Real Bride Talk with Charlotte Shirley
There is nothing we love more than getting to know our
couples, so we were delighted when Charlotte agreed to have a chat with us and
dish the details about her proposal, why Friday the 13th is actually
lucky for some and how she had not only had one but two confetti moments!
Charlotte and her now-husband David tied the
knot in August this year, with a stunning service and reception at That Amazing
Place, an exclusive wedding venue nestled in the Essex countryside. The elegant
venue offers full use of their manor house, facilities and 14
deluxe bedrooms. Couples have the option of saying "I Do" in their cosy,
intimate house, marquee or under their outdoor gazebo next to the lake, with
breath-taking views from every corner!
Image Credit: Maja Tsolo
How
long have you and David been together?
I had
to ask David for this one! Unlike me, he is excellent at remembering dates. We
met in November 2017 and we were 'boyfriend and girlfriend' on Christmas Eve
that same year.
Image Credit: Maja Tsolo
Tell
us about the proposal?
Honestly,
it was such a shock! He had sent me a lovely text on a random Monday saying:
'You looked lovely in your dress today, let's go to the Italian after work'. It
was March 2nd (not long before lockdown 1) and it was really cold and raining.
After the Italian we walked home and David kept suggesting that we take a
picture by the Valentines lights that had been left out in St Albans. I was far
too cold for that and had no idea why he would want to so I stubbornly refused!
Later, I found out that he was trying to get somebody to film the proposal for
us... oops!
When
we got home he handed me some love hearts from the restaurant and the first one
in the packet (completely by chance!) said 'Marry Me?' I turned round to find
him on one knee with his Grandma's gorgeous vintage ring. There was a lot of
ugly crying that followed! It was a very low-key proposal and perfect for
us.
Where
your wedding plans effected by COVID19?
In
terms of our date, no they weren't. We called our beautiful venue - That
Amazing Place - to book for a Friday or Saturday in the summer holidays (David
and I are both teachers) and there was only one date free, Friday 13th! We said
yes right away and it turns out that it was lucky for us!
In
terms of planning, our plans were effected by COVID. We had to make a list of
30 and another of 50 'just in case' and we also weren't able to do any of the
traditional things like going to bridal shops to try on dresses/cake tasting in
person/ a big hen do etc.
BUT,
for us, that just put everything into perspective. It made us think about what
was really important. We were able to remotely collect cupcakes and try them at
home and I even made it to a real shop to try on a dress (albeit in a mask
without champagne!).
Unfortunately,
David's brother and several of his friends live in Canada and they weren't able
to make the wedding but his Mum and Dad were able to travel from the USA and
thanks to a late change in restrictions, they only had to quarantine for a few
days. We feel incredibly blessed to have had the wedding we had!
Image credit: Maja Tsolo
Why
did you choose to work with Shropshire Petals?
We
knew that we wanted two things - to use real petals and to have an epic
confetti shot!
We had
been advised that the best confetti shots come from using paper confetti (we
now know this isn't the case) but when we saw the photos from Shropshire Petals
on Instagram (especially those using their epic confetti canons) we were
sold!
Instantly,
the customer service was warm, friendly and felt really special with the family
ethos really shining through at every opportunity so there really was no
question about it - we had to go with Shropshire Petals!
Image Credit: Maja Tsolo
What
did you order and how was your experience?
We created
our own bespoke mix via the Pick and Mix service, which consisted of Candy
Floss, Icing Sugar and Promise Petals. We ordered 10 litres of this as we
wanted to ensure each of our guests got a handful. We also ordered five Silver Confetti Pales to display our bespoke mix and two large cannons filled with Pink Lemonade
confetti.
The
theme for our wedding was very neutral so initially I had thought I wanted all
white petals. Upon contacting the team, they suggested that I order a few
samples. These were delivered really quickly and we were able to see, smell and
have a go at throwing lots of different types of petals. It was so much
fun!
In the
end I decided on a mixture of smaller white and pale pink petals and a larger petal
with subtle pops of pink. This was actually suggested by Alannah at Shropshire
Petals and I am so glad that we listened to her expert advice. When the order
of confetti for the day arrived it was so beautiful but it was the smell that
really took my breath away. You would definitely only get that with real
petals!
I felt
like we were listened to but also so well advised during our ordering
experience and I would not hesitate to recommend Shropshire Petals!
Image Credit: Maja Tsolo
Was
your wedding day everything you dreamed of and more?
It
really was! It was the best day of our lives. I don't think I ever stopped
smiling. It was like a perfect day/ night out BUT you know exactly what you are
going to wear, you have an expert doing your hair and makeup and you are
constantly surrounded by those you love most. What's not to love?!
Where
you happy with the confetti on the day?
We
were SO HAPPY! A little secret... As well as having pales of confetti for our
guests to throw as we walked up the aisle as Mr and Mrs Shirely, we also had
two confetti canons. We were determined to spend as much time with our guests
on the day as possible so we didn't really do staged photos, all of our images
were captured 'in the moment'. By the time it got to the cake cutting it was
dark and we had lost all of our personalised matches we had ordered to use with
the sparklers! I actually have no idea how the cake cutting confetti
photographs turned out so well but I am so pleased they did. The confetti flew
through the sky brilliantly and they are some of my favourite images from the
day!
Any
top tips for nearlyweds?
Order
things from companies you can trust. By this, I mean, do your research or
better still go on recommendation - this will lessen your stress and ensure you
have the magical day you want.
But
most of all - ENJOY IT! Take some time on the day to step back with each other
and just take it all in. It really is the most incredible day so be present and
don't worry about anything.
P.S. Don't
forget to order confetti; you won't regret it!
Image credit: Maja Tsolo
Why use petal confetti
Petal confetti is the preferred choice of so many wedding venues across the UK, Europe and around the world. Our confetti is made from real flower petals, grown, dried and dispatched from our family farm in Shropshire.
All our petals are eco-friendly as they come from nature, they're grown not made. They're much more sustainable than paper, as the flowers only take a few months to grow as opposed to paper that takes years to grow trees, plus our petal confetti doesn't require any processing, unlike paper confetti. Best of all, it's biodegradable, meaning no one needs to clean up after you and it's non-harmful to the environment either. The petals are dye-free, beautiful and recommended by real couples, take a look at our Feefo for reviews from our customers.
Like Charlotte, you can make your own bespoke confetti mix too via our Pick & Mix tool, there's hundreds of thousands of combinations available. We like to think there's something for everyone, let's face it, we're all individual and no one colour works for everyone.
Do get in touch if you do need any help - we'd love to hear from you.
Love SP Xx
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