Keeping it local

Sam and Dave used local suppliers and the village pub for a personal take on a traditional wedding. Pictures by Matt Richardson

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Early days…

Sam, 27, and 29-year-old Dave met on the internet six years ago. As Sam explains: "I had been single for quite a few months and was just browsing through the public profiles on msn. I randomly clicked on a profile and saw Dave sitting on the ground, playing guitar. I know it's not romantic but I sent him an email saying 'beware of piles' and it was odd enough to catch his attention!?
The couple?s email relationship continued. ?Dave made me laugh," says Sam 'but there was no one thing that made me love him.? After emailing each other for a few months the couple finally met on December 27th, 2002, and three months later were living together. "We didn't date each other for a long time. As soon as we met up we were a couple, it was all pretty instant."
For Dave it was the 'beware of piles' email that drew his attention to Sam."That was enough for me to actually respond to someone who described themselves on their own profile as 'little and bossy'," he laughs.

The proposal…

"We had been talking about getting married for years but hadn't set a date," says Sam. "There was nothing that pushed us to get married, we just felt it was the right time and I'm incredibly glad we did it when we did, as just a month later my sister died in her sleep. As it was, she had a wonderful day with us and looked amazing. I don't think I could have got married without her there. She was a big part of the day and did a lot for us," Sam explains.

Hen and stag parties…

Rather than have separate dos, the couple pooled their resources and got friends and family together for a barbecue at Sam?s parents? and grandparents? house. ?We had a HAG do,? she says. ?We got in lots of Biddenden cider and Pimm's. It was a great way to celebrate.
"Dave and I are not big drinkers but I think he had the best part of a barrel of cider and needed some help walking when he finally stood up. My gramps had never tried Pimm's before, and after about 10 glasses of my brother's more than generous measures he was absolutely blind drunk. He didn't even have a headache in the morning and still insists he thought it was just a fruit drink," laughs Sam.
"My best memory of that day was Dave's dad giving me a hug and saying he was getting a daughter. I don't generally do mushy emotional stuff but it really touched me."

The venues…

The wedding venue: As they are not religious, Sam and Dave decided they didn't want to get married in a church. "It seemed hypocritical to choose a church just for the wedding photos," Sam says. "The Archbishop's Palace is a beautiful building and the staff are very friendly there."

The reception venue: The couple chose The Horseshoes near East Farleigh. "The manager of Horseshoes, Paul, used to manage a pub in Bearsted, which my family and I went to regularly. When he moved to The Horseshoes we followed him like bad pennies! The food is amazing and the venue itself is a perfect combination of country pub and chic simplicity," says Sam.
"Paul let us have everything the way we wanted it; we couldn't have asked for more. It's always going to be a very special place for us."

The attendants…

Sam had no attendants, and says: "In hindsight I wish I'd asked my sister to be maid of honour, but I couldn't have known what was going to happen.
"Dave's brother James was our best man. It was all quite informal so we gave him the rings for the ceremony and asked him if he would like to do a speech."

The dress…

Dave and James each wore a chocolate brown suit teamed with a cream shirt and cream rose buttonhole. "Dave's not a suit man but he's always wanted something made to measure so we decided to go bespoke. He went for a two button lounge suit, as it was a summer wedding. The lapels he chose had a forties look to them and the fabric was soft, light Italian wool," says Sam.
For her part Sam wore an empire line Jasper Conran dress with some alterations. "I knew exactly what I wanted and so had the dress adapted," says Sam. "The antique look lace was from C&H Fabrics and I attached it under the bust and bunched up at the back for a bustle effect. I used a wide chocolate ribbon to give it a vintage feel and bring in the chocolate colours we had chosen as our theme. I am only five feet tall so it needed to be altered a fair bit."

The flowers…

Simple arrangements of baby's breath and roses. "My nan is called Rose and my mum used to grow tons of them when I was little so they have always been my favourite flowers. After the wedding my mum had the flowers preserved and placed in a framed box, so now I have them forever," says Sam.

The transport…

A 1949 cream Cadillac and a 1960s Routemaster double decker bus for some of the guests. "I won't name names but a few guests coming to the reception were late, so our driver drove Dave and I around so we didn't get there before everyone else. Some things you can't plan for, but the driver was great and we enjoyed having the extra time in such a cool car," says Sam.

The best bits…

"It was all amazing," says Sam. "I'm glad we had a morning ceremony so we got the most out of the day but it was still too fast. My dad's speech made me cry, and not just me but my oldest friend Anna, her sister and mum too!
"Matt, our photographer, was fantastic. My sister had booked him for us through her work and he got what we wanted from the pictures. There's a real art to good reportage photography and he captured some very special moments that we will treasure forever. One of my favourite photos is of my nan taking my sister's high heels off for her. It?s quite a private moment with just two people in a crowded pub and it's not a photo that could have been predicted or posed. "

The honeymoon…

The honeymoon: A week in Pembrokeshire. "Pembrokeshire is very picturesque, even in the rain. I would definitely recommend it. We found a restaurant in Tenby that was decorated with art nouveau furniture and objects. It also had a little Turkish-looking grotto underneath. We stuffed ourselves with salmon, and strawberry cheesecake. I would love to get back there."

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