Insight into another couple’s wedding at Huntsham Court is always helpful for those who are still in their planning stages. At Huntsham we are fortunate enough to have 2 wedding planners who not only assist with couples big days every step of the way, but they have actually been in their shoes!
We asked Clair some questions about her wedding day at Hunstham Court and advice she would pass on from her experience:
- What advice would you offer the couple for the morning of their wedding?
Relax and trust that all will be well. It always is, even if the plan varies slightly as the day goes on.
Concentrate on each other and spending time with all of your favourite people – occasions like this are rare so soak it all up.
- What top ideas would you offer to couples for decoration and styling at Huntsham Court?
We did very little to the décor as the house was fabulous as it was. That said, our clever florist suggested that we use small plants to decorate candle sconces in the church, then move them onto dining tables to create a table centre and finally, they became gifts and mementoes for our bridesmaids and family to plant post-wedding as a reminder of the day. Doing this meant our flowers went quite a long way and we remained in budget.
- Timings can be tricky to consider for the day, what would you suggest to ensure everything runs smoothly and to schedule?
Choose your ceremony time carefully – too early and the morning can feel rushed, too late and you’ll get very little dancing done if your meal runs on or you have surprisingly long speeches. Talk with your event manager and your caterer so you know how long things take and you can usually then work backwards to choose a ceremony time to suit.
Things always take longer than you expect – 30 minutes to get your guests into the dining room is pretty standard even without a receiving line – so give yourself time but, perhaps more importantly, ensure you have support. Even if you’re close to being super-human, you cannot manage your wedding and try to enjoy it remaining present at the same time, so book your event manager and the staff they suggest because this really is the difference between a well run, smooth and supported wedding and a scrappy, fraught time that lags behind (I under-staffed our arrival evening and to this day regret not paying a little extra to cover the washing up; silly really).
- Every wedding is different and special in its own unique way, but do you have an outstanding memory of a wedding you assisted with?
There are a few and they tend to be because of the friendship built up with the couple while we go through the planning process. However, more recently an old school mate of mine who is living with and fighting cancer was married at Huntsham Court. We were in the same History class at school. There was just four of us in the class and oddly that’s where I met my husband too so you could say that three quarters of the class were married at Huntsham Court! We hadn’t met for a good 16 years following our A levels but by pure coincidence she chose to marry here with the help of Gift of a Wedding and the charitable branch of Huntsham Court. It was a pleasure to assist by making arrangements for her wedding as it was such a celebration and lovely to see her and her family after all of this time – kismet, I think she called it.
- Looking back at your own wedding at Huntsham Court, what is your favourite memory?
I don’t really have a specific memory as it was rather a fantastic blur but ultimately it was incredible to have all of the people I love, some of whom I rarely see, in one space.
I particularly treasure the fact that our grandparents were there and that we have some photos and footage of them because sadly, 5 years on, only one of them is still with us.
Finally, I’m lucky to get to reminisce on an almost daily basis due to my work at Huntsham Court – I’ve never really left!
Photo by Evolve Photography – www.evolvephoto.co.uk