A Day Fit For Royalty

Emily and Greg Deane had a day fit for royalty in their fairytale castle setting

THE VENUE

We knew we wanted to get married in a castle but  at first we were unsure of the location. I was born in Kent but my now husband Greg grew up in Berkshire, so both areas are special to us. We used the hitched app to narrow down a list, as soon as we found Hever, we knew we had to view it. 

For me the ceremony location had to be stunning as it is the most important and special part of the day, and Hever Castle’s Italian Garden Loggia certainly ticked all the boxes. 

THE OUTFITS

We got engaged on 22nd July, and by 19th August I had picked my dress! I had a very specific silhouette and neckline in mind; it had to be a ball gown, and it had to be off the shoulder.
I hadn’t expected to find it so quickly, but I went to Teokath of London and fell in love with my dress there - the Elcira by Pronovias. The assistant then found sleeves to add from a completely different designer. They matched the dress so perfectly, and I loved that I was customising; it felt so personal.

The suits took a little longer to narrow down. Greg knew he wanted a more custom approach; we spent a long time researching to find the right price. He finally found Edit Suits and Greg had a few meetings with them to discuss options. In the end he chose light grey for the jacket and trousers and blue for the waistcoat with lots of personal touches, like monograms and a beautiful, patterned lining.

THE CEREMONY

The anticipation of walking down the aisle is something else (and Hever has a very long aisle in the Italian Garden!). Our ceremony was quite late at 4:30pm. I loved this, as I had the most chilled and relaxed morning getting ready and it only made me more excited to see Greg! Of course the moment you say the words and become husband and wife is indescribable, but it felt so special walking towards the Loggia entrance and then up the steps to finally see all the people that you love ready to celebrate with you. 

THE DÉCOR

For our colour scheme we opted for burgundy and blush with hints of gold - it reflected our classic romantic fairytale theme perfectly. Our flowers were created by Donna & Mandy (plus team!) from Gibson’s Farm Shop in Wingham, and we had lots of gorgeous roses and foliage.

THE ENTERTAINMENT

We hired Blue Topaz String Trio to play for our ceremony and drinks reception. Live music to walk down the aisle to was amazing and it made the whole ceremony feel so special from the beginning. 

Then, in the evening we had a DJ. Our first dance was to Whatever It Is,  by the Zac Brown Band. Greg shared this song with me whilst we were in the first lockdown, living in the Peak District with his parents and it became a favourite of both of ours. The words felt personal and special.

THE HIGHLIGHT

When we got a moment to ourselves right after the ceremony. It was the first time we’d had a moment since the dinner the night before and it was nice to just chat! 

OUR ADVICE

“Make your wedding special and unique to you - the little details are so worthwhile. Think about all the ways you can personalise your day.”

Photography by: Cushla Marie Photography

CONTACTS

Venue: Hever Castle

Wedding dress: Teokath of London

Tiara: Rush Creations

Suit: Edit Suits

Bridesmaid dresses: David’s Bridal & THTH

Groomsmen: Slaters

Hair: Bridal Hair by Kerrie

Makeup: Melanie O’Rourke Makeup

Music: Blue Topaz Music

Cake: Let Them Eat Cakes

Flowers: Gibson’s Farm

Illustrations: J Kelly Custom Creations

Stationery: ByBlossom Stationery

Styling: Chic Weddings

Photography: Cushla Marie Photography