Lucy & Laurence at Cleaver & Wake

Real Wedding

6 Nov

Lucy & Laurence’s wedding is an absolute dream from start to finish. After an intimate ceremony at West Bridgford Registration Office, the couple celebrated with their loved ones at Nottingham’s contemporary venue, Upstairs at Cleaver & Wake. Take a peek inside their modern-meets-vintage luxurious wedding...

The pair met on a dating app five years ago whilst Laurence was on a brief trip from Australia to his home country, England. Even though the pair knew Laurence was heading back to Australia just one week later, they couldn’t deny their instant connection, and sure enough, a whirlwind cross-country romance blossomed.

In a wonderful twist of fate, it transpired that Lucy had family living just 20 minutes away from Laurence in Australia. So just 10 months after their initial meet, Lucy jetted off to Australia to surprise Laurence. After living with her aunt in Australia for three weeks, Lucy took the plunge and moved in with Laurence in Perth. After a short stint in Australia, the pandemic forced them both to move back home to England.

Soon followed by a wonderful little baby, and a proposal, what started as a chance message on a dating app, became a love story like no other.

PLANNING THE WEDDING

Lucy and Laurence planned the whole day in less than five months, with Lucy creating many things herself, including the bouquets, guestbook, signage - plus her own hair and make-up on the day! Rather than opting for an external wedding planner, the couple were supported by the Cleaver & Wave events team, who helped to take the stress out of the process with regular planning meetings.

When it came to the dress, Lucy found herself with just three weeks to find one after an initial disaster with her first dress. However her timeless ivory bardot dress by Dando London, worked beautifully with a sleek half-up, half-down hairstyle, simple veil and classic droplet pearl earrings, for the ultimate modern-meets-vintage look.

THE VENUE

The couple chose Nottingham's canalside luxury wedding venue, Upstairs at Cleaver & Wake, as the location for their reception. Situated in the heart of the city centre, the venue has unrivalled panoramic views and stunning art deco interiors: the ideal space for stylist Maria at More Than White to work her magic.

Maria channelled ‘Manhattan-chic’, and transformed the space into a minimalist haven of all white, with touches of black. Lucy arranged all the flowers herself which featured a mixture of natural and faux all-white roses and blooms, before Maria and her team used them to adorn the room, tables and plinth.

Known for its exquisite fine dining experience, Lucy & Laurence we able to work alongside the chef’s in-house team to create bespoke menus. Opting for a Starter and Main, forgoing a dessert course in favour of serving their wedding cake. Guests also enjoyed a beautifully crafted grazing table with cured meats, olives and local cheeses.

FINISHING TOUCHES

With any wedding, it's those special extra little touches that help to make it even more memorable. Some of these include a Champagne tower and a polaroid guest book complete with an array of props that guests could get creative with. Plus, their delicious heart-shaped cake by SK Wedding Cakes with a luxurious coconut sponge and chocolate ganache filling - giving a nod to their favourite chocolate bar, Bounty.

The Cleaver & Wake team were also able to provide a side room to turn into a kids heaven, complete with TV, snacks and mats, offering the little ones a chance to escape the wedding hustle and bustle.

Bride Lucy says, "We wanted quite an intimate but really relaxed venue for our wedding that wouldn't blow our budget and we were astounded by how incredible Cleaver & Wake and the team were.Everything was a collaborative effort and the team worked closely with us to help make our vision come to life. And, during the day, they went above and beyond to make the day memorable not only for us but for all our guests. We can't thank the team enough for making the whole process so stress-free throughout, and for making our wedding day truly special."

Suppliers

Venue: Cleaver & Wake

Photos: Georgia Smith Photography | @georgiasmith_photography

Stylist: More Than White | @morethanwhite_weddings

Dress: Dando London

Suit: Mr Guild

Cake: SK Wedding Cakes

Hair, Makeup & Flowers: Done by the bride

Lucy and Laurence Gaughan_wedding imagery_10.jpg

Lucy and Laurence Gaughan_wedding imagery_11.jpg

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