Eric and Carolyn's Wedding in Alfriston, East Sussex

We started planning almost straight away. At first, I was completely overwhelmed. I didn’t know where to start, or where to stop. We set a budget, but it quickly became clear we’d need some kind of help to keep everything manageable. That’s when I discovered Hitched.co.uk—and it changed everything. I could search for what I needed in order, with tick lists, suppliers, guest lists and ideas all in one place. We started looking at venues near us and quickly got into the habit of visiting open days, especially in the quieter winter months. Eventually, we found a venue that just felt right. It was so naturally beautiful that we didn’t need to do too much—just flowers, cake, stationery, a photographer… and of course, music. Music had played such a part in the proposal, it felt only right to let it shape the day too.

I already knew the sort of dress I wanted—something loose and flowing, with lots of lace and beading—but finding one that fit comfortably and suited me wasn’t easy. I like to sew, and I had quite a few Tina Givens patterns at home, so I started experimenting. Eventually, I created a two-layer dress with a linen slip underneath, gathered at the neckline with ruffles at the hem, and a sheer beaded lace overdress that let the linen show through. It was exactly what I’d pictured, but it took ages to finish—so I did sensibly buy a back-up outfit just in case I didn’t manage it in time! Shoes were another struggle. Heels were not an option. Ballet flats were too slippery. In the end, I found a pair of daisy-patterned Crocs and decorated them with pearly, flowery embellishments. They were comfy, fun and so wonderfully bling—a perfect fit for the day.

Because it was late June, we decided on afternoon tea instead of a formal meal. We wanted something light and seasonal, and it fit the relaxed feel we were going for. Everything really started to come together when we found the ‘Stationery Lady’—Catherine from Cat-Creative—who helped shape the look and tone of the whole day. I love shades of flamingo pink, and Eric is all about QPR and his blue-and-white stripes. Somehow, from that mix of tastes, the idea of a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party theme emerged, and we just ran with it. The flowers were colourful and playful, the stationery joyful and bold.

The cake was something else entirely. I had so many ideas—beaches, shells, rabbits, teapots, flamingoes, sunbursts, butterflies, QPR, football, dripping icing, painting, snooker, our trip to Iceland—so I used AI to mash them all together into visual inspiration. Helen Zurek from The Incredible Cake Company took all of that and created the most amazing five-tiered cake, full of detail and character. It didn’t just look beautiful—it told our story. We also found our florist Belinda—from Chez Fleu—on Hitched. She did all the lovely flower arrangements, including gigantic pink peonies in the bouquets and soft roses in the teapots on each table. The Dynamics, our band for the evening, came via both Hitched and Encoremusicians.com. Earlier in the day, we had a lovely acoustic duo—singer and guitarist—who we’d discovered at a local wedding fair. Between Hitched, Encore, and a few helpful wedding fairs, we pulled together a team of people who really made it all work.

And then I must mention my favourite moment. I’ve always loved the film 27 Dresses—and the part that gets mentioned is the groom’s face, when he sees his bride walking towards him. I knew I wanted to be fully present in that moment, to really remember it. So I walked slowly down the aisle with my brother, taking in every face, smiling and waving at as many guests as I could. Eva Cassidy’s version of Songbird was playing as I walked. Then it faded out, and the ceremony began. When I finally saw Eric’s face—he’d cracked. Tears already shining. When he said his vows, his voice trembled slightly and caught. It was raw, tender, and incredibly moving. A moment I’ll never forget. Everything about that walk—the music, the faces, the emotion in the room—felt like it belonged to us.