The Wedding
From a seven-tiered wedding cake that matched their tartan kilts to homemade favours and fireworks at midnight, Geoff and Mark's New Year’s Eve wedding was magical.
The Lowdown
Where: Selsdon Estate
Theme: New Year's Eve
Photographer: Paola De Paola
Geoff and Mark invited their photographer, her husband and their five children to their wedding and paid for their hotel accommodation! This speaks volumes about Geoff and Mark, and about Paola. Their relationship began as client and photographer, but they soon became very close friends - it's not something that always happens between couples and their suppliers. This is the wedding story, told through Paola's candid photographs...
New Year's Eve Wedding
Geoff and Mark chose to marry at Selsdon Estate in South London. They had attended a few Christmas events there in the past, as well as a wedding fair and had always found the staff to be very accommodating towards them.
"As a same-sex couple, we felt very comfortable having our wedding there.
"Getting married on New Year’s Eve is a great excuse to party with all your family and friends, and it also gave us the chance to tell them what to wear! We made it a black tie with silver bling wedding. And because there was no bride to upstage, the women really went to town with their outfits!"
The Detail
It's the little details which make all the difference to a wedding, and Geoff and Mark really went to town. From their matching kilts, illuminated dancing shoes and homemade favours to the fireworks, the surprise drag act, the decorating the Christmas tree with photos of absent friends and family, and the seven-tiered hand-painted cake with one tier matching the tartan of their kilts and sugar flowers reflecting the colours of their table centrepieces - everything was planned to perfection.
Choosing our Photographer
"We met Paola at a wedding fair and were instantly attached to her personality and warmth. Her pictures really tell a story and we both wanted a team of people working on our wedding that wanted to be there and not just about the money. We would have never picked anyone that didn’t accept us as a couple, and trust me we had come across a few suppliers that didn’t feel comfortable that two guys were getting married, so they soon were crossed off our list."
"Our advice for planning a wedding? Get a toastmaster! Without our toastmaster, Peter, we would not have taken in half as much. People say your wedding day goes past very fast. But a good toastmaster will pull you back and ensure you watch what is going on around you. Makes sure you are both in the right place at the right time. He was worth his weight in gold."
