They say opposites attract and this was definitely the case with lawyers Jane and Michael who met at work in 2007. “The romance came out of the blue,” says Jane, 34. “It was a surprise because we’re so different. Michael was born in the US but grew up in England, and I was born in Korea but grew up in the US. I fell in love with his Britishness—his dry sense of humour and gentlemanly ways — and he liked that I was fun and positive; quintessentially American traits.”

Photography by Marianne Taylor, mariannetaylorphotography.co.uk

“Since many of our guests were travelling from abroad, we wanted to marry in a country manor to give everyone the English experience,” says Jane, who chose an 18th-century mansion in Chertsey.

“We booked a vintage double-decker Routemaster to bring our guests from the hotel to Botleys Mansion.”

Jane picked a pair of Jimmy Choo open-toe heels to complete her elegant ensemble. The sparkling silver shade complemented the cool colours of her winter wedding theme.

“I chose a Vera Wang design with lovely clean lines,” she says. “I wanted drama and high-fashion details too, so I added a black sash and flower corsage for a bit of glamour.” She paired the gown with a shower bouquet of white phalaenopsis orchids to enhance the softness of her look.

The bridesmaids wore chic dresses from Amsale and carried simple bouquets of paperwhites. “Each of the bridesmaids chose their own style of dress which was a great way for each to express their own personality and style,” says Jane.

At the reception the multicultural motif continued with red tins shaped like traditional British phone and post boxes as favours. The red’s radiance added warmth against the icy hues in the room.

“We added a pop of colour to the tables and filled them with Korean tea for our English guests and Harrods No 14 English Breakfast tea for guests from overseas,” says Jane. “We also added labels with our names, the date and the type of tea. It was time-consuming DIY stuff, but a lovely touch.”

Clouds of gypsophila from Vayle Spring Flowers looked contemporary and romantic in tall black vases and were the ideal final touches to each table.

Jane and Michael created an escort card table in place of a table plan. The simple place cards were handmade, stamped with silver snowflakes and glued on to twigs.

Stationery by Blush Publishing

To highlight Jane’s Korean heritage, they displayed two mother of pearl boxes – gifts from her mother – on the guest book table.

In keeping with US customs, the couple played a slideshow of pictures from their childhood and teenage years. They also set up a handmade photo booth for guests to capture their own celebrations and provided props for them to play with including flags, paper mustaches and glasses on a stick.

The invitations were letter-pressed onto thick white card and the blind debossing on the swirly motif created the same understated modern look that prevailed throughout the day.

Design by Kim Hu, kimmu.com

The champagne and strawberry cake by Linda Fripp Designs was the ideal light bite after their three-course menu.

The groom melted hearts in a tailored tuxedo from Suits You with a white bow tie.

"I wanted a simple, classic wedding that looked unfussy and modern but without being cold," says Jane. “It was perfect and unforgettable.”

Join us tomorrow for another real winter wedding. We're running a new festive season celebration each day this week!