Lily and josh Crossman
Venue: Normanton Church, Rutland Water and Lamberts, Stamford
How long have you and your husband been together and how did you meet?
We met during our first year at Coventry University (11 years ago!) and remained close friends throughout our time there. We started dating after meeting up a few times following graduation.
How did you get engaged and was it a surprise?
Prior to Covid our favourite thing to do was to travel. Josh proposed in December 2018 in Vienna, he had the help of our Airbnb host who set up the apartment with fairy lights and champagne when we were out sightseeing. It was a complete shock, and I cried a lot! We then spent the rest of the trip eating and drinking our way through Vienna - even the 18-hour flight delay on the way home couldn't ruin things.
Describe your wedding venue and why you chose it?
My Mum lives near Normanton Church (a beautiful church museum on Rutland Water) - as soon as we got engaged, she suggested we get married there. We visited not long after and it was so beautiful I couldn't see us getting married anywhere else. We initially chose a barn nearby for the reception, however due to Covid we had to reduce our numbers. Last minute we booked Lamberts in Stamford - it's set in a beautiful old building and was the perfect space for our 30 guests. The food was amazing!
Tell us about why you choose your wedding dress and your experience at Brides by Solo?
I Initially came to Brides by Solo for their alterations service as I purchased my dress from another store. Following my initial consultation with Sadie (8 weeks before the wedding) we found some issues with the make of the dress - Sadie was extremely supportive and suggested that I get a second opinion from another seamstress - subsequently, I thankfully received a full refund. Due to the short notice (and Covid) I had to choose my new dress by myself, however Sadie and Grace were so helpful and made me feel amazing. The dress I chose was definitely more 'me' and I felt so comfortable in it.
Did the dress need altering to fit you? How did you find your time with the dressmaker?
As I bought my dress so close to the wedding, I had to buy the sample dress - it needed some alteration however Sadie did an amazing job. She was incredibly patient, listened to what I wanted and helped with my indecisiveness.
What was your favourite memory/memories from the day?
It's so hard to choose! Probably my favourite memory was finally getting to see Josh at the end of the aisle. Although we were sad not everyone we had originally invited could come, due to restricted numbers, we decided it was time to get married (this was our third time trying due to Covid) - this meant the day was laid back and intimate, we loved being able to spend time with all of our guests.
How did you find the process of planning a wedding, did you enjoy it?
Had Covid not happened I would have said I loved it! I was in my element with all the research and planning (definitely get yourself a spreadsheet!), however it became difficult when we had to postpone. As our original reception venue was a blank canvas, we had so many different vendors, which took some time to rearrange. The worst part was when we decided to reduce our numbers and change venues, this meant telling vendors we no longer required their service, which was especially difficult as we had booked small local businesses who were struggling due to Covid.
Do you plan on keeping your wedding dress? If so, did you decide to get it cleaned and preserved?
Yes! I have already sent my dress off to be cleaned with Brides by Solo - I can't wait to see it.
If you had to give advice to future brides on planning their wedding, what would you tell them?
Do what makes you and your partner happy. You don't need all the frills, just some good food, good music and the people who make you the happiest.
