How we met...
We first met on an online dating site and started chatting then bumped into each other on a night out!
The proposal...
We were on holiday in the New Forest with our dog and were out for a lovely dinner. Ben had plotted with a waitress beforehand to have some photos taken outside on a twinkly bridge, when Lucie had her back turned, Ben got down on one knee and popped the question!
What made us choose Dodmoor for our special day...
We instantly fell in love with the twinkly fairy lights, the lovely staff but most of all the flexibility of the venue and being able to plan our day exactly how we wanted
Our vision for the day...
We both love animals and the countryside so decided on a whimsical woodland theme. Each of our tables was a different woodland animal and we got cute little animal ornaments to theme it along with twinkly tealights, moss and florals
The outfits...
Lucie’s dress was a Lillian West dress from Icon Bridal, covered in lace and sparkle, perfect for a winter wedding! Ben’s and the groomsmen’s suits were hired from Millers Suit Hire, we went for navy checked suits with a tie and pocket square to match the bridesmaids. The bridesmaid dresses were from Jacqueline Louise boutique and Mabel the greyhound’s matching outfit was made especially by Blas & Co.
The food...
We chose Passion Food as our caterer for the day. We had canapes which were mushroom arancini, mini burgers and mini fish & chips. Then we had a chicken in mushroom sauce main or veggie wellington both with truffle mash and roast veg. Dessert was a trio of crème brulee, lemon meringue and apple crumble. They also made us woodfired pizzas for our evening food and catered so well for our vegan guests and those with dietary requirements. Our cake was made by Eva Cockrell and was lemon, apple crumble and bakewell and was so yummy! We also had a sweet cart and a crisp wall for guests to snack on which went down really well!
Our Favourite part of the day...
It’s so hard to choose a favourite part, we loved our personal ceremony, we had a celebrant led wedding and had written our own vows which we kept secret until the day. We also loved just being surrounded by our loved ones, that’s what really made it special
What made Dodmoor stand out, as a venue...
Nothing was ever too much trouble, every little thing was thought of and we had so many compliments from our guests about how professional and helpful all the Dodmoor staff were, they really do know their stuff and Kara, our on the day co-ordinator was just brilliant and put our minds at ease every step of the way
The ideas we felt really worked well on the day...
Just seeing everything come together really made our day perfect. Kara and the team had everything in hand, had clearly listened to our ideas and made sure it all came together exactly how we wanted
Where we feel our budget was well spent...
We are so glad we opted for the Dodmoor drinks package, people couldn’t believe how generous it was and the range of drinks included
Personal touches that reflected us as a couple...
From writing our own personal vows, to having our dog there as our ring bearer (and having her on our cake!) and then having an escape room in the evening, we were really able to make our day special and very unique to us. We also had a sparkler arch and foam glowsticks for our disco, it made it all so much fun!
Suppliers that we used and loved...
Passion Food was our chosen caterer. Fraser was incredible and the food was just divine, we had so many compliments and a lot of completely clean plates.
We used Eva Cockrell for our cake and she made a sculpture of Mabel, it was so amazing and the cake tasted delicious.
Florry Florals created the most stunning florals, they smelt divine and complimented our woodland theme so well.
Bubear Photography was the most wonderful photographer, she felt more like a friend and has captured so many stunning shots.
Charlotte Chartell and Killer Contourz were our glam squad and did such a great job of making the girls and the bride look wonderful!
Budget Wedding company came the day before to set up our beautiful table decorations and ceremony decor, it looked stunning!
Advice to other couple's...
Just soak up every single moment and try and find 10 minutes for just the two of you away from everyone else as the day flies by in such a blur! Mostly, have faith and trust in the Dodmoor team that they will make your day the most incredible day ever!
Special thanks to Lucie and Ben for sharing their story and Bubear Photography for the photos x