Wedding at St Elizabeth's House Hotel, Devon

Step Back in Time

Having met at work in 2009, Claire and Gary were friends before they started dating. “That's when things escalated and we moved in together within a couple of months – much to the shock of our colleagues!” says Claire. The surprise and highly personal proposal followed on a Saturday night in 2010. “We were sitting in our living room; I turned to talk to Gary and he was on one knee! It was a total surprise!”



Taking a 1940s glamour theme as their source of styling inspiration, the pair opted for a sophisticated palette of white with black accents. Claire accessorised her gorgeous gown with red glittery Kurt Geiger heels and a white rose and diamanté bouquet.



The elegant aesthetic continued with the black and white stationery embellished with diamantés and the floor-sweeping black bridesmaid dresses with white bands. The grooms party and pageboys wore black tuxedos teamed with braces and skinny ties.



The marriage ceremony took place at St Mary’s Church in Plympton and was followed by a stylish reception in the beautiful setting of St Elizabeth’s House Hotel. Guests tucked into canapés and Kir royale while vocalist Mackie set the perfect mood for their ‘40s theme with his repertoire of Rat Pack style jazz and swing numbers.





The wedding breakfast was a delicious medley of soup or fig and Parma salad, West Country beef or lamb kleftiko and chocolate sponge or crème brûlée with glazed banana. Each table was crowned with a stunning silver candelabra, gem-encrusted mirrored tea light holders and an abundance of crystals.



The couple envisioned a huge party for the evening and – with a casino and a set list of old and modern floor-fillers from Richard’s Time Machine Disco – they certainly pulled it off. “We danced, laughed and had fun till 2am,” says Claire.



“My best moment was saying our vows. It felt like nobody else was there!” she reflects. “I loved seeing my 13-year-old son Cade standing at the altar fulfilling his role as special best man alongside best man Marc.”


 
“Our first dance to Eta James’s ‘At Last’ was also magical,” she continues. This was followed by a special dance where Claire and her father reenacted the scene from ‘Pulp Fiction’ where Uma Thurman and John Travolta dance to Chuck Berry’s ‘You Never Can Tell’. “We spent all week practising in secret and dad even bought a black ponytail wig!”


 
Reflecting on her dreamy day, Claire advises: “A great tip is to have a prop box. We had a wicker hamper filled with glasses, wigs, garlands, lips on sticks and stick-on moustaches. Also, ensure you take time out to chat to each other.”



The venue
St Mary’s Church, Plympton, followed by St Elizabeth’s House Hotel, Plympton St Maurice
01752 344840 www.stelizabeths.co.uk

The dress
Prudence Gowns, Plymouth
01752 558858 www.prudencegowns.com

The flowers
Armada Florist, Plymouth
01752 255872 www.armadaflorist.co.uk

Photography
Younger Photography
01752 300636 www.youngerphotography.com


Copyright WED Magazine 2011