Ian and Jade's Glamorous Gold Hedsor House Wedding

The beginning of forever

Jade, a talented wedding makeup artist and hairstylist from Windsor, and Ian, a project manager from Bracknell, first met through a mutual friend (Dan, one of Ian's groomsmen) in Windsor on November 10, 2012. From that night on, they were inseparable, embarking on a life-changing five-month trip around Southeast Asia just four months into their relationship.

Their love continued to grow as they bought and renovated a house in Windsor in 2015. Celebrating their anniversary each year, Ian proposed to Jade in a truly romantic fashion on her birthday in the Maldives, just before the world shut down due to COVID-19, eight years into their relationship.

The proposal

"Ian arranged for a boat to whisk us away to a secluded island to watch the sunset, creating a romantic and intimate setting just for the two of us. The boat crew set up bean bags, candles and champagne before leaving us alone to enjoy the breathtaking scenery. Ian, who loves making travel videos, launched his drone to film us as we wandered around the island, champagne glasses in hand.

During our walk, I told Ian that this was the best birthday ever and that it couldn't be more perfect. To my surprise, Ian replied, 'Well, it can,' and stopped in his tracks. As I continued walking, he called my name, and when I turned around, there he was, on one knee with a ring box in his hand. The shock and happiness I felt at that moment were indescribable, and the entire proposal was captured on film."

Jade's engagement ring was custom made — Ian choosing a 1.2 carat Princess cut diamond on a thin gold band with diamonds around it. "I absolutely love it, it's perfect. Ian did so well and it means so much more that he designed it all himself."

The bride and groom's looks

When asked how she would describe her dress in one word, Jade said "different". Seeing wedding dresses week in and week out at the various weddings she worked, Jade was on the hunt for something she hadn't seen before.

Jade wore the breathtaking Riki Dalal 'Hamburg' dress, featuring a transparent strapless corset adorned with lace, beading and sparkle, paired with a fitted satin skirt and a thigh-high split. Tailored to perfection by Hoa at Eton Tailor, the dress was a unique masterpiece. She accessorised with a lace and beaded choker cape, a handmade veil by Pink Poppy Veils, a custom headband from Etsy, Be Mine Bridal Lilith heels, and Cartier jewellery gifted by Ian on the wedding morning.

Her "something old" was a charm with a photo of her late Nanny May, attached to her floral bouquet. Her "something borrowed and blue" was a blue heart-shaped Celestite crystal from her bridesmaid, Marianna.

Ian looked dashing in a navy suit with a gold thread check, complemented by Tom Ford shoes and glasses, and a Cartier belt gifted by Jade on the morning of their Hedsor House wedding.

The bridesmaids dazzled in rose gold beaded dresses by Beauut, paired with rose gold glittery heels. The flower girls wore white dresses with pink and white flower crowns. The groomsmen donned navy blue suits from Moss Bros, creating a coordinated and elegant look.

A decade of love at Hedsor House

The couple chose November 10, 2022 — exactly ten years after their first meeting — to celebrate their union. Hedsor House, with its stunning architecture and impeccable service, was the perfect venue. Jade, having worked there numerous times, knew firsthand how flawlessly the staff executed weddings.

"Weddings at Hedsor House run like clockwork, even though every single wedding is so different — it is very impressive! The bridal suite and getting-ready room is WOW! We also loved that you get the whole house as an empty shell for 24 hours and the house is your very own manor for the day. Our dedicated wedding specialists Anne, Katie and Georgie were amazing from the moment we booked to the end of our wedding day."

The grand entrance was adorned with a stunning flower arch and candles, setting the tone for the day. Inside, the venue was decorated with floral displays by Jade's Aunty Linda, owner of Seventh Heaven Events, who designed the wedding flowers and decor to suit their glam gold theme, featuring white and pink flowers, hydrangeas and roses.

The theme: glam and gold

Jade and Ian's Hedsor House wedding was steeped in elegance and sophistication. The ceremony room, which later transformed into the dance floor, was adorned with two beautiful flower displays flanking the entrance. The aisle was lined with floating flower arrangements and candles, leading to a stunning flower arch on a gold frame.

The tables featured rose gold stands with lavish flower displays and candelabras with floral rings and candles. The sweetheart table for Jade and Ian was adorned with a gorgeous flower runner and arch. The couple opted for no wedding favours and instead hired a photobooth with unlimited prints, allowing their guests to take photos away as a memory.

The couple chose the Darcey package, with catering by Goose and Berry. Their menu included pork croquette, pressed lamb and traditional cheesecake, all of which were praised by their guests. The entertainment, provided by DJ Paul from Class Act, kept the dance floor alive with a mix of garage, Kisstory, hip hop and RnB.

"Our wedding cake was made by the amazing Neil at Le Papillon. We had a bottom tier of white ruffles with a gold edging, the middle tier was white glitter and the top tier was a smooth finish with gold leaf flecked throughout. It also had gold macarons resting on the tiers and a J&I gold lettering on the middle tier."

Jade and Ian shared their first dance to "You've Got the Love" (Jamie XX rework feat. The XX) by Florence and the Machine — a song that held special meaning in their relationship.

Capturing the day

Jade and Ian chose Beziique as their photographers, having admired their work for years. Jade met Nick and Aimie at a wedding she was the makeup artist for in March 2014. She absolutely loved the photographs from this wedding and has followed their work ever since. "Ian is really into photography and we have both said for years how incredible Beziique's photo's are, so we have always wanted them to photograph our wedding."

"As soon as we booked our Hedsor House wedding venue, we reached out to Nick to see if they were available and willing to travel to the UK for our big day. We are so pleased we had them photograph our Hedsor House wedding — they are the loveliest, fun, most easy-going people as well as being super talented, phenomenal photographers."

The couple's photo shoot was a highlight, allowing them to enjoy a private moment together amidst the whirlwind of the day.

Best day ever

For Jade and Ian, the best part of their Hedsor House wedding day was the ceremony. Seeing each other at the aisle, surrounded by loved ones, filled them with a profound sense of happiness and love.

"If you reflect back on your wedding day it's really easy to find lots of things that didn't go quite to plan, but it's one REALLY BIG day that you only get one shot at, so it's really important to not even let these thoughts take a moment of your time and instead focus on all the amazing, good parts of the day."

As they look forward to welcoming their first child in November 2023, Jade and Ian are excited for the next chapter of their lives together, continuing to celebrate their love story that began ten years ago in Windsor.