Gemma & George

Why did you choose the Montagu Arms?

We found The Montagu Arms on a wedding website and fell in love with the charming building and classic English gardens. We decided to visit to see the surrounding New Forest countryside and the venue and were blown away with how quaint and pristine the area was. We loved the ponies, donkeys and other wildlife and picture-perfect vistas.

We knew this would be an ideal location in Hampshire for a wedding and would make lovely photos for keepsakes. On our visit, Clara was so welcoming and helpful, assisting with any queries we had. We also thought that for the location and the venue, the price was quite reasonable once we compared to other venues.

What food did you choose?

Fortunately, we were able to give our guests the option between the cured salmon or the guinea fowl terrine for entrée, beef fillet or chicken supreme for main, and the crème brûlée or chocolate delice for dessert. We also added a lime and basil sorbet palate cleanser before the dessert, which was a big hit.

All the meals were outstanding and we received so many comments from guests that the meals were wonderful! We added a cheese and charcuterie for after dinner for guests to nibble away at, which was well-received. My personal favourite was the cured salmon!

The decor - what was the styling and theme of the day?

We used Sam from Linen and Lace to help us decorate the Oak room for the ceremony and dinner. We didn't so much have a theme, per se, but did want classic touches and a mix of brass, glass and rustic wood blocks. They tied together really well with the flowers we chose - Sam and Jo work as such a beautiful team and knew one another well, certainly helping make the styling cohesive.

Who was your florist and what did you choose?

Jo Hicks was our florist. She was sensational at bringing our vision to life. We gave her a brief of some Australian, Scottish and English elements to tie both our backgrounds together. We had thistle, lavender, veronica, eucalyptus, kangaroo paw, white roses and many other flowers in a dusty blue and white theme.

We also wanted lots of greenery and had eucalyptus on the dinner table as a runner between candles and tea lights. It was truly beautiful and everything we wanted.

Tell us about your Wedding dress and big day fashion?

My wedding dress was sourced from Asos - I thought that saving money on a dress I wasn't going to get much wear from would allow me more to spend in other areas for the wedding. This was such a good decision for us in the end. I wore an ivory wrap dress with flutter sleeves covered in beading and sequins. It was quite simple and elegant but reflected me perfectly as I wasn't after something too grand.

My shoes were Loeffler Randall Camellia heels in pearl-white. They were higher than I am used to wearing on a daily basis, but the chunky heel allowed me to be comfortable all day. Definitely recommend a chunky heel.

My veil was the Rixo Cupid dot mesh short veil. This went well with my dress as having a simple dress I felt needed a shorter veil than a long one. I quite liked the dots on the veil for a point of difference and quirkiness.

I had a hair clip on the side of my hair from Ivory and Co. This was ceramic flowers with a pearl in the centre of the flowers. Very classic and went with the style of my hair in large hollywood-style waves.

I had my make-up and hair done by Rosey from FLC Hair and Make Up. She was incredible to work with and understood what was necessary for a bride on their wedding day, taking into account not wanting to have heavy makeup but also needing enough for photos. I decided to go with softer browns on my eyes and then a berry red on my lips.

This isn't what I originally thought I would want on my wedding day, but I had a change of heart and wanted a pop of colour in my ensemble, and I'm glad I did because it came out so well in photos. Skin was a key part of  my makeup look as I wanted it to be really fresh and clear, not wanting to look cakey; Rosey really delivered on this!

Groom: Suit was from Edit suits and George got to design his own suit, from the fabric, right down to the finer details like darting, vents, stitching, pockets and so forth. This meant that his suit was perfectly fitted on the day and he was comfortable. Groom's shoes were from Loake.

Tell us about the photographer and cake?

Jessica Hayman was our photographer. She made us feel so comfortable on the day, especially seeing as neither of us love being in the limelight. Jess was friendly and warm, not getting in the way at all, but remaining efficient, allowing us time to enjoy the day, the drinks reception and spending time as a newly married couple. The photos also turned out beautifully.

Our cake was from Maplewood Bakery in Windsor. Eleanor was so easy to work with and allowed us to sample some flavours. This was ridiculously difficult to choose as they were all delicious. Ultimately, we decided on the lemon and elderflower cake with buttercream icing. We also got some flowers to decorate it - Jo helped make sure they matched her designs as well. The cake was stunning and tasted exceptional. We bought a cake topper from etsy to go with it and a wooden cake stand to match the decor.
 

What was the best part of the day?

Marrying my best friend. Standing in front of our closest family and friends and exchanging such heartfelt vowels that we had compiled ourselves was so meaningful to us. Bizarrely, it went by within a blink, but it was the most special moment of our lives, committing ourselves to one another and sharing our love with the people in the room. The speeches were also another special moment; there was hardly a dry eye in the room.