Sophie and Timothy Griffiths

The Venue

Q:  How did you choose your venue?
A:  Choosing a venue I think is every couple’s first major decision, which I found incredibly daunting as it’s arguably the most important choice you’ll make. I envy couples who have had their dream venue in mind for months or years prior to their engagement, as when you’re starting from scratch it can get very overwhelming with the sheer volume of options available. We didn’t really know what we were looking for, I trawled through every wedding magazine and planning website that exists to find guidance on where to start. Every resource stressed the importance of ensuring that no matter what you do, you must make your day personal to feel special with the venue being paramount to this, but what does that even mean when selecting a location you’ve probably never been to and will likely never return to unless its for someone else’s wedding?

This irony was clear as we were browsing venue options, a sea of Stately Homes and Barns each as gorgeous as the next but nonetheless interchangeable. All we really knew was that it was important to us to ensure we could be legally married in the same location as the reception to avoid logistics complications and negate the need for a separate ceremony to make things official, but the ceremony rooms of venues that could accommodate our guest count felt gloomy or would require an astronomical flower budget to not feel like an empty hall. At this point it also became apparent just how much work would go into planning a wedding at a traditional venue, from hiring chairs to napkins and sourcing catering, giving the illusion of ultimate creative control but there’s an approved suppliers list to contend with so you actually just end up with additional admin. We were feeling disheartened that we couldn’t find anything that made us really excited as every venue seemed the same. That’s when I stumbled across Port Lympne, which we never knew existed, where we were immediately blown away by the Pergola and Orangery. It ticked all of our boxes with the bonus of a wedding safari(?!), we were sold.

Q:  Did you see many venues before deciding?
A:  Port Lympne was the first venue that we found where we even wanted to visit and as soon as we arrived we just knew that this was where we were going to get married. Our families encouraged us to visit other venues before committing, as it was the only venue we went to, but nothing even remotely compared so we booked it within a week of our initial visit. It is truly a one of a kind venue.

Q:  Why was it the perfect venue for your Kentish ceremony?
A:  First things first, having a safari for our guests on our wedding day was amazing. It not only provided entertainment during the dread lull between the wedding breakfast and evening reception, but it enabled us to have some time together as we chose to not attend and we got our favourite pictures during this window.

The fact that it is a full service venue removes so much wedding planning stress, not only that but because it isn’t just a wedding venue they have the infrastructure to really take care of you and your guests. There are thousands of beautiful venues to choose from but you will never receive the level of service Port Lympne is able to offer as they are experienced in taking care of hundreds of guests every day. The events team cannot do enough for you where nothing is too much to ask, they take care of absolutely everything and have backup plans upon backup plans which really eases any anxiety on the day.

The venue is so outstanding that to make the most of it the wedding party arrived the day before so we could make the most out of the park, we all went on safari together which the events team organised for us and then hosted a rehearsal in the Moroccan courtyard followed by a fantastic dinner in the Garden Room. The sheer variety of accommodation is unmatched, we chose to stay in Lion Lodge for the night before and night of our wedding and it was a once in a lifetime experience. Where else can you wake up on your wedding day to a lion roaring into your bedroom window, let alone do this in Kent! I wanted the bridal party to get ready In Lion Lodge when this would usually take place In the Mansion and the events team were happy to accommodate this, delivering extra chairs and our breakfast hampers while also ferrying hair & makeup artists to the room. We cannot fault Port Lympne, we truly had the most perfect day and no other venue compares to what you experience there.

The Outfits

Q:  Tell us about your wedding dress/outfit - where did you buy it, and how did you know it was ‘the one’?
A:  I wore ‘Beata’ by Milla Nova which I bought from Little London Brides in Hampshire. I came across the dress while Pinterest scrolling for satin ballgowns and the asymmetric off shoulder gown was the perfect classic showstopper.

I chose Little London Brides as they are one of the few Milla Nova stockists in the UK and they happened to be 20 minutes from where I live (it was definitely fate). I enquired with a few other boutiques but a lot now limit the number of people you can bring with you to the appointment. While I understand the reasoning as it can be overwhelming for a bride, so can a wedding and personally I would rather deal with a bit of stress to ensure the people who are most important to me can be there to share the experience, which Little London Brides allows you to do in a gorgeous private setting.

