A winter's tale

Our very own design manager, Vicky Longman, married Brendan O'Connor on a beautiful snowy day in February. Images by Lavenham Photographic

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Early days…

Vicky and Brendan met at the pick'n'mix stand in the Witham branch of Woolworths nine years ago. Vicky, who was working there part-time while she studied at university, was filling the stands with sweets when manager Brendan introduced himself. "I am not sure if it was love at first sight exactly," says Vicky. "It's a bit tricky when you're both wearing a bright red polyester uniform!"

The proposal…

After requesting Vicky's dad's permission, Brendan had tried to propose on two occasions, but in both instances the settings weren't as perfect as he'd hoped. Then, one Sunday morning in February, the couple went for a romantic stroll on Mersea Island beach when Brendan got down on one knee and popped the million dollar question. "I had no hesitation in saying 'yes', even though I was surprised," says Vicky. "I loved the fact that there was no one else around; it was really memorable for both of us."

The venues…

One of Essex's most popular wedding venues, Leez Priory, played host to both the ceremony and the celebrations. "I had my heart set on Leez Priory after seeing it in An Essex Wedding almost five years ago," says Vicky. "When we first viewed the venue, I got butterflies as soon as we parked the car. I loved its castle-style grandeur, plus it had the warmth of a Tudor mansion with fantastic grounds.
"The staff, including our front-of-house manager Suzy, made us feel so relaxed. Their attention to detail was great."

The attendants…

Vicky chose not to have any bridesmaids, as she found it hard to choose between her close girlfriends. Instead, she had a matron of honour, best friend Nic. "I chose her because she has a calming effect on me, and I knew she would be able to help me immensely in the decision-making process," explains Vicky. "Sure enough, she kept me grounded throughout and I cannot thank her enough."
Brendan chose his closest friend Gareth, who he has been friends with since secondary school, to be his best man. Brendan's brothers Kieran and Liam, and Vicky's brother Rob, were the ushers.

The dress…

Vicky wore a classic Benjamin Roberts dress, which she bought from The Wedding Shop in Colchester on one of its designer days. It had a sweetheart neckline and a silk and organza layered skirt.
"It was the fifth style I tried on, and I knew straight away it was the one for me," she remembers. Vicky finished her look with ivory satin shoes, a veil and a tiara she bought at the National Wedding Show.
Brendan's look was traditional, with a black tailcoat, grey pinstriped trousers, an ivory waistcoat and a burgundy cravat fitting in perfectly with the classic setting.
The matron of honour wore a full-length burgundy satin gown from Debenhams, while the best man and ushers wore suits that matched Brendan's.

The best bits…

During the wedding breakfast, snow began to fall and only stopped the following day. "A few of our guests had problems with transport, but the boys took full advantage of the weather and were out throwing snowballs and making snow angels in their suits! We were so lucky, as the weather fitted in perfectly with our 'winter romance' theme," says Vicky.
The couple's first dance was to Coldplay's The Scientist, a song they chose because they loved the lyrics. Afterwards, Vicky danced with her dad to Stevie Wonder's I Just Called to Say I Love You. Vicky says: "This was the song we used to dance around the living room to when I was a child, stepping on his feet the whole way. It was a surprise for him, and we had a great time dancing to it again. It was very emotional too."

The honeymoon…

Vicky and Brendan had a three-week honeymoon touring the west coast of America. "We stayed in lovely hotels and made the most of every day," says Vicky. "The variation in climate and landscape was amazing, we would love to do it again."

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