Real Weddings Milton Keynes: Clare and Dean’s fabulously floral big day

Despite their wedding car breaking down this happy couple still had a fantastic day celebrating with friends, family and their two young sons. Our WED2B Real Weddings Milton Keynes feature reveals more:

Clare and Dean met through Clare’s best friend, who had been travelling in Australia for a year. “At her ‘welcome home’ celebration I met her friend Kyla,” says Clare. “At work the following week, Kyla showed some of her colleagues the photos from the party. Dean spotted me and decided he wanted to take me on a date!”

A New Year’s Eve proposal

Dean proposed at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve 2015/2016. “We were at home celebrating and our two little boys were asleep,” says Clare. “He put on Savage Garden’s ‘I knew I loved you’ which is his song for me. When I turned around after watching the fireworks from the living room window he was down on one knee, holding cards just like the guy does in the movie, Love Actually. On each card he’d written something special and, on the very last one, he asked me to marry him. At first, I thought it was a joke, then he got out my beautiful engagement ring and I cried while saying a big fat ‘Yes!’ My dad isn’t around, but Dean had done what I had always hoped he would do and asked for my Mum’s permission first.”

A sparkly princess gown

“I visited the Milton Keynes WED2B store where every team member I met was absolutely fantastic,” says Clare. “They knew their stuff, were patient and made me feel incredibly comfortable.”

Our stunning Amanie dress was ‘The One’ for Clare. “I originally fell in love with Gracie but ideally needed a corset back, then Cassandra caught my eye but the skirt wasn’t quite the right style,” she says. “Then WED2B released beautiful Amanie. When I tried it on I cried. It was everything I could have hoped for. The top half was sparkly and showed off my shape, and the skirt floated like a princess gown.” She accessorised the look with the fingertip-length Ronnie veil and a sparkling Estella belt.

Romantic, rustic chic

The couple chose Notley Tythe Barn in Buckinghamshire for their big day. “We loved the surroundings and the fact it was relatively small and intimate,” says Clare. “We wanted all of our guests to enjoy the day together, rather than disappear off to separate parts of a large venue. Also, the fairy lights gave it such a romantic feel. We just knew as soon as we walked in! Later we went to a pre-booked venue viewing elsewhere and realised nothing else could compare, so we cancelled any other viewings straight away.”

On the day…

The couple’s sons got ready with their Daddy, so that their smart suits were a surprise for Clare, while the bride arrived in a limousine wedding car. “One of my favourite moments was seeing my incredible little boys in their suits for the first time, wearing their bow ties in memory of my granddad and, of course, seeing Dean standing at the end of the aisle,” says Clare. “My amazing three-year-old also walked me down the aisle, holding a plaque that said, ‘Daddy, here comes Mummy’.”

Car trouble!

Afterwards, there were drinks and canapés and the newlyweds were taken for what should have been a 10-minute drive in the wedding car. “The car actually broke down in the pouring rain and we were stranded for 40 minutes while the car company sent another one for us,” laughs Clare. “We were then late for our three-course wedding breakfast. Luckily it didn’t ruin our day, and it’s a story to tell our grandchildren!”

Dinner is served

The wedding breakfast was a roast dinner followed by the speeches. The couple also surprised their sons by telling them that they were all going to Disneyland the following week, on a family honeymoon. “They were so shocked, it was a very special moment,” says Clare.

A floral theme

The look for the day was a garden theme because of Clare’s love of flowers and the filmThe Secret Garden, and most of the decorations were homemade. Centrepieces were garden carts filled with silk flowers and there were more flowers in glass bottles that had been sprayed with rose gold paint. Loose flower petals and flowers framed the aisle and Claire’s step Dad helped her make a pick ’n’ mix sweetie table. Clare’s mum made the welly welcome sign. “I made my table plan by sticking flowers around a frame, which I absolutely love,” says Clare. “Anything I could do, I did myself. I wanted to put everything into our special day.”

A mystery cake

The couple chose a ‘Cake Mystique’ option, where they told the baker the wedding theme and their preferred flavours and colours, then left the rest up to her. “It was exciting as we didn’t know what our cake would be until we saw it on the day,” says Clare. “The bottom layer was Victoria sponge, then there was chocolate, lemon and a top layer of Champagne.”

Fun, laughter and a night to remember

In the evening there was a fantastic DJ, a photo booth and a hog roast and ice cream buffet. A friend also sang the couple’s first dance song acoustically. Some of the funniest and most memorable moments involved the couple’s young sons. “My eldest son didn’t leave the photo booth all night,” smiles Clare. “He had just turned six and he was up until midnight. He didn’t dance at all, he just kept going around for more photos! During my husband’s speech, our three-year-old laughed at every single joke. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a genuine laugh it was a really sarcastic laugh, which just made the speeches even funnier!”.

Make up artist: Natalie Wood Make-up Artist

Hair Stylist: Pheonix Rae

Venue: Notley Tythe Barn

Videographer: The London Videographer

Cake: Sweetness and Delight

Photobooth: Gigglebooth

Transport: Allerston Taylor and Regency Carriages

Chairs and Lanterns: Stardust Event UK

Photographer: Kris Karl Wedding Photography 

Did your wedding have the wow factor like our Real Weddings Milton Keynes feature? If you would like to be a part of our real weddings feature send your favourite photo to info@wed2b.co.uk and we’ll be in touch!