Real Weddings
Katie and Daniel’s sunny yellow wedding
Lots of sunflowers and stylish yellow bridesmaids dresses brightened up this joyful wedding. Our WED2B Real Weddings feature reveals more…
Katie and Dan met through friends and were close friends throughout their teenage years before they moved away to university in separate cities. “Then, after we finished university, we both moved back to our home town,” says Katie.
“We realised we were much more than friends and everything just clicked into place. Our friendship was the basis for the most amazing relationship. We’ve now been together for five years and are expecting our first baby.”
The couple got engaged on 14th September 2019 on the iconic bridge at Priory Park in Bath. “Dan went to university in Bath and it’s a really special place for both of us,” says Katie. “He always knew he wanted to propose there.”
“On the day, I was told we were going on a trip but wasn’t told where. I was not impressed by the climb up a huge hill to get to the bridge and was quite grumpy. I was completely oblivious to what was going on and the fact the ring was in a box in his pocket!”
"The staff helped us have the bridge to ourselves, so he could get down on one knee, just the two of us. He made a beautiful speech and some staff members got great photos. I was overwhelmed with happiness and cried so much I initially forgot to actually say yes!”
Shopping for the dress
“I had the most amazing experience with Lottie at WED2B in Bournemouth,” says Katie. “I ended up buying the fourth dress I tried on, because she listened so well to what I wanted and found the perfect dress for me. There were also lots of the accessories I loved and Lottie styled them with my dress perfectly. All of the staff on the day were so attentive. They lent me a tripod to FaceTime my nan, so she could be part of it too. There were lots of tears but it was an amazing day!”
“I chose Brielle as my dress. It fitted perfectly with the country manor venue and I was really hoping for a sunny day, so we could spend lots of time in the gardens.”
" I loved the light sparkle on the bodice and the subtle lace detail throughout. The A-line shape was perfect for my figure and had plenty of volume without feeling heavy. I also really wanted a corset back, so I could adjust it through the day to be as comfortable as possible.”
A very happy surprise
“Unexpectedly, the dress also ended up being absolutely perfect for the fact I was 22 weeks pregnant at my wedding,” says Katie. “I didn’t need the dress altered at all, it fitted the bump in perfectly and still looked so flattering. I was so happy to have our little bump with us on our wedding day, and still felt like a princess in my dream dress.”
A grand Georgian manor
The couple chose Bourton Hall in Warwickshire for their venue. “Its a new venue, which only opened after lockdown,” says Katie. “It had the exact vibe we wanted with the beautiful Georgian manor house and stunning gardens. It also had an Italian-style chapel onsite, which was the most lovely space for our ceremony.”
“When we first viewed the venue, and the manager explained we could have our first dance at the foot of the grand staircase, I was moved to tears imagining the moment. I knew this was the venue for us. We booked for 1st August 2022.”
The big day
“I got ready at the venue with my mum and two sisters,” says Katie. “The weather was beautiful all day. My best friend sang us down the aisle and also sang while we signed the register. We then walked out to our favourite ever song, ‘Dancing Queen’ by Abba.”
“Our ceremony was full of laughter, especially when Dan almost forgot to say I do! We have so many amazing pictures of us laughing together, which I love. My brother was our ring bearer and this was a really special moment with him. "
“One of our readings was ‘I Carry Your Heart With Me’ by E.E Cummings, read by my godmother. This poem is really special to me, as I actually sang a choral arrangement of it at a number of weddings a few years ago.”
Plenty more surprises
“I also learned an Abba dance routine with my girls on my hen do, which we performed flash mob style to surprise the guests,” says Katie. “Luckily, I could dance in my amazing dress!”
“We also revealed the gender of our baby during our cake cutting. We managed to keep it secret from all of our families and friends, and our amazing cake maker Karen dyed the bottom layer pink for us. So, when the cake was cut, everyone found out we were expecting a baby girl! This was a huge highlight of the day.”
Sunflowers and yellow bridesmaids dresses
“Our theme was sunflowers and yellow,” says Katie. “I paired my dress with a hand-embroidered veil, which included sunflowers and other blue and gold smaller flowers. We had sunflower yellow bridesmaids dresses and sunflower button holes, too.”
“There was also lots of personalisation, such as including our two cats on our cake topper. We were married under a custom-built archway, which we then moved out into the gardens for photo opportunities for all of the guests.”
The best bits…
“Our guests would certainly say the gender reveal during the cake cut was something they were all so excited about,” says Katie. “I also loved our Abba flash mob dance, which was a really fun addition to the day.”
“The speeches from my husband, stepfather and brother were a huge highlight for me. They had us laughing and crying in equal measure and everyone was touched and moved by their words.”
My top tips…
“My top tip is just to relax and enjoy your day,” says Katie. “Check in with yourself whenever you can to help you stay grounded. Then you won’t feel like the day is passing you by and you’re not feeling present.”
"We also had a sweetheart table with just the two of us during the meal. This was such a good decision, as it gave us time together to check in and share our experiences. I would really recommend this, so you can spend some time with your new husband away from everyone for a while.”
Katie and Daniel’s Dream Team
Photographer: Chris Teagles Photography
Venue: Bourton Hall
Wedding dresses: WED2B
Florist: Anne Marie’s Florist Rugby
Cake: Cakes Fabulous Cakes
Hair and makeup: Beauty WithInn Northampton
If you would like us to feature your big day, like this wedding with yellow bridesmaids dresses, 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 more details about WED2B’s bridal shops.
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