Deer Park Country House Socially Distanced Classic Wedding

Photography by Emma Pilkington Photography

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What Made Your Day Unique

Our day was special because up until a few weeks before, we weren’t even sure it would go ahead. We had to cut our guest list down from 150 to 30 which was heart-breaking, but in the end, we had the most intimate and special day. Coming from a Caribbean background we both expected to have a huge wedding and couldn’t fathom having a small one. We were both surprised at how beautiful the day was, despite the restrictions and limited numbers. It was amazing to get to spend time with each guest and create beautiful memories. We had 3 Bridesmaids wearing blue as the 'Something Blues' from the poem ‘something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue’. Each of them then carried something old, new and borrowed. Old was a cooking pot from Stephen’s late grandmother who loved to cook, new was Shanice’s new baby niece and borrowed was the broom that Shanice’s brother and sister in law jumped over at their wedding, and we did the same! Jumping the broom is an old Black wedding tradition.

Shanice & Stephen

Wedding Planning

We planned our wedding with our wedding planner Fern in the middle of coronavirus. It was a time of intense uncertainty and caused us a lot of stress and anxiety. However, it reinforced to us the importance of marriage and the significance of the wedding day. For those who are thinking about going ahead despite restrictions, you won’t regret it. It will be special in a way you won’t have imagined and will be worth all the stress and uncertainty in the end. We truly had the best day and now have the most special memories. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without our WP Fern. She kept us sane and literally did everything. She is more amazing than words can describe, and it was the best decision we made to have Fern as our wedding planner. Also, our venue navigated the corona coaster so well and they supported us relentlessly and hosted the best wedding weekend. We are so grateful to all our amazing suppliers for their support and hard work.

Shanice & Stephen

Inspiration & Styling

The vibe of our wedding was timeless, elegant and classy. We wanted it to also be laid back and for everyone to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves. We feel that our planner and stylist Fern Godrey Weddings really made this happen. Also, in hindsight we think the smaller numbers lent itself to this much better.

Shanice & Stephen

Advice

We would advise anyone to do what is best for them. Weddings can become so political. It’s your day and you want to make sure you enjoy it and create cherished memories. Wedding planning is hard enough, especially in a pandemic, so it’s important to try and create a day that’s truly reflective of you both as a couple that you’ll love forever.

Shanice & Stephen

Written by Lorna Shaw