Stephanie and John’s registry office wedding ceremony

John and Stephanie met at her sister’s wedding. “It was a ‘Covid’ wedding, so very small, just 30 people in total,” says Stephanie. “John is my sister’s husband’s cousin and we had never met before. Following the wedding, he asked my now brother-in-law, Matt, for my number and the rest is history. We instantly got on and went on numerous dates, having a brilliant time no matter what we did or where we went!”

“Later, John booked a trip to Llangollen in Wales for the two of us and my sausage dog, Winston,” says Stephanie. “One morning he suggested going for a walk up a hill, to the ruins of the 13th Century castle. It was November and luckily it was a beautiful, clear and sunny day. He waited for the perfect moment to get down on one knee and said the words. Thankfully Winston didn’t jump up and lick him in the face!”

Shopping for the dress

A work colleague recommended wed2b to Stephanie and she visited the Wednesbury store. “My experience was fantastic and I was so pleased to find my dress there,” she says. “Prior to this, I had become really disheartened after visiting a couple of other bridal shops and not finding anything I liked. However, wed2b’s wide variety of different designers was incredible. I also loved that the dresses I tried on were in my size and fitted me, instead of being a different size that I was ‘clipped’ into.”

Stephanie chose Oakley, a contemporary sheath with sheer modern lace by The Signature Collection. “It was a style I knew I liked and it was actually on the mannequin in the entrance to the dressing rooms,” she says. “I thought it was absolutely stunning! As soon as I tried it on I knew it was ‘The One’. Unlike every other dress I tried on, it got me perfectly. Despite my slender frame and small chest, I felt sexy and elegant, exactly as I wanted to feel. It was amazing!”

A registry office wedding ceremony

The couple chose to have a registry office wedding ceremony. “Our venue was our local registry office in Dudley, West Midlands,” says Stephanie. “But it’s not your typical registry office, it’s a converted chapel and truly beautiful, inside and out. The reception afterwards was at a local brewery.”

The big day

The couple married on 26th August. “I got ready at home with my sister, best friends and my children,” says Stephanie. “We had a wonderful morning, all getting ready together. Then we were joined by more family before leaving in a Land Rover limousine. My dad walked me down the aisle, after our children, who were bridesmaid and page boys. Our best friends were our witnesses and my friend Jo did the most incredible reading.”

A relaxed party atmosphere

The ceremony guests then made their way to a local brewery. “It was still open to the public for a couple of hours before it became privately ours,” says Stephanie. “As we arrived, everyone gave us a round of applause, which was fantastic. The room was then set up for the reception, with a street food vendor who served tasty burgers, tacos and loaded fries. The music was supplied by a live band who played 90s House and RnB music. Our first dance was to ‘All my Life’ by Charlotte Jane, a beautiful song that means a lot to us.”

All things bright and beautiful

“We wanted everything bright and colourful,” says Stephanie. “We also didn’t want a traditional wedding and so kept everything very relaxed and fun. Bright and colourful decor added to that vibe. A good friend of mine helped by designing the invitations, table signs and entrance board, all in bright florals. We also had a balloon artist install a large, multicoloured balloon circle. Another friend made our cupcakes and cakes, which were also very bright and multicoloured.”

The best bits…

“The most memorable moment was the ceremony,” says Stephanie. “We had written our own promises and kept them secret from each other. They were incredibly moving and emotional. Having all of our friends and family together having the best time was fantastic.”

My top tips…

“Relax,” says Stephanie. “This was a second marriage for both of us, so we didn’t get caught up with all the things that you feel that you ‘should’ have. Have whatever you like and don’t be pressured into having anything you don’t want. We didn’t really have anything traditional and we had the best day. It also proves that you don’t have to spend thousands too!”

Stephanie and John’s Dream Team 

Photographer: Maisie Jane Photography

Registry office wedding ceremony: Dudley Register Office

Reception: The Green Duck Brewery

Wedding dresses Wednesbury: wed2b

Cake: Zannas Bakes 

Makeup: Makeup By Stacey Ellen 

Band: House Jammerz 

Florist: Websters of Wollaston 

Caterer: Kendricks Smoke and Fire

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