was also lovely. She was so patient and listened to exactly what I wanted.” 

Laid-back glamping

“We went for a festival-style wedding with two giant tipis at a glamping site in Kent,” says Samantha. “There were also 10 glamping tents for family to stay in. We knew we wanted giant tipis and spent weeks during the first lockdown trying to source somewhere we could hire to pitch them."

"When we visited Lillyroo’s, a glamping site, we just knew it was the perfect location. The site was very laid back and also included bell tents. From that moment on we were so excited for our day. Also, whenever we told anyone about it, they were excited and curious. Most of our guests hadn't been to a wedding like this before.”

Sunshine and flowers

The wedding was on the 11th September 2021. “My dad walked me down the aisle and one of our friends sang and played Eric Clapton’s ‘You Look Wonderful Tonight’ on the piano,” says Samantha. 

“The morning was a cloudy but, as I walked down the aisle, the sun broke through the clouds. Then we had pure sunshine for the rest of the day. We got married outside in front of the tipis. Guests sat on hay bales and we had a huge flower hexagon and neon sign to stand in front of too.” 

A festival extravaganza

“We really went for the festival vibe and we completely pulled it off,” says Samantha. “Our food was amazing, festival-style boxes with filled pittas and sides. In the evening we had a fish and chip van arrive." 

"Another friend was our DJ and provided the music. It was just vinyl records and a night full of 70’s and 80's disco. We paid for a free bar too, so everyone was up on the dance floor all night!”

A glittering party

“The thing that made it most memorable was having our three-month-old son there, and being able to arrange it all whilst also being new parents,” says Samantha. “Also, I loved the glitter bar! I wanted everyone to really get into the festival spirit, so it was the first thing I booked after our venue."

My top tips…

“Don’t sweat the small stuff,” says Samantha. “Loads of things didn't go to plan. For example, our tipi company didn't supply lots of items, but nobody noticed. People also don't remember what table decorations you had or whether your bridesmaids’ dresses perfectly matched the groom's tie!”

Samantha’s Dream Team

Photographer: Pearce Wedding Photography 

Venue: Lillyroos Glamping and Camping

Florist: Big Bloom Florals 

DJ: Disco Freaks 

Food: The Frying Squad and Lillyroos Glamping and Camping

Glitter Bar: The Kent Glitter Bar 

Makeup: Knox Beauty

If you would like your big day to be one of our real weddings please click here to share your story and photos with us and we’ll be in touch. Or click here for more details about WED2B’s bridal shops Kent.