Sam and Matt first met online and after a few dates, everything started to fall into place. Sam says, "We had dinner at Matt's before I drove us to the cinema to see the remake of the Star Wars franchise. A Madonna track came on in the car and Matt thought, 'wow this guy has taste'."
Matt proposed while the pair was on holiday in Las Vegas. Initially, he wanted to pop the question on the first night while having dinner, but he hadn't accounted for the jet lag, time difference and the seven glasses each of champagne. The next intimate opportunity was after a Cher concert. Sam comments, "I had got the event's start time wrong, so the evening mood wasn't great when we turned up and Cher was finishing the last few songs. While watching the performance, Matt had disappeared behind me and reappeared on one knee. He had to ask if I was okay as I cried a lot and if it was a yes or no – of course, I said yes!"
After searching around Hertfordshire for a venue, the couple couldn't settle on one particular space. Sam says, "We found some properties to be restrictive and very centred around brides. When a family friend suggested using the grounds of her house for our day, we jumped at the opportunity to create a bespoke wedding from scratch.
Celebrant
Entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment
Flowers
Hair
Photographer
Stationery
Stylist
Suits
Inside the marquee, the pair wanted the middle support pole to have a large round bar and a hanging wreath to create a real focal point. Guests were given hand sanitisers for favours and scratch cards, which they all did at the same time for some added fun.
For the wedding breakfast, loved ones enjoyed a delicious roast dinner. A member of each table carved the meat, and people could help themselves to as little or as much as they liked. Sam says, "We had commemorative aprons made for those carving the meets to keep their outfits clean and to take home as a memento." He adds, "We both love the canapés served during the drinks reception, there was lots of various dishes constantly flowing." The couple wanted a showstopping dish for dessert and opted for a coquembouche for each table to enjoy.
The groomsmen all looked great in navy suits with matching shoes and ties to the newlyweds. Sam and Matt wanted the grooms' women to be as comfortable as possible as they have different body shapes and sizes – so no one dress would look the same on them all. With the task of finding navy gowns, their best girls found dresses online that made them all look and feel beautiful.
The lovebirds surprised loved ones with performances from a drag queen and West End singer halfway through the wedding breakfast to keep them entertained. Sam says, “We wanted as much crowd participation as possible with people on their feet, and that’s what we got. Show tunes, ballads and an ABBA mega mix got every dancing – even on their chairs!” The entertainers performed again for the evening guests, so they felt as much part of the day as possible. Sam says, “People were hugging each other and sung their hearts out – there was so much euphoria in the room.”