Love wins for Lizi and Jack

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Lizi and Jack met during their third year of university, at one of the first social nights after the Christmas break. Lizi says, "I didn't take to him immediately, but he won me over when I realised we were both as socially awkward as each other! His Geordie accent was, and still is, a winner for me."

While on holiday in Thailand in January 2020, they’d make it a routine to watch the sunset from their hotel’s private beach with a couple of beers. One day following a boat trip, Jack suggested they head back to enjoy the sunset as usual, so he grabbed the beers from the hotel room while Lizi made her way to the beach. When he joined her 10 minutes later, he pulled out an engagement ring and said, “You know you’ve been wanting a new ring... what about this one?” He’d had it hidden in the camera case the whole time – “I had wondered why we didn’t take many photos!” Lizi says.

Couple The couple had recently moved to Aylesford and while out walking one day they passed a venue that Lizi instantly fell in love with. She turned to Jack and said, "We'd better start saving as that's where we're getting married!" It was Bradbourne House. In the spring of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Chic Weddings launched a competition for one NHS hero to have the chance to win their wedding day. Many local suppliers generously donated their incredible services to the cause, and Lizi and Jack were the lucky, and deserving, winners. Read on as the bride herself gives us the lowdown on the big day...

SETTING THE SCENE - "I owe all of the finishing touches to Laurie and Steph at Chic Weddings," Lizi explains. The expert duo interpreted what the bride describes as her, "vague and indecisive description" of what she thought she'd like and made it everything she'd dreamed of and more. Equally, she says, "Richard from ByBlossom and Shelley from Shelley's Cakes were miracle workers, having created the most perfect stationery and cake display with very unhelpful input from Jack and me!

Wedding favours placed on the tables were sparklers for each guest. After the wedding breakfast everyone went outside and stood on the steps of Bradbourne House, which created an impressive scene with all the sparklers lit, and was quite fitting since the wedding fell the day after Bonfire Night.

Looking the part LOOKING THE PART - The lovely consultants at Victoria's Bridal Boutique in Orpington picked out a selection of dresses for Lizi to try on ahead of her appointment. They even set up a flat screen TV allowing her bridesmaids and mother-in-law to join in virtually, since Covid restrictions meant they couldn't be there in person. "I tried them all on and the one that made my girlfriends cry was the one I chose," Lizi tells us. She continues, "The ladies were so lovely and skilled that they even suggested customising the dress with cap sleeves made from the same lace as the gown, making it unique to me." Lizi had always planned to wear her hair down with no accessories, but during the second fitting, her mother and mother-in-law talked her into trying a tiara, which she then found very difficult to take off! The bridesmaids wore lemon dresses, which was the only part of the wedding that Lizi had a definitive view on from the very beginning. "I found out later, this was the same colour my mother chose for her wedding," she says. The bride tribe found the gown online and it suited them all perfectly – "They all looked breathtakingly beautiful," the bride remembers.

The boys Jack, his best man and his dad all wore navy three-piece suits with lemon ties and buttonholes to complement the bridesmaids' dresses. "His groomsmen's suits didn't match, but they all looked dapper nonetheless and had matching buttonholes," Lizi tells us. The groom completed his look with a pair of black Loake Oxford shoes.

TIME TO CELEBRATE - A DJ played a set in the evening and was an absolute hit. "He was amazing, playing all the bangers and I'm fairly certain we didn't leave the dancefloor all night. In fact, we didn't even realise the evening buffet had been served," Lizi remembers. They also booked a toastmaster, who was entertaining in himself. "I didn't realise anyone had a louder voice than me!" Lizi jokes.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS - The whole day was brimming with laughter from start to finish, and despite poor Jack being a nervous wreck until after his speech bless him, the newlyweds enjoyed every moment to the full. One hilarious highlight for the bride was enjoying a few too many gin cocktails and, thinking she was Baby from Dirty Dancing, ran across the Great Hall in her sliders before launching herself into the arms of her emergency department colleagues. To their credit, they did manage to replicate the big lift and spun her around in the air!

WITH THANKS - "I'll never forget the effort people made for us," Lizi says. She continues, "It's still surreal to think that people came from all over the country to celebrate with us. With Jack's family being from the North East and a lot of mine from South Wales, it was amazing to see everyone together for one day.

"The entire day was only possible thanks to Laurie at Chic Weddings and the astounding generosity of the many other suppliers who donated their services. All of them are complete perfectionists and geniuses at what they do. I couldn't recommend them highly enough. Laurie is a wonder woman with such a kind heart, enabling us to have the most spectacular day that we could only have dreamed of."

Happy couple "I used to be a singer and recorded the song I walked down the aisle to. It was my gift to Jack."