Lisa and Simon first saw each other in 2017 on Match.com. “After a few weeks of talking it was clear that we were meant to be,” says Lisa. “Our first date started at a Thai restaurant in Birmingham, followed by a trip to the theatre to see Miss Saigon. It was a beautiful evening and Simon made me feel like a princess.”

“After six months of wonderful dates and falling in love, I introduced him to my two daughters. They could instantly see how happy Simon was making me and how much fun he was. They loved spending time with us. We went on family holidays to Spain and a long weekend trip to New York, which was amazing. Then… Covid hit!”

A lockdown proposal

“During Covid, when we were separated by the rules, we realised we could no longer live apart,” says Lisa. “Simon moved into our family home in June 2020. I didn’t know, but Simon had been planning a trip to Lake Orta in Italy to propose.”

“As Covid had put the world on hold, he decided he was going to order a diamond ring, cook a special meal, ask the girls to help decorate the lounge with fairy lights and rose petals and propose to me at home instead. The 11th July 2020 was a truly magical night and the way he involved the girls made everything very special. We set our date a year later, while we were on a weekend away in Malvern celebrating Simon’s 50th birthday.”

Shopping for the dress

“I walked past the WED2B store in Wednesbury when I was with my best friend,” says Lisa. “We popped in to make an appointment and were amazed to find we didn’t need one. This was very refreshing, as many wedding boutiques won’t let you through the door without an appointment."

“We looked around the store and there it was, on a mannequin, my dress, Winona! I instantly fell in love with it and when I tried her on she fitted like a glove. My best friend cried happy tears and I knew it was the dress for me.” For similar styles take a closer look at Sebastiane, Klaudia and Gisella.

“Winona fits in all the right places,” says Lisa. “If you have an hourglass figure, then this dress should definitely be on your list. I also added a stunning belt and loved the figure-hugging fit and the beautifully detailed lacework. It made me feel beautiful.”

A stylish venue

“We searched online for lots of venues and contacted several local hotels but, as the country was still coming out of lockdown, it was difficult to get responses,” says Lisa. “Then Simon found the Edgbaston Park Hotel. It was absolutely perfect, everything I’ve ever wanted.”

"The hotel has a beautiful venue in the grounds called Hornton Grange and the old stately feel, combined with the contemporary modern touches, made it perfect for our elegance wedding theme. The gardens are also absolutely beautiful and very safe for children to run around and enjoy, too.”

The big day

“Simon went to the hotel the night before and I stayed at home,” says Lisa. “My makeup and hair ladies arrived at 7:30am and myself, my 10-year-old, my 18-year-old, my sister and my best friend had the best morning getting ready together. The weather was stunning, not too hot but a beautiful day. My parents arrived at 11:30am with my eldest daughter’s boyfriend and then the limo arrive to take us to the venue.”

“My dad very proudly walked me down the aisle to a beautiful version of ‘I Can’t Help Falling in Love’ by Kina Grannis,” says Lisa. “The ceremony started with the reading ‘What is Love’. The music during the signing of the register was ‘Yours’ by Ella Henderson, ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri and ‘All I Ask of You ‘ from the Phantom of the Opera.”

“The ceremony concluded with another reading, ‘Once in a Lifetime’, and we exited to ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ by our favourite band Coldplay. Our standout moment during the ceremony was, without a doubt, our vows. They meant so much to us both and the love was felt throughout the room.”

Let’s party!

“We had a drinks reception and a quick mingle with our guests before we were whisked off for a few photographs in the beautiful grounds of the hotel,” says Lisa. “I had also organised some garden games for the children.”

“We requested that our photographer took very natural photographs, as we are not camera lovers. Then we headed back inside the venue for our sit-down wedding breakfast and speeches.”

“For our first dance we chose ‘Never Enough’ from The Greatest Showman, as Simon had played this to me in a rooftop bar in New York, while we were admiring the view of the Empire State Building. It’s another very special memory.”

An elegance wedding theme

“We had an elegance wedding theme,” says Lisa. “Everywhere was decorated with blush peonies and white and pink hydrangeas, with eucalyptus leaves and garlands. It was truly beautiful. My best friend and I created all of the flower arrangements and bouquets, which we were incredibly proud of.”

“There was a three-course meal of bacon and cheese tart, roasted chicken dinner and Eton Mess to follow,” says Lisa. “Our wedding cake was two tiers with vanilla sponge and butter cream on the bottom tier and Biscoff sponge and Biscoff cream on the top. It was decorated with white chocolate ganache and it was absolutely beautiful.”

“For the wedding favours, I bought Macmillan pins for everyone (a charity very close to our hearts) and had chocolates made with our names and wedding date,” says Lisa. “The children had a jar of sweets with a personalised activity pack. For the evening reception, we had the hotel’s resident DJ and hired a photo booth for some extra fun.”

The best bits…

“For us, the most memorable moments were undoubtedly the ceremony and in particular our vows,” says Lisa. “The photographer did an amazing job of capturing ‘moments’. Our guests all had an amazing day and said how much they enjoyed celebrating with us.”

My top tips…

“Enjoy every second of the buildup,” says Lisa. “Also, try on as many dresses and styles as you can. When you know, you know! Don’t stress over the little things. Take time out during the day to stand with your groom and take in the memories. It goes so quickly, cherish every moment.”

Lisa and Simon’s Dream Team

Photographer: Harrison Smith Photography

Venue: Edgbaston Park Hotel

Wedding dresses West Midlands: WED2B

Cake: Chitty’s Cakes

Makeup: Rebecca Bridal Makeup Artist

Hair: Hair by Maddie

Photo booth: Booth Baby

If you would like us to feature your big day, like this lovely day with its elegance wedding theme, 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.