Paul & Sally got married on 24th September 2022 at Forest Lodge a beautiful wedding venue in the New Forest, Hampshire and recently I asked them a few questions about their wedding preparation and any tips for future brides.

Inside of Forest Lodge, New Hampshire wedding venue

Please tell me about the proposal:

First asked Sally to marry me when I was 17, seeing her sister's getting wed early and then having kids frightened her off for a while. When we met up again 11 years later, we didn't really think about marriage as we were happy as we were enjoying holidays, doing jobs around the home and before you know it 20 years has gone by. Then in 2020 life was about to test our resolve and love for each other. I was diagnosed with leukemia, which totally changes your outlook on life and makes you look at what's important. Not knowing what the outcome of treatment would be, I asked Sally to marry me and she said yes. (very emotional moment)

What drew you to Forest Lodge and made it your dream wedding?

I always wanted to make Sally feel special so I set about finding a venue in the New forest. We had been to weddings in the Lyndhurst area in the past and really enjoyed them. When we drove through the entrance to Forest Lodge, I knew this was the place. This was further confirmed to me by the way we were made so welcome by all the staff, we had a tour of the hotel, reception and ceremony rooms. The venue was perfect, the date was set for 24th Sept which gave us 5 months to organise everything.

Sussex bride and groom standing outside Forest Lodge, New Forest wedding venue

What was the most challenging part of organising your big day?

Think one of the first things we did was to ask yourself if you would be able to capture our special day, to which you very kindly agreed, in fact you said it would be an honour to do that for us (bless you buddy). We phoned family in America and Spain and hoped they could attend. Then the hard work began, registrar, invites, printers, bridesmaids dresses and the brides dress (oh that was a mammoth task, I think it was 3rd time lucky in the end ). I organised best mans and brother of the bride's suits from M&S along with shoes, shirts, ties etc. Then came flowers, table decs, gifts and sweets, lots of sweets for the guests' children. I think the adults had a fair few too. Little touches to remind of loved ones who could not be with us on the day, (which you captured for us so beautifully). Rings, cake, button holes, it seemed never ending. I would think we were all done and then I would think of something else, flashing glasses and party hats, DJ. We finally got there with a couple of weeks to go.

Bride and groom embracing for wedding photos

What were your standout moments of the day and memories you'll cherish forever?

The big day arrived, and what a fantastic day it was. Sally looked stunning, we had some light hearted moments before, during and after the ceremony, everybody seemed to be in great spirits. The food at the reception was amazing, the comments were fantastic (you worry in case things don't taste the same as the taster meal we had a couple of weeks before). The speeches went well, the cake looked amazing (home made by both our nieces). The photographer, well what can I say, as this was one of your biggest weddings to date, I was so impressed with the way you organised everybody, you were patient, thoughtful and paid great attention to the pictures we asked for in our wishlist, but also gave input to shots we didn't think of. The album proofs were fantastic and the order in which you put the photos seamlessly led you through our day. A massive thank you to you Darren for capturing some beautiful moments we can both cherish for the rest of our lives.

Bride and Groom posing for photos taken by Sussex Wedding Photographer

Tell me about your first dance, which song did you dance to and why you chose it?

Our song we had for the first dance was by Savage Garden, some of the words had extra special meaning to us both since finding out I was in remission from my illness, and am still after 18 months. We live each day now, making memories to remember always.

Bride and Groom posing while having their wedding dance, as their Forest Lodge Wedding

Do you have any tips for couples planning their wedding day?

If there is any advice we can give to people for their special day, try not to stress about things, somethings happen that enhance the moments and make them better. Please take time to step back, look at your bride, dancing, smiling, talking, laughing, the day goes so quickly. You have put in all the hard graft getting to your day, don't forget to enjoy today and everyday moving forward.

Smiling bride and groom standing outside Forest Lodge, New Forest Wedding Venue

Bride and groom walking hand in hand outside in the grounds of Forest Lodge, Hampshire Wedding Venue

If you would like to speak in a bit more detail, then please feel free to send me an email to info@darrengrittonphotography.com or give me a text on 07538 135722.

I look forward to capturing your magical day!

If you are planning your wedding here are some helpful wedding tips for you to read:

Why Sussex is Perfect for Autumn Weddings

5 Reasons Why Rain On Your Wedding Day Won’t Spoil Your Big Day

Top 10 tips for writing your own vows