Lauren And Simon’s Old-School Romance

When Lauren first met Simon, marriage couldn’t have been further from their minds.

 As school friends, their paths crossed until life got in the way, and both moved in different circles, albeit with some close friend crossovers!

It took a mutual friend’s 30th birthday party and a coincidental reconnection on a dating app to bring the two together – and that’s where their love story begins…

The Proposal

Simon took the opportunity that a holiday in Mexico over Lauren’s birthday presented to ask her a very important question. And there, on Isla Holbox, a beautiful tiny tropical island, Lauren said yes to becoming Simon’s wife.

The Planning

Lauren and Simon had two criteria in mind for their ideal wedding venue: it had to have overnight accommodation for some of their guests, and the bar needed to be with the dance floor. The search for a venue seemed to be unfavourable – that is, until the couple happened upon Baddow Park House!

Lauren arranged to visit the estate to see if the pictures online did the venue justice, but when she and Simon stepped out of the car, they realised no photo could capture the elegance and beauty of Baddow Park House and its grounds.

As the two walked around the wedding venue, they knew they’d found ‘the one’. Taken aback by the period charm with a contemporary twist, the attention to detail in every room really left an impression on the pair.

Lauren commented: “Each tiny detail and room has been considered and finished to the highest possible standard, everywhere was immaculate. More importantly for us, however, although it looks very grand, Baddow Park still feels very much like a home, it felt really personal and unique.”

But it wasn’t just the decor and styling that convinced the couple, it was the team who help make dream weddings a reality. Kelly, Gaynor, Steph and Jo are all passionate about their roles at Baddow Park House, and getting to know couples and their unique love stories never, ever gets old.

“The team were amazing from the very start and made us feel special. Every other venue we’d seen up until that point was incomparable.” Lauren added. 

And that was that, Lauren and Simon booked Baddow Park House for their December wedding.

The Dress

Lauren’s dress was by British wedding dress designer Suzanne Neville. The style wasn’t what Lauren had originally envisioned, but the elegance of Baddow Park House and the timing of the wedding influenced her choice. 

The dress was a sleek A-line gown with a deep sweetheart neckline and gorgeous – and practical – long sleeves. The deep V-shaped back featured a long line of buttons, adding a romantic and almost fairytale princess quality to it.

Simon looked dapper in his classic tuxedo by Hugo Boss, with a white evening scarf artfully draped. 

Lauren’s bridesmaids looked glamorous in bronze, a nod to the festive season without being too blatant.

The Cake

The wedding cake that Simon and Lauren chose may well go down in Baddow Park history as one of the most unique we’ve had. Rather than a traditional tiered wedding cake made of fruitcake or sponge, the pair opted to have a carefully constructed tower of artisan bread!

The different loaves, which were freshly baked and delivered on the morning of the wedding by local bakery Brown Bread, were placed onto cakes stands and arranged onto bread boards to make an incredible display.

In the evening, the breads were sliced up and served as part of the grazing table.

The First Dance

For their first dance, the couple selected a classic tune with an unusual twist. It was Tina Turner’s Simply The Best, but the version they used was from the Emmy Award-winning TV series, Schitt’s Creek.

For those of you who don’t know the song, it’s a sweet, heartfelt rendition that is filled with love and happiness. It was a gorgeous song to choose and there were more than a few happy tears shed as the couple danced their way into married life.

Finishing Touches

As Simon’s family are Italian, the pair wanted to pay homage to his heritage. Guests were treated to Limoncello favours (with sherbert lemons for the non-drinkers) and cannolis were served with tea and coffee following the wedding breakfast.

There was also a cocktail hour where guests could enjoy the delicious cocktails prepared by Baddow Park’s bar staff – the espresso martinis were a particular favourite!

The Memories

No matter how many times you are told, nothing can prepare you for how quickly your wedding day passes you by. You can savour every moment and still feel like time was on hyper speed. But long after the confetti has settled and the rings on your fingers start to feel like a second skin, your memories of your wedding day will stay with you. 

Your wedding photographs are treasured keepsakes that will be looked at by your children and their children. Your dress or suit may be used by family weddings in the future.

For Lauren and Simon, it’s hard to pick what they’ll remember most about the day. It wasn’t the grey overcast weather, that’s for sure. The drizzle couldn’t dampen the high spirits of the day. 

“It was the best day of our lives, so we will never forget that feeling of being so unbelievably happy and hearing from our guests how much they enjoyed it. By the end of the evening my cheeks were actually sore from smiling so much.”

Baddow Park House

Lauren and Simon adored their wedding with us at Baddow Park House. It was love at first sight; the beauty of the venue draws you in, but for these two, it was the team that made their day.

Lauren explained, “It wasn’t just the way everyone at Baddow Park made us feel, it was the way they made our guests feel too – you can’t put a price on that.”

Lauren’s Advice

Lauren has some advice for other couples planning their wedding at Baddow Park House:

“Enjoy the process and soak up every second! The team will ensure the day runs just as you want it to, so you have nothing to worry about in the build-up. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!”

Your Wedding At Baddow Park House

If you’d like to find out if it’s love at first sight for your wedding day, we’d love to show you around the venue. Just visit our website and get in touch to arrange a visit.