Opposites attract

Lizzie found Rich's shyness intriguing when she met him back in 2010, and suspected they might be complete opposites. "Once I got to know him, I loved his kindness and light-hearted humour," she says. Rich, on the other hand told us, "I was initially attracted by Lizzie's beauty, but knew there was so much more to her. We have so much fun together."

Six years later the couple were on holiday in Mexico. They’d woken up early, just in time to see the sunrise, thanks to jet lag, and Rich proposed on the beach. “I cried instantly,” Lizzie remembers. It came as a total surprise to her, but Rich’s seemingly irrational panic over their luggage getting lost did now make sense, as that’s where he’d stashed the ring.

The wedding plans got off to a slow start, both feeling uninspired by the many venues they’d visited. Lizzie explains, “I knew exactly what I was looking for, I just couldn’t find it.” Then, a friend recommended The Cock O’Barton, and the pair fell in love with it. “I loved the vibe, the bright airy décor, the intimate feel, and the lovely staff. It felt homely, but formal at the same time,” the bride remembers.

So, with the venue settled, the date was set for 26th August, 2019. Here, the bride shares her account of the wedding day…

Oak veneer tableplan The big day was to have a relaxed vibe, with a theme featuring plenty of greenery and bronze. Lizzie was keen to avoid an over abundance of flowers in the centrepieces, so florist Dawn of Kado Flowers created table numbers from moss. The main focal point was a flower halo suspended from a skylight, with a bed of moss on the table beneath creating a wild feel. The table plan was engraved into an oak veneer board as a lovely keepsake.

Bridesmaids bouquets The bouquets were inspired by images Lizzie found online during her research. Her own featured white flowers and greenery, with a few peach blooms for the bridesmaids to complement their dresses. Lanterns, which lined the aisle, also matched the ladies' dresses and blossom trees from White Event framed the altar.

Despite aiming for a super-relaxed atmosphere during the day, the pair were keen to switch this up to a party vibe for the evening. So,as a transition between the two, the couple served Rolo tequila shots from their local Kuckoo after the wedding breakfast. The shots were poured into mini jars and labelled with "drink me" tags.

"Alethea, events manager at The Cock O'Barton, suggested a Mexican wave of shots, and I couldn't say no," Lizze remembers. "We also created hangover bags for the guests who stayed the night, which included sugary sweets, energy drinks, pamper items, and a few personalised touches," she continues.

Canapes A local cake-maker created the big-day bake. It was a beautifully simple, semi-naked, two-tier design, decorated with white flowers, macarons and a cake topper. The catering was provided by the venue, the bride says, "They did an amazing job, as we didn't want a traditional three coursemeal and instead opted for tapas-style savoury and sweet plates."

Confetti surrounds couple Lizzie was immediately inspired by bridal boutique Along Came Eve when she walked past it one day and spotted a stunning floral gown in the window. "I just knew it would have the dress for me," she says, and wasn't wrong. Amongst the beautiful samples she found the one, Azrielby Watters, which she accessorised with a hair vine and her mum's topaz bracelet.

Bridal party The groom and best man both wore matching trousers and waistcoats in a light grey puppy tooth pattern, coupled with charcoal jackets. They smartly accessorised with burgundy ties with white polka dots and black patent monk shoes. The bridesmaids wore square-neck maxi dresses in a peach and floral fabric.

First dance Live act The Singles Table played an acoustic set during the day, plus a full band set for the evening revelries. They proved a huge hit with guests and covered a wide range of songs, including the couple's first dance song, which they learnt especially.

Couple pose for photos in wild meadow The newlyweds mini-mooned in Italy straight after the wedding, and took their main honeymoon in January 2020. They visited Singapore, Penang and Langkawi – "We feel especially lucky to have experienced that part of the world given everything that's going on at the moment, as we flew out the day after Covid-19 was announced by China," Lizzie says.