Quintessentially English

Jade and Robert from Sydney had a beautiful, traditional wedding at Braxted Park, photos by Studio Images UK.

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Early days…

Jade met Robert at work in 2005, after he had been transferred from his job in London to set up an office in Sydney. "Robert swept me off my feet in the wooing days," says Jade. "I fell in love with his charming nature and English accent."
"Jade is the most caring and considerate person I have ever met, so falling in love with her was simple. From the moment she walked into our office, I knew I had to get to know her," adds Robert.

The proposal…

Robert surprised Jade on her 25th birthday by popping the question outside the Sydney Opera House. He presented his new fiancée with a temporary ring that he had bought especially for the occasion, and took her out afterwards to choose an engagement ring. "My first attempt at having a ring designed was a disaster," remembers Jade. "I had chosen a gold setting that didn't complement the diamond at all, and made it look like a piece of costume jewellery. I had the ring melted down and chose a simple platinum setting instead. I was thrilled with the result, but Robert was a little bit unhappy with the long process and its cost!"

The venues…

As Robert is from England, the couple decided to get married in this country, rather than Australia. "We wanted our wedding to be different from anything we could have had in Sydney," explains Jade. "Braxted Park, an old Georgian-style house with amazing grounds, was to my mind the perfect picture of an English venue."

The attendants…

Jade's bridesmaid - sister Jana - wore a strapless dress that matched the colour of the sash on Jade's gown. "Jana's dress had a classic and romantic feel, which is exactly what I was looking for," says Jade.
The best man, Thomas, has been a close friend of Robert's for over 10 years. "He's a great pal and has always made the effort to stay in contact, despite the fact that I've lived in Sydney for five years," says Robert. Thomas and two additional groomsmen - Brad and Grant - wore the same style suits as Robert's, but with ivory waistcoats and ties.

The dress…

The bride wore a gorgeous off-white dress by Vera Wang, which had a blush-coloured beaded sash just under the bust. "I chose the style because it was a classic design, and I think every girl would love to get married in a Vera Wang dress," she says.
Robert wore a charcoal-grey morning suit with a pink waistcoat and tie, and West Ham United cufflinks.

The flowers…

he elegant flower arrangements consisted of pale pink sweet avalanche roses and ivory hydrangeas, spray roses and lisianthus. "Because we were in Australia when we planned our wedding, I was really worried about the flowers leading up to the day. But our florist, Beverley from Jades Flower Design, was amazing and sent me pictures via email to ease my nerves. We received so many comments about how beautiful the flowers were," says Jade.

The decorative touches…

The stationery, which was designed by the mother-of-the-bride, featured an 'RJ' monogram, and the couple had a wax seal made especially for their invitations.

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