Jo & Phaedra
Jo & Phaedra celebrated their love story with a gorgeous intimate celebration where even a very special four pawed member of the family joined in!
Photography by: Hayley Rose Photography
How did you both meet and how did the proposal occur?
We both met at work, approximately 19 years ago, having been “forced” to share a staff room: 2 different teams asked to amalgamate into 1 staff room. Not the most auspicious of starts but we soon became firm friends and then the rest, as they say is history.
The proposal happened a few years ago, in Tunbridge Wells, over coffee in the Pantiles. Not the most romantic of proposals but by then we had been together a number of years and we just talked about the “shall we get married”. As it happened, we waited a further 6 years to tie the knot.
What did you love the most about South Lodge?
We visited most if not all hotel wedding venues in West Sussex, and South Lodge stood out from the moment we came in for the October showcase. The warmth, friendliness and professionalism of all the staff on the day was far superior to anything we’d encountered previously.
Did you have a particular theme or particular style for your day?
We only had 27 guests so wanted something intimate with the focus on the ceremony and the meal. The Disraeli suite fitted the bill perfectly as we could have a long rectangle table which was a departure from individual tables of 10 people.
The choice of florist and the lay out of the ceremony room (Goodwood) were heavily influenced by the registrar and by the set up of the room during the October wedding showcase.
Tell us about the dress!
I’m a mature bride (59 years old) and I didn’t want a traditional bridal dress .
I began searching for “mother of the bride” retailers and found this little gem in London. I thought I had a firm idea in mind as to what I wanted but the owner dismissed those very quickly and suggested what was to become my gorgeous wedding dress. I was not disappointed as the comments on the day from my guests were amazing. In fact , when I entered the ceremony room, I could see some guests mouthing “wow”!
Were there any special moments on the day itself that made it unique & personal?
Several things:
- The attentiveness of the staff
- The standard and presentation of the food
- The utter professionalism and care of the toastmaster (Dan) without whom the running day wouldn't have been as smooth.
What do you remember most about the day itself?
The fact that South Lodge and the registrar allowed Beau, our little Maltese dog to walk my wife down the aisle. This is an experience we will never forget
My son’s speech as well as our vows to each other; there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
What tips would you give to couples starting their wedding planning journey?
Chose your venue carefully! Ultimately this could make or break your day. South Lodge was the perfect choice for us in terms of location, level of service, professionalism and attention to detail.
