If you've ever dreamt of marrying a Prince in a palace (go on, admit it - we all did back in the day) then today's wedding will make those girlhood dreams come true. Kate and Chris chose the utterly beautiful Hampton Court Palace as the location for their dream wedding, but they still wanted to make it 'them', not too stuffy and formal, but rather bring a family atmosphere and personal feel to the day. Not an easy task, but their wedding shows no matter the location, it's the little details that bring that make every wedding memorable for being true to the couple. Everything from the music selections, to the homemade cake and stationery give this classic and glamorous wedding a unique touch. Perfect inspiration for you if you're wondering how to make your wedding venue feel special for you as a couple. All beautifully captured in a very natural style by Fazackarley Wedding Photography. Prepare to enter the palace...
Actually before we do, we need to know the story of how this day came to be, and believe it or not this rather glam couple met under not so glam circumstances, Kate gave us the background "We met on New Years Eve in at a pub in London next to a hog roast, and knew we were meant to be together. Now the smell of hog roast always reminds me of the night we met. "What a perfect way to start a year, and who doesn't love some late night guilty snacking?
New Year's became a little bit of a theme for Kate and Chris, because for their four-year anniversary, New Years Eve 2013, Chris planned a surprise visit to Edinburgh (Kate's favourite city!) to pop the question "He planned everything to perfection and proposed in the romantic Witchery Restaurant next to the castle on New Years Eve, we then danced away the night at the Hogmanay street festival." Simple and thoughtful - the perfect way to propose.
So a few months later, the wedding day arrives, and as I mentioned, the couple chose the gorgeous and rather regal Hampton Court Palace as both their ceremony and reception venue, not an idle choice, but somewhere very dear to Kate's heart as she explained "I have always wanted to work at Hampton Court Palace, ever since I visited with my Grandparents when I was 12. I was lucky enough to get a job at the palace and have worked there now for the past 8 years. I spent a lot of sunny lunch breaks wondering around the palace gardens planning our wedding – so when the big day arrived it really was a dream come true!"
Although Kate and Chris were getting married in a grand palace and elegance would naturally be the order of the day, it was also important to them that the day feel informal and natural. A hard task, but one they managed to pull off, the light and summery feel started with the bridal party...
Kate's gown (more later) is beautifully set off by the flowing bouquet. A lovely balance of classic wedding flowers with some more loose foliage for that relaxed feel, and how adorable is her dad!?
Inside the grand reception rooms, the boys shine in dapper groomswear, with soft summery pastel accents that bring the whole bridal party together but avoid being too matchy matchy.
Not to be outdone by the boys the three beautiful bridesmaids wore Ghost dresses in complementary colours set off with stunning statement necklaces. Picking similar dresses in different shades is a lovely way to create a cohesive look but ensure each bridesmaid is comfortable and has a dress to suit her colouring and individual taste.
The bride clearly gets her style from her chic Mum, mother of the bride style done so right..
So, the dress! The fabulous appliquéing on Kate's dress is by One Fab Day favourite Temperley. The subtle detailing and sheer panelling is on trend but eternally elegant, perfect for the venue and the understated glam theme of the occasion.
The Hampton Court really couldn't be any more perfect for some really epic couple portraits. How adorably chuffed is new husband Chris?
Although the venue was already pretty stunning Kate and Chris decided to put a lot of work in (with a little help from family and friends) to really make the day their own and reflect their personalities.
Chris spent months beforehand hand picking every song that would be played at the wedding. I don't think I've ever been to a wedding where every song played meant something to the bride and groom. A time consuming yet simple way to add a unique touch to your wedding day. Well done Chris!
You might be wondering about those boys clowning around at a palace wedding, but that's exactly what Chris and Kate wanted as she told us "We wanted our wedding to be a relaxed, fun, informal yet elegant family wedding (in a palace!). We spent a lot of time making and designing the details, like the stationery and the table plan ourselves, and we set up the reception venue the day before with (a lot of) help from our family to create a beautiful, summer wedding with an elegant vintage feel." Hence the lawn games to keep the guests entertained and lots and lots of little decorative touches at the reception.
Friends of the bride and groom got creative and DIYed all the place names and favours, keeping things classy with gold white and muted tones.
The pretty impressive tiered cake was homemade by family - a really special wedding gift, suits the day perfectly..
Echoing their very first date Kate and Chris had a tasty hog roast spit for their guests later in the evening, with little jars of chutney made once again by family.
With such attention to detail and personal touches Kate shared some wise words for any of you stressing out over your wedding plans "After months of planning its really easy to get hung-up on minor details on the day; try and relax, step back from it all and enjoy every second."
A special day in a special place made totally personal by the lovely bride and groom. A huge Congratulations to you both Chris and Kate - thank you so much for sharing your perfect day with us.
And of course to Fazackarley Wedding Photography - a huge pleasure to show your work.
The Details
- Ceremony: Hampton Court HouseÂ
- Photographer:Â Fazackarley Wedding Photography
- Wedding Dress: Temperley
- Bridesmaids dresses: Ghost
- Shoes: No. 1, Jenny Packham
- Flowers: Steph Turpin, Fairy Nuff flowers
- Groom(smen)’s suits: Moss Hire
- Make Up & Hair: Carolanne Armstrong
- Wedding Bands: SWAG, Kingston + Ernest Jones
- Reception: La Belle Vie, Gypsy Jazz Quintet
- Caterer: Carol Corey @ Parties To Go
