There are some wedding videos that are just so emotional, so over-the-top or so absolutely stunning, we feel they deserve a bigger accolade on our site, like the title of Love Story of the Week! To kick off this new franchise, we're sharing this incredibly luxe wedding at an estate in the United Kingdom. There's an adorable love story, thousands of roses, a jungle-themed party and even a carousel!
Watch the video by Alessandro Bordoni Films and then scroll on for an inside look at Natalie and Daniel's planning process, tips and vendors!
1. How did you two meet?
We met through a mutual friend and ended up working at the same company shortly after, perhaps by fate or perhaps because I worked in Human Resources and may have put a good word in…either way, here we are eight years later!
2. How did the proposal happen?
We were on holiday in Santorini—it was our first time there. The first evening, we went out for the most wonderful meal, which overlooked the incredible Grecian scenery. Once the meal was done, we returned to our hotel. I opened the door to our room and was met by a candlelit path of petals, which led straight to a huge bunch of roses and chocolates. I turned around and Daniel was on one knee! Cue sappy speech…and, of course, I said “Yes!”
3. What are each of your favorite things about your relationship?
On paper, we would be complete opposites, but we are truly best friends and we would honestly do anything for each other. Plus, Daniel always manages to make me laugh, no matter what!
4. What was the first thing you did as an engaged couple?
Popped the champagne and jumped into a jacuzzi under the stars!
5. What was your budget and how did you decide on it?
We were incredibly lucky to not have a strict budget, but we did prioritize what we wanted to spend more on. We went through every individual item and decided whether we thought it was reasonably priced or actually worth paying a premium price for.
6. What were your top three priorities when planning your wedding?
To choose a beautiful venue that was easily accessible to all the important people in our lives, to have an abundance of flowers and, most importantly, to have a wedding that felt like “us.”
7. What did you each think the first time you saw each other on your wedding day?
We both thought we were so incredibly lucky to be marrying the other.
8. Did you write your own vows? If not, how come?
We did not write our own vows. I am not that comfortable being the center of attention or with public speaking so we opted for a shorter ceremony.
9. Why did you choose the outfits you did for your wedding?
I chose a dress made by Phillipa Lepley, a British couture designer. I really wanted something simple, classic and elegant. I chose her, not only because I thought she made beautiful dresses, but also because her attention to detail is second to none! It’s an amazing experience to witness the process from the first fitting, when it's just toile to the finished dress! Daniel wore a Gieves & Hawkes dinner suit. Again, he wanted something classic but a little contemporary. A little “James Bond,” if you will!
10. What is your favorite memory from your wedding day?
Walking down the aisle with my lovely dad, seeing my husband-to-be and knowing this was all perfection.
11. What's your top tip to all soonlyweds out there planning their weddings?
You can never start planning too early and, if you’re using a wedding planner, find someone you can trust and who really understands you as a couple.
12. Why would you suggest hiring a videographer?
To be able to relive your happiest day ever! Our videographer, Alessandro Bordoni, really captured the essence of our day and I can’t even tell you how many times I have already watched our video. The day goes so quickly and it can be hard to step back and take it all in, so having the videos gives you a chance to see all those little moments you may have missed. Guaranteed you will treasure those memories caught on camera forever.
13. Tell us about your florals—why did you choose these specific flowers and the designs like the ceremony floral arch?
We chose mainly O’Hara roses, because they are soft, romantic, smell beautiful and are the perfect shade of blush pink I was looking for. We really wanted a ceremony that was obviously beautiful and romantic but also had some drama and a focal point at the end of the aisle. I wanted something a bit different—and a bonus was that it made a nice backdrop for family photos! Our evening theme was jungle/safari, so we had a complete change to palm trees and tropical plants to transform the venue into something really dramatic and crazy!
14. It looks like you had a pretty epic dance party—can you tell us about how you chose the musicians you did?
Our wonderful wedding planner, Hannah Snowsill, had asked what type of music we would like and then gathered a list of recommended vendors she had used before. We listened online and, from there, it was easy to choose who we thought sounded the best and seemed the most entertaining. We had such a range of ages and music tastes, so we wanted a group that could do a variety of genres and would be able to read the crowd and basically just be good fun!
15. Who were your favorite wedding vendors and why?
So hard to choose! But a few special mentions:
-Our photographer, Roberta Facchini: We chose her because we loved her romantic, warm style. She was so wonderful to work with and made us feel so at ease. We absolutely adore all our photos and I cannot recommend her highly enough. She’s incredibly talented!
-Our photo booth, Beatrice & Bertram: They provide pop-up photo booths with all sorts of crazy backdrops and props! We had a Vanity Fair/safari-themed photo booth and it was worth every penny. All the guests had so much fun, the vendors had so much energy and enthusiasm, and the best bit was looking at all the hilarious photos! It was great to have something fun and interactive for all ages.
-Our band, Totem: They really started the party and got everyone on the dance floor!
To watch more wedding videos by Alessandro Bordoni Films, click below.