'The best day of our lives with all of our favourite people in one place,' is how British love birds Grace and Rich remember their wedding day. Our real wedding couple said 'I do' in June with a beach party that included a crowd-pleasing playlist, delicious food, sweet personal touches, and spontaneous photoshoots. Anyone dreaming of tying the knot in a unique wedding venue will no doubt be charmed by East Quay Venue in Whitstable. Grace and Rich rolled up their sleeves and jumped headfirst into the wedding planning and their hard work seriously paid off, as their day was so true to them. Re-live their beautiful beach wedding day with these stunning shots from Miracle Moments Wedding Photography.
Let's begin by getting to know our Mr and Mrs a little bit better. The newlyweds live in South East London but heir happily ever after began back when they were teens when they were first introduced to each other by their friends. It was a decade later that their friendship blossomed into true love. They reconnected at a festival and the rest, as they say, was history.
Grace had prepared heartfelt cards and gifts for her bridal party, and her parents too.
Finding the perfect proposal spot can make asking the all-important question an unforgettably magical moment. Rich picked a very picturesque place to get down on bended knee. He surprised Grace by whisking her away to the Cotswolds to ask her to be his wife. How dreamy!
The bride wore a sleek satin gown by Shona Joy which included a cut-out on the torso and a statement exposed back. She brought her bridal look to new heights of cool with her golden Terry de Havilland platform heels. Her bridesmaids wore elegant dark green satin gowns, a mix from ASOS, Coast and Warehouse. The groom looked sauve in a light grey three-piece suit. The couple are very relaxed so they went on the hunt for a wedding venue that had a chilled-out vibe, they didn't want anything stuffy or too formal. East Quay Venue in Whitstable was a match made in heaven for the pair. Perched right by the sea, they adored the cool and cosy atmosphere of the venue.
The couple exchanged vows in front of 120 of their nearest and dearest. They added a pop of gorgeous greenery to their reception with a foliage wreath for the altar while dried flowers and herb arrangements were hung from chairs along the aisle and they were dotted in the groom and groomsmen's buttonholes. Rich and Grace found beautiful ways to make their family and friends a part of their big day. One of Grace's best friends, who she used to live with when she first started dating Rich, read As Time Goes By by Jenny Dalleywater during their wedding ceremony. Rich's sister Kate played an integral role on the day in more ways than one. She handmade their beautiful wedding bands and she was also the wedding ring bearer during the ceremony.
The music had to be just perfect for their beach party wedding and Grace created the playlist for the daytime portion of the day! If the idea of making your own wedding playlist is music to your ears, why not check out our wedding morning playlist or our wedding dinner playlist for toe-tapping inspiration?
As for her advice for couples planning their big day, she says: "Relax and enjoy it!' 'Take some moments to yourselves through the day to soak it all in. Find a great photographer who you click with and you'll love your photos. Bart was amazing at making us laugh and feel relaxed. He embraced our energy and went along with spontaneous moments like all of the best women in my life posing on a boat, which then turned into an incredible bride and groom photo shoot. We never felt like we missed a moment of our day because we had so much fun with the photos.'
There were some absolute non-negotiables when it came to their beach party wedding day. "Great food and lots of it, and a free bar. Lots of mingling and not too much sitting!" While the drinks were a-flowing they also had an oyster shucker and gelato stand!
The wedding flowers were designed by coastal wildflowers and they were packed with soft hues. The flowers were all locally sourced and in-season.
Beautiful wildflower illustrations bloomed across their chalkboard table cards and their signage. The couple got creative when it came to making their own wedding favours. Grace made beautiful name places by picking oyster shells from Whitstable beach. The groom also got creative when it came to the tablescaping as he rustled up herb and chilli oils from chillies he grew and dried at home! Setting the right ambiance for evening was very important too and fairy lights and hanging disco balls created a dreamy atmopshere. When it was time to hit the dancefloor, they enlisted a wedding band that they knew would keep the party going all night. "We absolutely loved our evening band. A packed dancefloor was a must and they delivered! We watched the dancefloor from the balcony above and it's one of my most vivid memories of the day, seeing all our loved ones there for us and having the time of their lives." They picked Thinking of You by Sister Sledge as their first dance song.
We love Rich and Grace's non-traditional and fun choice of cake. It was made up of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and M&S yumnuts! Rich and Grace celebrated saying their 'I dos' by mini mooning in Salcombe in Devon. They brought a special guest with them, their six-month-old cocker spaniel puppy, Ziggy. They will be jetting off to Mauritius in December and Grace says their honeymoon can't come quick enough.
Thank you so much to our real wedding couple Grace and Rich for sharing their beach party wedding with us and to Miracle Moments Wedding Photography for the love, fun and joy-filled images!
Want even more inspiration? Of course, you do! We have so many stunning Real Weddings on One Fab Day that are just waiting to be swooned over.