A chance meeting on a night out in Derby led to romance for Megan and David and, four years after their first encounter, David staged an “absolutely perfect” proposal in Megan’s parents’ home. He then proceeded to whisk Megan and their families to London where they spent the evening celebrating at the restaurant the couple had visited on their first weekend away together. “We’re so close with our families, so it was the dream proposal to have them with us during that moment and to revisit somewhere from the start of our relationship,” reflects Megan.
Wedding planning then took centre stage. “We knew we wanted a manor house and Rockbeare Manor was elegant, glamorous and timeless – exactly what we wanted our wedding to be!” says Megan. Choosing a palette of white, green, champagne and gold to match the décor of the venue, the flowers played a key role in the styling. Dramatic arrangements of orchids, hydrangeas, roses, gypsophila and wild greenery adorned the celebration spaces of the venue, beautifully framing the key moments, from the ceremony to the wedding breakfast. “I must admit – the flowers were my favourite detail on the day!” she says.
Megan tried on 26 dresses before finding ‘the one’: a beautiful sleeved gown with an overskirt so she could change her look for the evening. Her shoes, however, were an easy decision, having set her sights on a pair of Jimmy Choo heels five years earlier! It was worth the wait, with her wedding day beginning with a ‘first look’ with her dad. “I’m an only child and super close with my parents, so having this moment with my dad is something I’ll never forget,” she says. “We were both so teary!”
The ceremony was one of the couple’s favourite parts of the day. “It was so personal to us and we enjoyed every minute,” says Megan, who was serenaded by singer Abi Phillips as she walked down the aisle. “There was lots of emotion, but also some laughs and funny points. The room felt so intimate and it was special to share this moment with our friends and family.”
After the vows, guests enjoyed drinks and canapés to a live soundtrack from The Dragonflies. “The sun was shining and it was such a good vibe!” recalls Megan. Adding personal touches throughout their day, the paper napkins for the canapés featured ‘five funny facts about the bride and groom’, while the table napkins on the gorgeously styled tables had each guest’s name ironed onto the corners, hand-tied with a silk ribbon.
The wedding breakfast was a veritable feast, featuring the likes of goat’s cheese mousse, fillet of beef with gratin dauphinoise and warm chocolate fondant, while buttermilk chicken slider burgers and fries went down a treat during the evening celebrations.
Saxophone player Ellie Sax kicked off the evening revelry in style. “She was amazing! It felt like a real party, which is exactly what we wanted, and it was great to see all our friends and family enjoying this with us. Even the grandmas were up on the dance floor!” says Megan.
"It was the happiest day of our lives and we couldn't stop smiling from start to finish." she says, reflecting on their dreamlike day. " Everything was perfect and we want to thank the venue and our amazing suppliers." She is replete with advice for couples at the planning stage. “Work out your priorities and get those suppliers and details booked first. Focus on one detail each week in the six-month lead-up to the wedding so that you don’t get overwhelmed.”
She adds: “Don’t panic about the little things. On the day, you are in such an amazing bubble. It really does all work out as you’d hoped.”
Photography And Your Story Photography andyourstory.com
Venue Rockbeare Manor rockbearemanor.co.uk
Dress Woná Concept wonanyc.com
Shoes Jimmy Choo jimmychoo.com
Hair Charlotte Rowley Hair charlotterowleyhair.com-
Make-up Emmie Green emmieemua.book.app
Groom’s outfit suit Hawkes Bespoke Outfitters hawkesbespokeoutfitters.co.uk shoes Christian Louboutin eu.christianlouboutin.com bow tie Gucci gucci.com/uk
Flowers Simon Nickell Design simonnickelldesign.com
Décor & tableware Unique Designs by Tina uniquedesignsbytina.com
Out of the Ordinary Event Hire outoftheordinaryeventhire.com
Gold chairs Rochesters Event Hire rochestershire.co.uk
Linen 88 Events 88events.com
Stationery Cartalia cartalia.co.uk
Cake Peboryon peboryon.com
Entertainment Ellie Sax elliesax.com
Abi Phillips abiphillipsmusic.co.uk
Dragonflies instagram.com/dragonfliesmusicuk
Videography Perfect Moment Films perfectmomentfilms.co.uk
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