As I booked the appointment with a specific dress in mind it was the first one I tried on and it was exactly what I wanted, it also had pockets! I tried on other ball gowns but the material and craftsmanship on ‘Beata’ was just gorgeous so I knew it had to be that dress. I changed into a second dress by Nadine Merabi for the evening reception as I wanted to be able to buss down, which one would struggle with in a ball gown. It ended up being the best decision ever purely because we were hit with really bad weather so by the evening reception my train was soaked and muddy. Knowing I had a second dress to change into meant I could be less cautious for my pictures in the (now very wet) grounds which made the experience so much more enjoyable and the shots are perfect.

Q:  Did you have any special accessories or shoes to complete your look?
A:  I wore Hangisi’s by Manolo Blahnik in white with blue embellishment, I had decided that my colour theme was french blue so they went perfectly and were surprisingly comfortable.

Q:  How did you choose the suits?
A:  Tim bought his tuxedo from Hawes & Curtis as he didn’t want to rent and this is where he always buys his suiting from.

Q:  Tell us about your bridesmaid and groomsmen outfits.
A:  The groomsmen already owned their tuxedos so that saved us a job! The bridesmaid dresses are from Milla which is the same designer as my wedding dress Milla Nova but it’s their ready to wear line. They were the perfect shade of blue and I really liked the contrast of the tulle against my satin dress. The boning in the corsets also matched my dress perfectly and I wanted a coordinated bridal party. Milla also have the option to order most of their dresses in custom measurements so there’s no panic if anyone is in between sizes. To tie everything together all the bridesmaids wore a single strand pearl necklace and drop pearl earrings with white tulle pearl embellished block heels.

Hair & Makeup

Q:  Who did you use for your hair and/or makeup for your wedding?
A:  I used Jennifer Fogerty who was highly recommended to me by one of my sisters, she enlisted the help of 2 assistants for the day as including myself there were 10 of us to glam up so we had an early start!

Q:  How did you decide on the style and look you wanted for the big day?
A:  I wanted my look to be classic and understated, Jennifer delivered it perfectly. Really soft but still glam with natural makeup and loose waves which went so well with my pearl headband.

The Ceremony

Q:  What was your favourite moment of the ceremony?
A:  My 16 month old goddaughter managed to scream ‘NO!’ exactly when the registrar asked if there were any objections to our marriage, it was absolutely priceless and everyone burst into laughter.

Q:  Did you pick any special music to walk down the aisle to, or have any readings?
A:  Leon String Quartet played for our ceremony and at the request of Tim played a special arrangement for me to walk down the aisle to which was ‘Across the Stars’ from Star Wars, Tim Is a huge Star Wars fan and this was really important to him. It is a beautiful piece of music that most of our guests had no idea came from Star Wars.

The Reception

Q:  What food did you have, and how was it?
A:  We have not stopped receiving compliments on the food, the quality of the dishes was phenomenal. For starters we picked a choice between gravlax or chicken satay, for main slow cooked lamb or sea bass and for pudding rhubarb crumble or pavlova.

Every dish was perfect and we also had a few vegans which Port Lympne catered for separately so we didn’t have to use one of our shortlists as a vegan option. They even let me order from the kids menu for myself because I really wanted dough balls haha.

Q:  Tell us about your wedding cake. Who made and designed it for you?
A:  The cake was from Let Them Eat Cakes and was a semi naked 3 tiered red velvet cake, we had toppers made of our dogs which were made to look like they ate some of the bottom tier, very on brand for them. We kept a tier aside for us to take home and we are so glad we did because it was delicious.

Q:  What were your speeches like? Any standout moments?
A:  We wanted to keep the speeches short and sweet so we only had speeches from the best men and Tim, my dad passed away 2 years ago and I didn’t want to get too heavy on an already emotional day. All 3 of them understood the assignment and had everyone laughing, just when the sun finally came out!

The decor

Q:  What was your decor/colour scheme, and how did you decide on it?
A:  The amazing thing about Port Lympne is that you really don’t need anything apart from flowers and stationery for décor. Everywhere is so uniquely and beautifully decorated with the lanterns in the Pergola and the chandeliers in the Orangery, not to mention the artwork in the mansion. I love florals and that was my main focus for the décor with stationery that complimented the arrangements. My colour theme was different hues of blue and white with pops of yellow, coordinating with the bridal party and the existing foliage in Port Lympne. I used Caboodle Weddings and Lorraine created the most stunning stationery for our wedding using a Victorian drawing of giraffes and lions in blue.

Q:  Who did your wedding flowers?
A:  Flowers by EG who perfectly understood my vision. I wanted the flowers to make a statement with a romantic feel, she provided meadows for the Pergola and a showstopper hydrangea runner as well as my table centrepieces.

