How we met...
We met on Tinder! We started chatting for a while then decided to meet up, and the rest is history!
The proposal...
It was on Christmas eve 2020 and we were just about to start another lockdown. That year we had already had two holidays cancelled due to COVID-19, one being a trip to the Maldives (we love to travel together). Ollie said initially he wanted to propose to me there but once that got cancelled, he made a scrap book about our relationship so far. It all rhymed with pictures and happy memories, and was just so perfect! He put the book in the bottom of a Christmas Eve box he made for me, and on the last page it said ‘Will you marry me?’ and he walked over with the ring! it was the perfect proposal, in our living room at home with our dog Luna. I did not expect it at all!
What made us choose Dodmoor for our special day...
We had viewed a few venues and thought about getting married in a church, but preferred the idea of getting married and having the reception all in one venue. People who know us know that although it was our wedding day, we did not want the attention on us all day and wanted to have a big party and celebration with less of the traditional aspects. As soon as we saw Dodmoor we knew it was the place for us. We loved the different rooms and how they were decorated, and the ‘barn like’ feel. We also loved the outside areas for a summer wedding which included the games, and loved the idea of this with the drinks package.
Our vision for the day...
We didn’t have a theme but wanted to have a wedding that was less traditional, and more about the party and celebration! We made our ceremony as short as it legally needed to be, no readings etc., and then afterwards had a relaxed meal of a BBQ buffet served to the tables. During our desserts we had two singing waiters who got everyone on their feet dancing and singing, and even doing a conga at one point which really set the mood! Afterwards we had a huge party in the evening inviting everyone that did not come to the day. Chilled and relaxed, and just our style!
The outfits...
My wedding dress was from Stunning Bridal in Abington Northampton. I do not wear dresses very often but once I tried this dress on I knew it was the one! I felt I stood taller, loved ‘swishing’ it around and just felt amazing in it! We only went to one shop and tried on about eight dresses in total… but when you know, you know! My hair was done by our regular hairdresser Sian who is a family friend, she also did my mums hair on her wedding day 27 years ago! My make up was done by Ollie’s mum's friend Deb.
Ollie's, the best men, fathers and groomsmen’s suits were from Moss Bros. I didn’t know what suit they were all wearing until I saw my dad on the day! As Sam lives in Sheffield, this was ideal as he was able to go to the Moss Bros shop near him and didn't have to arrange to come to Northampton just to sort the suit. It also meant that everyone was able to get their suits fitted separately and didn't have to find a date they could all go to a shop to sort!
The food...
We looked at the Dodmoor house recommendations and decided to go with GJ Catering. He is so lovely and we arranged to meet him and went through different options. In the end, we decided to go with a BBQ buffet with meats served to the tables. This also included a trio of desserts. In the evening Graham provided freshly cooked pizzas. The food was delicious and perfect for the 34oC+ weather we had on our wedding day!
Our favourite part of the day...
Mollie – Wow there’s so many! I loved seeing Ollie’s face at the end of the aisle, that’s a feeling I’ll never forget! I loved mingling on the lawn with all our friends and family and watching them all play the lawn games, young and old! I also absolutely loved the singing waiters, they really helped get the party started!
Ollie – I’m struggling to pick one thing!
What made Dodmoor stand out to us...
We liked the idea of having the ceremony and reception all in one place. We also loved that we were able to stay at the venue overnight and we had a deal with the local hotels that rooms booked through our allocation were able to have free minibuses to the hotel at the end of the night. We also liked that the venue was so open we could make the day what we wanted to make it, and exactly how we wanted it.
The idea we felt worked well on the day...
We got our chilled party wedding that we wanted! The singing waiters were such a surprise to everyone, only Ollie and I and my mum knew about them! They really helped get the party started and everyone on their feet dancing and drinking more!
We also hired Jules from Pamper my Poochie to look after our dog Luna for the day. This was the best thing ever! It meant that we could have Luna with us on our special day up until the wedding breakfast. Everyone who knows us knows that Luna is our ‘Fur Baby’ so we couldn’t not have her with us on our wedding day! Jules picked her up from my mum and dad's house in the morning and sprayed her with some ‘pawfume’. She then escorted Luna to Dodmoor where they both mingled with guests and met with Ollie. Luna then walked down the isle with Jules and sat at the back of the venue. We were also able to have some photos with Luna which we will treasure forever. It was incredibly hot on our wedding day too, so Jules was able to ensure that Luna was cool as well. Jules then took Luna to a family friend's house who looked after her overnight. I cannot recommend Pamper my Poochie enough to dog parents!
Entertainment we put on...
We had singing waiters surprise everyone just before and during the desserts being served. These were brilliant and I had so many comments from guests that they were a highlight of so many peoples day! We also had a DJ in the evening who played non-stop until the last song at midnight.
Where we feel our budget was really well spent...
FOOD! GJ Catering provided delicious food for us. We went for a BBQ buffet style but with meats and buffet options served to the tables. We got such good value for money. He is also the nicest man ever. Visit his bistro in Duston too its lovely!
Personal touches that reflected us as a couple...
We had jars decorating all of the tables filled with sweets and flowers. These were collected by all our friends, family and work colleagues. Me, my mum and some family friends all decorated them with string and ribbon and also some stickers we ordered from Etsy. They were so simple yet so effective. I love that so many people took them home and now have them as vases in their houses!
Ollie made a playlist of songs on his phone that played throughout the day. This was such a nice personal touch recommended by Nadine and the team at Dodmoor that really helped to make our day so special to us! A certain song would play and we would look at each other with a little smile!
My 14 year old brother was able to play the guitar as my bridesmaids and I walked down the aisle… That was a really special moment! Ollie started crying as soon as he started playing! His guitar was connected to the outside speakers so I could hear him before I walked in, it was magical!
Lastly, we made the day ours! We did exactly what we wanted and felt was right for us with our wedding day. Nadine was our wedding co-ordinator and made everything run so smoothly for us. We met with her a few months before the wedding and discussed the plan and we decided what else we needed to do. At this point she also suggested other things we could include making our day have even more of a personal touch, for example the song playlist and table details. She helped us to make our wedding day the day of our dreams and took all of our worries big and small away from us and family and friends, such as timings and ensuring things were put out correctly, ensuring that everyone really enjoyed themselves on the day.
Suppliers we used and loved...
Photographer - Anna Bass
Catering - GJ Catering
DJ - Gavin @ 1Entertainments
Wedding Dress - Stunning Bridal
Florist - Buds and Blooms Finedon
Suit Hire - Moss Bros
Bridesmaid Dress - Davids Bridal Birmingham
Cake - Mel Tupman
Hotel - Daventry Mercure Hotel
Extra Surprise - The Singing Staff
Dog chaperone - Pamper my Poochie
Loved all of them and recommend them all! Mel is a family friend (lives on my mums street). Our cake was declicious! Chocolate for one layer and sponge for the other… Our faves!
Finally, if we could offer a tip to other couples...
Enjoy every second! Everyone says it but it really does go by so quickly. We want to do it again and again!
Special thanks to Mollie and Ollie for sharing their story, and Anna Bass Photography for the photos x