Here Is My Wedding Day Story From Bride Zoe

My wedding blog by Mrs Clements 02/04/24

Oh what a few days!!!

The Wedding Eve:

With 7 bridesmaids, my Mum, Grandma, my daughter & myself being together the night before the wedding we opted for an Air B&B (link below) which was only 7 mins from the venue.

It was in the countryside, had the most amazing views, bright and light (perfect for photos and make up!). I hated the thought of of being in one hotel room getting ready! It would be manic, hot, clammy and just hectic!

Once we’d done an excited run around the house to check it out, we had tea. I’d done a food shop that day so cooked our own meal as we were cautious of food poisoning the night before. Good old jacket potatoes followed by a personalised cake for pudding.

To release some stress on the wedding morning, we did a lot the night before. Steamed dresses (I put mine on a mannequin to keep it crease free) set out all accessories, packed up everything we didn’t need &washed hair the night before. I gave my Bridesmaids, Mum, Grandma & my children their gifts. If there was going to be tears, it needed to not be when makeup had been done. My amazing bridesmaids gave me a beautiful scrap book with photos, letters and other messages from guests. A thoughtful keepsake!

In true tradition, I didn’t sleep well at all. I was up drinking camomile tea until 02.30 with my mum whilst

everyone else was in bed. I can’t believe i was so calm, cool as a cucumber, I couldn’t wait for our wedding day, a day I’d dreamt off for YEARS!!

I slept for 3 hours!

The Wedding Morning:

Oh the excitement filled the house! Everyone was smiling, happy, excited despite minimal sleep. We had pastries from Costco for breakfast, with berries, fruit juices and obviously tea and coffee.

This meant there was no strong smells filling the house (it will linger in hair and could have gone on the dresses). We had an itinerary for hair and make up, I’m very organised so this was printed off and on the side so everything new when they were needed - it needed to be like clockwork with so many people.

Honestly, I can’t put into words how relaxed, chilled, easy flowing the morning went! The fact we had lots of space in the house made it so much easier. Suppliers turned up, I didn’t even realise. Austen & Johnathan just went around and snapped what they needed, special detail photos etc.

I saved a special present for my mum, I wanted this photographed. It was beautiful!Austen took amazing photos of me getting ready (and laughing!) it was a lovely memory. Looking at the photos now takes me straight back.

Be aware though, that you’re in your dress, it goes from 0-100! My best friend put me in my dress because I wanted my first look photos with my Mum & Grandma.

Our ceremony was 13:30, food at 16:00 so we had lunch at the house. 11:00 was lunchtime for us so we’d got some premade sandwiches from Costco which really was a brilliant idea!

All the plates etc we used were paper so we could throw it all away and not have to wash and sort out.

A few tips

• You’ll be in the middle to get ready

• Make sure you get photos in your pyjamas with bridesmaids and laugh!

• Use a straw to drink from so your make up doesn’t smudge (glass straws are fine with hot drinks)

• Make sure your bridesmaids keep you hydrated & fed

• Don’t wear your matching pyjamas during the night, you’ll want them crease free

The Wedding Day:

My friends drove us all to the venue, I wasn’t interested in hiring a car for 7 minutes. The girls popped some ribbons on the cars, it was perfect.

Having 15 minutes to reflect whilst waiting to be collected was really helpful. I was thinking of Sam, how he was feeling (we’d exchanged a few texts that morning and an hour before he’d messaged to say he’d see me in an hour) I was so exited to see all our favourite people.

The only stress I had that day was that leftover food wouldn’t fit in the cars so had to be left.

As we pulled up to the venue, I saw the bridesmaids having photos at the front of the venue. Lauren, my amazing wedding coordinator at the venue came out to meet me. She checked I was okay, said everyone was seated and the registrars were waiting for me.

Honestly, I felt so at ease until I got to the registrars and then nerves hit. I was worried of saying something wrong. We spoke about who I was, my witnesses, photos, what my mum was going to do once she walked me down and then I was good to go! I joined the girls, we got into a line, my mouth went dry. I got a drink and had a giggle. Music started, panic started, and I started to shake.

But I remember something one of my friends said. She told me when I started to panic, pinch myself and imagine myself in a happy spot and it will bring me back down & it worked! The bit I needed to walk down to started and I went for it. I completely zoned out and just focused on Sam at the end.

He was highly emotional (roles reversed that day!) 15mins, it was all done. A WIFE!I couldn’t stop smiling all day, it was absolutely perfect! We had sun, rain, rain stopped so sparklers, rain came back so we aborted mission, rain stopped so quick outside in my cowboy boots! Photo done!

We had a couple of songs chosen that when they came on we’d be together, we had surprise indoor sparklers for the first dance and my husband and our daughter did the father daughter dance which reduced most guests to tears.

Decor & Items:

When it came to Invitations I wasn’t prepared to pay hundreds for them to end up in the bin. We had a video created from Etsy and we sent them to guests, £48 and very personal and economical! These created a lot of compliments!

We hired centre pieces so we didn’t have to set up.

Place setting cards were photos of either the Bride or the Groom with that guest printed as Polaroids from Snapfish!

Had an audio guest book in a phone box.

Our table names were train station signs as my husband works for a train company.

Our order of the day board was a train timetable theme.

I like rabbits so had ornaments around the venue with chocolate lindlt rabbits too (it was Easter).

We got Easter activities to put on the tables for children.

We had newspapers for guests to read whilst waiting for the ceremony. It told our story, who travelled the furthest, how many dresses I tried on etc.

All my artificial flowers came from Shein and I made my own flower arrangements. Majority of other items came from Ginger Ray.

The most talked about item was the biscuit bath! Saved money on canapés by having a freestanding bath

with packets of biscuits in for guests to enjoy during the drinks reception.

We had an hour and half reception, and I think another 30 mins would have been great so we had time to mingle more.

Outfits:

With 7 bridesmaids and falling in love with £90 dresses for them, I couldn’t justify it. Therefore I searched

high and low for sale dresses. The bridesmaids all had the same dress but the top was slightly different. I wanted them to feel comfortable so i let them chose.

I found 5 online brand new and I purchased 2 worn once of Vinted. Instead of £630, I paid £213.

If I could find a way of reducing costs for other stuff, I 100% did! I also purchased my headband off Vinted, saving me £40. SHEIN is also fantastic!

My bridesmaids earrings, my earrings, jewellery boxes, hair accessories were all off there.

To be used for several hours it didn’t seem worth spending a lot of money, they were beautiful and only cost a few pounds each!Suits, we hired Tux from Moss Bros.

The groomsmen were all in different cities so they each went to their nearest store for measured up and collected from there.

Lastly, I was worried about a large event with missing family members who are no longer with us, one of my bridesmaids got me a bracelet with their photo in. I was concerned I’d be an emotional wreck so didn’t want to see faces. It was subtle and special. I also went to the crematorium the day before and had a good emotional cry, got it all out. I think this is why I just smiled all day ♥

A few tips;

• Make a kids area if you have children, it was well used! (Lego table was used by adults too!)

• We had just the bride and groom on the top table so we could talk & embrace the day

• Make notes of everything. Seating plan, allergy guests, timings, a list of suppliers, hair and make up

itinerary, day before plans, and send these to everyone who needs to know so you’re not repeating

yourself

• Put as much personal touch into the day as it’s really noticed!

• Purchase and sell on Vinted/market pages to save yourself money!

Suppliers list

• Bridal Prep accommodation -Airbnb Bridgnorth

• Venue - The Mill Barns, Shropshire

• Photographer - Austen Blakemore (Nottingham)