Daniel and Danielle Hart's Perfect Wedding

Where did your wedding take place, why did you choose that venue, and how big was your wedding party?

Our wedding took place at Tracy Park Hotel and Golf Resort, located in a small village called Wick, just outside of Bath.



Like most couples we spent hours trawling the internet looking at prospective wedding venues. Eventually we stumbled across Tracy Park, a magnificent Jacobean manor house situated within 240 acres of mature parkland. We both agreed that this was a definite must see so called to make an appointment.



The following day we attended our first wedding fair, and to our astonishment the first stand we came across was Tracy Park. To top off the coincidental nature of the situation, the lady fronting the stand was the person I spoke with on the telephone the day before.



We visited Tracy Park the following week and fell in love with it straight away. We loved the breathtaking exterior and beautiful grounds, and felt this was the perfect venue to start life together as husband and wife.



Our actual wedding party consisted of 4 bridesmaids, 2 page boys, 2 best men and 6 ushers. Overall we had approximately 70 guests during the day with an extra 40 attending the evening reception. 



Did you have a theme for your wedding, and what sort of look and feel did you want to create?

Our wedding was designed with a vintage theme in mind, but a touch of romantic glamour was also emphasised in my stunning Ian Stuart dress and beautiful bridesmaids’ outfits.



We used ornate candelabras as our table centrepieces, wrote our table plan in a beautiful gilded mirror, and as favours we gave each female guest a handpicked vintage brooch.



Our colour scheme was silver and grey which was reflected in handmade invitations trimmed in vintage lace and pearl embellishments through to the suit worn by Daniel and his groomsmen, and the adoring waterfall dresses worn by the bridesmaids, accessorised by vintage beaded handbags and marabou feather shrugs.



Daniel proposed to me in New York’s central park, and as such we wanted to include an element of this within the day also. We named all of our tables after New York landmarks, and while our guests took their seats during the wedding breakfast we had songs featuring New York playing in the background.  
    


Please tell us about the running order and format of your day, including details of any live music or entertainment.

Me, my bridesmaids and my parents stayed at Tracy Park the night before the wedding. We had a fantastic meal and a few cheeky drinks in the Oakwood restaurant, and attempted to get an early night in preparation for the big day.



Unfortunately not much sleep was had, and after receiving a text from one of my bridesmaids in the next room (as she couldn’t sleep through excitement) I finally decided to get out of bed at 6.00 am.



Stepping out of my room and into the hotel courtyard I felt the warm glow of the sunrise on my face, and a sudden flutter of butterflies rose in my stomach. I knocked on the door of my bridesmaids and when the handle turned we greeted each other with an almighty shriek, an absolutely priceless girly moment! 



The hair and make-up artist, Beehive Brides, set to work with rollers, masses of hair spray and thousands of hair grips. Our photographer, Tristan Johnson, kept dipping in and out during the bridal preparations catching those moments that were easily lost in excitement, and also providing updates as to the arrival of guests.



The ceremony was supposed to start at 1.30 pm, but despite the early start the morning seemed to pass so quickly, and in traditional style I kept Daniel waiting for 20 minutes, which were apparently the longest of his life.



Me, my bridesmaids, pageboys and my father stood in the hallway of Tracy Park as Charlotte, our wedding coordinator, opened the door to the ceremony.



The music started and our bridesmaids and pageboys made their way down the aisle. We booked Mike Rivers to play during our wedding ceremony and drinks reception, having heard a sample of his music on Alive Network’s web site. Daniel and I instantly fell in love with his relaxed acoustic style.



As I walked through the door an overwhelming sense of emotion hit as I struggled to fight back the tears. Daniel didn’t turn around once as I made my descent down the aisle, and when our eyes finally met, he simply said “wow”.



Throughout the ceremony I could hear sniffles from my mother and bridesmaids. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house as we said our vows, but as we finally said I do, the roof nearly raised with the cheers. 



After the ceremony, drinks and canapés were served on the terrace overlooking the beautiful grounds in the glorious sunshine.



Mike Rivers provided sensational background music, creating a relaxed atmosphere and setting the perfect tone for the rest of the day. His eclectic set suited all of our guests with young, and the young at heart, finding the opportunity for a sing-along.    



How big an impact did live entertainment have on your wedding day and would you recommend it to others?

From the outset Mike was more than accommodating, meeting every request that was asked of him. Mike even helped me to arrange a secret ceremony exit for Daniel, in which he played out a scene from Daniel’s favourite film...dare I say...Love Actually! Daniel had no idea, and was utterly overwhelmed.



Live music for us added a unique touch to our special day, and it truly wouldn’t have been the same without Mike Rivers.



Mike set the perfect atmosphere during both our ceremony and drinks reception, adapting his playlist to suit each of the situations. He got our guests talking and mingling before copious amounts of alcohol started to flow, and really added a personal touch by performing song requests close to our hearts. 



Our guests all commented on Mike Rivers and what an amazing addition to the day he was. A number of friends getting married in the coming months have already booked him to play at their weddings, and whilst we had a live band in the evening, having Mike play during the day created a unique and cherished memory of our day.   



What were your favourite moments of the day?

We both have so many memories of the day, but obviously saying “I do” and becoming husband and wife has to be the greatest moment of all. There really were so many moments that made our day special and unique to us - from the girly giggles I had with my bridesmaids; Daniel’s face on exiting the ceremony and hearing Mike Rivers singing his favourite scene from Love Actually; to seeing our guests smiling faces as the day unfolded.  



What pearls of wisdom or words of advice would you extend to future brides/grooms who are planning their perfect wedding?

Whilst you may set a theme for your wedding, don’t let it restrict you in your choices. Go with what makes you happy. If you have a romantic theme but want a rock band as your entertainment, then go for it! It will make your wedding individual to you, and you will look back with no regrets.



Remember to take time to step back and take everything in, as the day goes so quickly. We found that the wedding breakfast was a really great time to sit back and take a moment. If your tables are mixed with family and friends from both sides, it’s a perfect opportunity to see who is talking to who and hear some of the stories being shared amongst your guests - sometimes a little cringe worthy but more often than not raising yet more smiles! 

Posted by Rich Hearn, Head Of Client Services