Lauren and Mark - The Proposal

Photography: Colin Mason

The Couple

Radio and TV presenter Laura Pittson and Mark Frey, director of Gorgeous Shop married at St Mary & All Saints Church in Lambourne, Essex, and held their reception at Laura’s family home, Turnours Hall in Chigwell.  “We chose ivory and Champagne as our colour scheme,” says Laura. “I used to horse-ride past our church as a little girl and always wanted to get married there – dreams can come true.”

Lauren and Mark - The Flowers

The flowers

“Our florist, Venus In Flowers in Theydon Bois, was really helpful. My bouquet was a beautiful bunch of roses and I hated leaving it behind!” says Laura. Mark’s sister arranged the flowers for the church and reception, using flowers she’d bought at Covent Garden Flower Market.

As it was May, we tried to incorporate some bluebell-type flowers in the church,” says Laura. “Real bluebells die to easily so we couldn’t have them, but we captured that May look with ivory roses and gerberas and blue delphinium.”

The couple bought archways from Argos that they pained white and used as surrounds for the cake and gift tables. “It gave a great central focus,” says Laura.

Lauren and Mark - The Ceremony

The ceremony

“Everybody loved the church service,” says Laura. “We added features like personalised bidding prayers, which made everyone very emotional and sang How Great thou Art and All Things Bright And Beautiful, as well as a solo of I Know That My Redeemer Liveth.”

The couple walked out to a special recessional, compiled by friend Richard Hetherington, which started with Mendelssohn’s Wedding March and went into You Made Me Love You – “Everyone sang along – it was perfect!” says Laura.

Lauren and Mark - Bridal Dress

The wedding dress

Laura chose an ivory lace, vintage look dress with a lace train and look veil from Airs & Graces in Berkhamstead. “It had a beautiful Champagne sash with an antique diamond brooch,” says Laura. Her tiara was leant to her by a family friend, and her jewellery was a gift. She carried a hand-tied bouquet of ivory roses.

Lauren and Mark - Bridesmaids

The bridesmaids

Laura’s bridesmaids, her stepdaughters, wore full-length Champagne satin dresses from BHS with fluffy wraps. They carried simple posies of ivory roses. Her flowergirls (her nieces and a friend’s daughter) wore champagne and ivory tulle and satin dresses, also from BHS, with faux fur wraps and pomanders of ivory chrysanthemums.

“We took the bows off the dresses and used them as cravats for the pageboys, and my mother-in-law cut off the bottoms of the dresses to use as sashes,” says Laura.

Lauren and Mark - Pageboys

The pageboys

Laura’s pageboys, her nephews and godson, wore beautiful Scottish kilts made by Scotweb. “They were made in Nicholson tartan, as my mother’s family are Nicholsons,” says Laura.

They haired the jackets from Airs & Graces and Laura’s mum put buckles on their school shoes. “We gave them little pots of bubbles to blow after the ceremony,” says Laura. “It kept them busy and was a nice alternative to confetti.”

Lauren and Mark - Jazz band

The entertainment

The jazz group Big Al’s Jazzers played traditional jazz and Dixieland music outside the church, to entertain guests while photos were taken. “I had seen them play the year before – they set the mood after the service and played at the reception drinks too,” says Laura. “Definitely a worthwhile investment!”

Lauren and Mark - Champagne Reception

The wedding breakfast

Laura and Mark hired caterers Simply Fine Foods to serve up their wedding breakfast. “They served salmon that Mark, a keen fisherman, had caught himself,” says Laura. “We named the tables after rivers in the UK to continue the theme. The star turn of the night, though, were the strawberries dipped in chocolate with Champagne!”

Laura and Mark - Tinkerbell and Fouffi

The Personal Touch

“My dog Tinkerbell and my old Shetland pony Fouffi were a feature,” says Laura. “I couldn’t have got married without including them!”

Laura and Mark - Evening Celebrations

More entertainment

“Our first dance was to For Once In My Life by Frank Sinatra,” says Laura. “The Kevin O’Brien Swing Band were great! Some of the couple’s friends, who are singers, stood up to do a few country, Broadway, big band or disco numbers with the band too.

“It made the entertainment really special for us,” says Laura. “My good friend Wendy Shkreli, a tapdancer, secretly choreographed a dance with Mark’s daughters, my niece and my godchildren,which was fabulous – everybody loved it!”

Laura and Mark - Evening Celebrations

Celebrity guests

Laura used to work with DJ Tony Blackburn at radio station Classic Gold, so was thrilled when we could make it to the wedding between shows. “He’s been there for the ups and downs of my single life, so I wanted him to see the happy, settled Laura for a change. He also loves a good party, so he had to be there!”

Laura and Mark - The Proposal

“We absolutely loved our day,” says Laura, “despite the rain, soggy marquee, forgotten rose wine and buttonholes, and a cake that had been put too near the heaters. None of the day’s sagas mattered – we had a blast anyway! One thing that worked really well was the questionnaire about Mark and I that we put on the tables – we looked around the reception and saw 180 people talking and laughing instantly – it was fabulous!”