The Bridal Files: Sophie Walsh & Nathan Cox

From time to time I plan on giving you a bit of real life inspiration in this new feature.  The Bridal Files will introduce real life bride and grooms and give you a few tips and pointers.  If you would like to appear on Lancashire Bride then please email joanne@simplybowsandchaircovers.co.uk.  And here are my first couple who kindly approached me a few weeks ago.

Sophie Walsh & Nathan Cox

Date of Wedding:

 1 June 2012

 Wedding Venue:

Dunkenhalgh, Blackburn

 Engagement Story:

We got engaged on my 24th birthday (29 November 2010) when went out for an Italian meal - he kept telling me something was missing through out the whole meal and at the end of the main meal showed me a box and said I think it's this that is missing - opened to box to find a Theo Fennel engagement ring!  The one I'd been eyeing up in work for months!

 Civil or Church Ceremony:

Civil.  We don't go to church and as much as when I was younger I dreamt about getting married in the church where my parents and grandparents got married this is no longer a dream for me.

 Wedding Theme:

Purple colour, candy buffet, "world of imagination."  As we are getting married on a Friday we will be having Fish and Chips at the wedding breakfast.
 Honeymoon:

South of France - staying in Nathan's uncles house which is 2 hours away Lyon in a little village called St Dier D'Aauvergne for 2 weeks.

DIY or leave it to the professionals:

A bit of both. I'll be making the name places and table planner and making the candy buffet.  Things like invitations etc I wanted done to the highest standard.  Bridesmaid dresses - you don't need to go to bridal shops the high street have fab alternatives - we got ours from John Lewis - all flatter each girl perfect.

 Personal Touches:

Our wedding favours will represent my work - each guest will have a bottle of fragrance (luxury miniature) and the candy buffet will have mine and Nathan's favourite sweets on it.

Lancashire Supplier Recommendations:

Cards by Samantha 01925602848 - (Warrington based)
J'adore brides - 0161 980 0882.
Hera Gems - info@herasgem.com
 Any top tips for other Lancashire brides:

Each thing you want get a choice of 3 and work it out from that.  And don't worry about being picky - it's your day and everything wants to be perfect.  Also think outside the box - I love flowers but refuse to spend £1000+ on flowers so I am having a crystal bouquet.  Hera Gems from Preston have been amazing. They are supplying my bouquet, hair accessory (I'm not having a veil) and cake topper - all to match.   And hopefully once I have decided they will do something for the bridesmaids, flower girl and my mum.  It's something they can then keep for ever as something to remember the day by.  Be unique - I love Vivienne Westwood - so my shoes are the Melissa collection from Vivienne Westwood - not a traditional bride shoe at all.  And it's not what you know its who you know - working within a beauty department I have asked someone close to me I trust to do my makeup and she knows exactly what I like.