There is nothing we love more than getting to know our couples, so we were delighted when Charlotte agreed to have a chat with us and dish the details about her proposal, why Friday the 13th is actually lucky for some and how she had not only had one but two confetti moments!
Charlotte and her now-husband David tied the knot in August this year, with a stunning service and reception at That Amazing Place, an exclusive wedding venue nestled in the Essex countryside. The elegant venue offers full use of their manor house, facilities and 14 deluxe bedrooms. Couples have the option of saying "I Do" in their cosy, intimate house, marquee or under their outdoor gazebo next to the lake, with breath-taking views from every corner!
How long have you and David been together?
I had to ask David for this one! Unlike me, he is excellent at remembering dates. We met in November 2017 and we were 'boyfriend and girlfriend' on Christmas Eve that same year.
Tell us about the proposal?
Honestly, it was such a shock! He had sent me a lovely text on a random Monday saying: 'You looked lovely in your dress today, let's go to the Italian after work'. It was March 2nd (not long before lockdown 1) and it was really cold and raining. After the Italian we walked home and David kept suggesting that we take a picture by the Valentines lights that had been left out in St Albans. I was far too cold for that and had no idea why he would want to so I stubbornly refused! Later, I found out that he was trying to get somebody to film the proposal for us... oops!
When we got home he handed me some love hearts from the restaurant and the first one in the packet (completely by chance!) said 'Marry Me?' I turned round to find him on one knee with his Grandma's gorgeous vintage ring. There was a lot of ugly crying that followed! It was a very low-key proposal and perfect for us.
Where your wedding plans effected by COVID19?
In terms of our date, no they weren't. We called our beautiful venue - That Amazing Place - to book for a Friday or Saturday in the summer holidays (David and I are both teachers) and there was only one date free, Friday 13th! We said yes right away and it turns out that it was lucky for us!
In terms of planning, our plans were effected by COVID. We had to make a list of 30 and another of 50 'just in case' and we also weren't able to do any of the traditional things like going to bridal shops to try on dresses/cake tasting in person/ a big hen do etc.
BUT, for us, that just put everything into perspective. It made us think about what was really important. We were able to remotely collect cupcakes and try them at home and I even made it to a real shop to try on a dress (albeit in a mask without champagne!).
Unfortunately, David's brother and several of his friends live in Canada and they weren't able to make the wedding but his Mum and Dad were able to travel from the USA and thanks to a late change in restrictions, they only had to quarantine for a few days. We feel incredibly blessed to have had the wedding we had!
Why did you choose Shropshire Petals for your wedding confetti?
We knew that we wanted two things - to use real petals and to have an epic confetti shot!
We had been advised that the best confetti shots come from using paper confetti (we now know this isn't the case) but when we saw the photos from Shropshire Petals on Instagram (especially those using their epic confetti canons) we were sold!
Instantly, the customer service was warm, friendly and felt really special with the family ethos really shining through at every opportunity so there really was no question about it - we had to go with Shropshire Petals!
What did you order and how was your experience?
We created our own bespoke mix via the Pick and Mix service, which consisted of Candy Floss, Icing Sugar and Promise Petals. We ordered 10 litres of this as we wanted to ensure each of our guests got a handful. We also ordered five Silver Confetti Pales to display our bespoke mix and two large cannons filled with Pink Lemonade confetti.
The theme for our wedding was very neutral so initially I had thought I wanted all white petals. Upon contacting the team, they suggested that I order a few samples. These were delivered really quickly and we were able to see, smell and have a go at throwing lots of different types of petals. It was so much fun!
In the end I decided on a mixture of smaller white and pale pink petals and a larger petal with subtle pops of pink. This was actually suggested by Alannah at Shropshire Petals and I am so glad that we listened to her expert advice. When the order of confetti for the day arrived it was so beautiful but it was the smell that really took my breath away. You would definitely only get that with real petals!
I felt like we were listened to but also so well advised during our ordering experience and I would not hesitate to recommend Shropshire Petals!
Was your wedding day everything you dreamed of and more?
It really was! It was the best day of our lives. I don't think I ever stopped smiling. It was like a perfect day/ night out BUT you know exactly what you are going to wear, you have an expert doing your hair and makeup and you are constantly surrounded by those you love most. What's not to love?!
Where you happy with the confetti on the day?
We were SO HAPPY! A little secret... As well as having pales of confetti for our guests to throw as we walked up the aisle as Mr and Mrs Shirely, we also had two confetti canons. We were determined to spend as much time with our guests on the day as possible so we didn't really do staged photos, all of our images were captured 'in the moment'.
By the time it got to the cake cutting it was dark and we had lost all of our personalised matches we had ordered to use with the sparklers! I actually have no idea how the cake cutting confetti photographs turned out so well but I am so pleased they did. The confetti flew through the sky brilliantly and they are some of my favourite images from the day!
Image Credit: Maja Tsolo
Any top tips for nearlyweds?
Order things from companies you can trust. By this, I mean, do your research or better still go on recommendation - this will lessen your stress and ensure you have the magical day you want.
But most of all - ENJOY IT! Take some time on the day to step back with each other and just take it all in. It really is the most incredible day so be present and don't worry about anything.
P.S. Don't forget to order confetti; you won't regret it!
Why use petal confetti
Petal confetti is the preferred choice of so many wedding venues across the UK, Europe and around the world. Our confetti is made from real flower petals, grown, dried and dispatched from our family farm in Shropshire.
All our petals are eco-friendly as they come from nature, they're grown not made. They're much more sustainable than paper, as the flowers only take a few months to grow as opposed to paper that takes years to grow trees, plus our petal confetti doesn't require any processing, unlike paper confetti. Best of all, it's biodegradable, meaning no one needs to clean up after you and it's non-harmful to the environment either. The petals are dye-free, beautiful and recommended by real couples, take a look at our Feefo for reviews from our customers.
Like Charlotte, you can make your own bespoke confetti mix too via our Pick & Mix tool, there's hundreds of thousands of combinations available. We like to think there's something for everyone, let's face it, we're all individual and no one colour works for everyone.
Do get in touch if you do need any help - we'd love to hear from you.
Love SP Xx