Q:  What did you have in your flower arrangements/bouquets?
A:  I had over 200 hydrangeas, delphinium, spray roses and olive. My bouquet was a mix of blue and white with the bridesmaids having just white, it really tied the looks together.

Q:  How did you add personal touches to the look and feel of your day?
A:  Our stationery was bespoke and everyone had individual menus with their personalised food choices, it was really important to us that our guests feel special so I wanted to show the detail put into their experience. I never remember what I picked months ago when I attend a wedding so I thought it would be nice to not have to think about it. We also had cake toppers made of our dogs, cardboard signs of our dogs as little photo props and sunglasses set at the tables as we thought the sun could get in people’s eyes In the Orangery (the irony). We also had a harpist playing during the wedding breakfast which really added to the ambiance.

Q:  Did you use any local suppliers for things like lighting, accessories and props?
A:  We didn’t need any, Port Lympne had everything including a post box for cards and an easel for the welcome sign.

The Entertainment

Q:  Did you have a DJ or a band? How did you choose them?
A:  We had a DJ who also played the drums, he blew everyone away and the reception morphed into a rave which our personalised glow-sticks came in very handy for! I was searching for a DJ that could deliver rave vibes as bands aren’t my thing, everyone can dance to rave music and I knew it would keep the energy up all night. The live drum sets really sold me, I’d never come across it before and was really excited when I found them.

Q:  What was your first dance, and why was it special to you?
A:  Our first dance was La Isla Bonita by Madonna, we used to listen to it on Tims phone in his garden when we first started dating after a few too many drinks, so it brings back memories of some terrible singing but a special time for us.

The photography

Q:  Who was your wedding photographer, and how did you choose them?
A:  My photographer was Courtney Marie Photography and I chose her because her portfolio is stunning and she is genuinely the most lovely person. I was really nervous about choosing a photographer as we’re both really camera shy. We knew we needed a knockout photographer who would be able to guide us and also someone who was fun that wouldn’t make having our pictures taken feel like a chore. Before I had my initial meeting with her I obsessively stalked her Instagram stories because she would post her behind the scenes footage which usually consisted of her doing her absolute most to get the best shots. This queen would get in fountains fully clothed and scale not-so sturdy looking structures, all while laughing. It was torrential rain on my wedding day and without hesitation she immediately jumped into the rain to take my getting ready shots and I love them! Your photographer is the person you probably spend the most time with on your wedding day so the fact Courtney is not only so talented but the most fun person to share your day with was so important.

Q:  What style/look did you want for your photos?
A:  We wanted our wedding documented in an organic, unposed kind of way. Courtney delivers authentic, intimate moments alongside the hero shots and because of her eye for this our wedding pictures are insane, if I say so myself.

Q:  Do you have a favourite photo from the day?
A:  I honestly have so many, I fight the urge on a daily basis to not drive my nearest and dearest crazy by showing them our pictures for the hundredth time, I think i’m on the verge of getting blocked on instagram to be honest. I was convinced my best case scenario would be to walk away with 2 or 3 pictures I liked and here I am with over 700 that I am obsessed with. There is a picture of a lion inbetween us kissing, how does that even happen?

Q:  Did you have a videographer?
A:  We decided not to have a videographer as we weren’t sure what we’d do with a full wedding video, Courtney to the rescue AGAIN as she also offers super 8 footage. This was the perfect middle ground for us as we wouldn’t get the fomo of having no video but instead have this vibey vintage film that’s about 2 minutes of all the highlights. We haven’t received it yet but are super excited!

And finally...

Q:  What was your absolute highlight of the day?
A:  It is impossible to narrow it down, everything surpassed our highest expectations and we will treasure the memory forever.

Q:  Do you have any tips or advice for other couples having a Kentish Ceremony?
A:  You will have a fantastic day, sit back and relax because the team at Port Lympne have everything covered.

Suppliers

Photography: Courtney Marie Photography @courtneymariephotography @filmby__mel
Hair & makeup: Jennifer Fogerty @jenniferfogertymua
Dress boutique: Little London Brides @littlelondonbrides
Dress: Milla Nova @millanova
Tuxedo: Hawes & Curtis
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik @manoloblahnik
2nd dress: Nadine Merabi @nadinemerabi
Bridesmaid dresses: Milla @milla
Florist: Flowers by EG @flowersbyeg
Cake: Let them eat cakes @let_them_eatcakes
Stationery: Whole Caboodle Design @caboodleweddings
String quartet: Leon String Quartet @leonstringquartet
Harpist: Gwenllian Llyr @welshiewithaharp
DJ: Pete Redshaw @drumsanddecks

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