We dare you not to smile at this glorious wedding – blending Tongan and British heritages to create something truly special and full of laughter and joy. These two could have been childhood sweethearts, as Angela and John first met when they were at school together, but at the age of 13 Angela went to the girls grammar school and they parted ways. Angela didn’t hear of John again until she discovered, in the newspaper, that John had joined the Navy and had been on the HMS Sheffield when it was attacked during the Falklands War. Luckily John survived and it turns out it was at a reunion of the sailors who survived the attack 25 years later that John was asked who his first love was and he said Angela (yes, he’d had a secret crush on her all those years ago!). This prompted him to get in touch with her on Friends Reunited and after a few months of bouncing emails back and forth to each other they decided to meet up. The couple went for a meal, then carried on talking for so long back at the hotel lobby that the concierge came to ask them whether they’d like some breakfast and they realised it was half four in the morning! The couple were determined not to rush things, and were never too concerned about getting married. However, fifteen years later they decided they wanted to celebrate with all their friends and family around them and that they certainly did!

“Both John and I grew up loving fifties and sixties music, both without knowing the other loved it! When it came to choosing a dress, therefore, I knew I wanted a 50s-style tea dress, definitely with the circle skirt that reminded me of dancing to Northern Soul in the seventies. I found House of Mooshki, and then discovered that Alice Rose is the nearest stockist, and I’m so glad that you are! Once I’d met you guys I knew there was no need to go anywhere else! Right from the start my daughter Beatrice and I were made to feel so special. Because I’d been very specific about wanting a House of Mooshki, all of the dresses were out on a rail ready to look at and we had the most amazing morning trying on every single one of them! However, as soon as I tried on Lizzie, I knew she was the one! I like to describe the feel of our wedding as very Downton meets the South Pacific (!) and Lizzie was this in a dress!”

“The beauty with House of Mooshki is that you can have your own bespoke dress – if I wanted a dotty underlay, for instance, or a different colour, I could. As it was we had a theme of navy blue with the bridesmaid dresses and the boys’ tupenus (traditional Tongan attire), so I ordered the navy belt and bow to go around my waist instead of the ivory one. I didn’t want to add too many accessories as I wanted Lizzie to stand out and that she did – I really felt like it was me and Lizzie walking down the aisle! My parents got married in 1954 and I wanted lace to match what my Mum wore, and Lizzie has just the most amazing amount of underlayers to the skirt to make you feel fabulous! The bodice is so structured that it becomes so comfortably part of you, and the boat neck was just perfect. John’s aunties stayed up the night before making lays for us to get married in, and when John’s auntie laid the lay over my head it fit the boat neck perfectly, like it was meant to be!”

“We got married in Dunston Hall in Chesterfield – just a mile and a half away from my house – and it’s a very Downton, traditionally British looking old hall which has been recently renovated. They gave us a blank canvas, nothing was prescriptive, which meant we could cover the ceremony room in mats and tapas (cloth made from mulberry leaves used for special occasions in Tonga) to give us a real blend of British and Tongan, just like our family. There was Tongan dancing and John’s aunties sang a Tongan hymn all in this very Downton looking venue and Lizzie fit in perfectly.”

“We worked as a couple to make the whole event special and stress-free, and made some amazing friends in the process – the fantastic team at Dunston Hall. We were genuinely very emotional when we left as they’d become part of our family, and I’d advise any couple planning their wedding to take everything in your stride and enjoy every moment as you too can make these kind of friendships and memories! When it comes to choosing your dream dress, I’d say stay open-minded. What you think you might like might not turn out to be your dress, but be open to advice and you too will feel like a princess, just like I did!”

Angela’s beautiful Lizzie by House of Mooshki is from our fabulous boutique. Book an appointment HERE or ring 01530 587210 to make your dream dress appointment. 

Credits:

All Photography by Paul Ainger: paulaingerphotography.com

Venue Dunston Hall: dunstonhall.co.uk