Lisa and Duncan’s is a beautifully unconventional wedding, and one we’re more than thrilled to be able to share with you today. The couple’s own words of wisdom are golden so we won’t waffle on, other than to mention their amazing Kent wedding photographer Benjamin Toms, who’s kindly shared his images of the happy pair with us today. Over to Lisa & Duncan because we LOVE their wedding story:

“We’re not big fans of the wedding hype. Covid had a lot of negative impact on the wedding industry, but one good thing was enabling people to shrug off convention and not get caught up in spending money for the sake of it. Love and fun are all that matter! There is such unnecessary pressure on couples to have the ‘perfect day’. Our advice would be to pick a couple of things that are really important to you, and focus on those. For us it was fun, friends, food, and dancing. Don’t do anything for anyone else: no one cares if there aren’t favours on the table, you don’t need to hand write everyone’s place name, or get fancy paper invites. Don’t invite people just to be polite. Don’t do it because your mum/best friend/Aunty thinks you should. Ask yourself, “will I remember this in 20 years time?” If the answer is no, then smile and let it go. It’s very liberating!”

Kent wedding photographer’s website

https://benjamintomsphotography.co.uk/

How did you choose your photographer?

We wanted relaxed, informal and fun photos, and Ben’s past wedding pics were just like that. We had a quick chat over the phone and booked him straight away.

Were you pleased with your Kent wedding photographer? Do tell… we love a brilliant review!

Yes, we adore our pics. Ben and his assistant really captured the celebration and love of our wedding day.

Videographer details if applicable – and any thoughts for other couples about having a wedding video?

https://www.wagtailproductions.co.uk/alternative-wedding-video

We wanted a video to capture the speeches, guests and dancing so we didn’t forget all those details, and to share it with people who couldn’t attend. Ayla makes the most beautiful and unique wedding videos, and she was so easy to work with.

Tell us about your venue – what made this place special for you?

We wanted to get married somewhere that was relevant to us; somewhere we’d visit and enjoy for years to come. Luckily we live in Margate, so we decided to get married on the beach. We walk past the spot pretty much every day and it’s made our hometown feel even more like home. We had the wedding day across three venues, and guests paraded between them waving sticks with ribbons on as the kids bashed tambourines. It was brilliant.

Did you love wearing your outfits? How was the dress / suit shopping experience?

I got an off the rack dress from Free People for £200 and then a spangly jumpsuit from Rosa Bloom for the after party. I couldn’t bring myself to spend silly money on a white dress I’d never wear again, so these were both perfect. So comfy, fun and easy to wear https://www.rosabloom.com/

Did you hire a florist? Tell us about any floral amazingness

Posy Patou created the most incredible floral headdress from paper flowers, with each flower carrying a special meaning for us https://www.posypatou.com/ It’s something I will wear to every party from now on! I loved the idea of paper flowers over fresh, as they’re more sustainable and last forever. The headpiece was so elegant, and much better than being lumbered with a bunch of flowers in my hand!

Did you hire a wedding planner?

Camille was the most incredible wedding planner. She helped us plan the day, think through logistics and imagine what we wanted it to look like. On the day, she prepped the beach and decorated the evening space with incredible paper art. We loved working with her and she filled our day with joy, love – and no stress! https://www.instagram.com/posy_patou_weddings/

What was your first dance song? Why did you choose it?

At Last, by Etta James. We had the most incredible Kent wedding band. They were relaxed, professional and had everyone dancing all night. We trawled the internet for a decent band who weren’t too cheesy, but who played the kind of music we love – and Double Bass Dan exceeded all expectations https://www.doublebassdan.com

Favourite wedding suppliers

https://benjamintomsphotography.co.uk/
https://www.wagtailproductions.co.uk/alternative-wedding-video
https://www.rosabloom.com/
https://www.posypatou.com/

https://rebeccabrownmakeupartist.co.uk hair and make up
https://www.doublebassdan.com/ the most incredible wedding band
https://jessicaleahcatering.com/ a mind blowing, family-style sharing feast from Kent wedding caterer Jessica Leah
https://carouselcreche.co.uk/ wedding creche is genius. The kids and parents both have fun!