Clare Adern of Harry Jon Hair & Makeup and her partner Chris Brown, a production manager for Bentley, were married at the Devonshire Dome on 3rd October 2015, surrounded by family and friends.
As fans of anything ‘theatrical and different,’ the Devonshire Dome’s magnificent sense of theatre provided the perfect setting for the couple’s big day, with dramatic, yet soft flowers to complement the venue and create an enchanting atmosphere.
To do this, Clare and Chris brought in ‘the best in the business’ by hiring Manchester-based Red Floral Architecture, who designed a floral aisle archway to walk through, together with huge table centres to add to the theatrics of the Devonshire Dome.
We spoke to Clare about her incredible wedding and the inspiration behind her beautiful wedding day…
Did you have a special theme for your wedding?
My late Grandma inspired a lot of the wedding. Dramatic yet soft flowers surrounded us and lots of words and quirky poetry were spoken throughout the ceremony. Even our favours and place names were made from laser cut wood, which I sprayed gold to fit the theme.
What was your wedding colour scheme and why did you choose it?
I love the old Dior style adverts with deep reds, ivory and hints of gold. We both have a love of the Georgian style too. It’s soft and dramatic, perfect for us.
What did you wear?
My gown was a Mark Lesley from Dream Dress Bridal in Bredbury.
It was a gorgeous warm ivory in lace with 3d flowers; it had a slight warm apricot feel which I loved. I had a seamstress from Dream Dress add an additional train on the back for added drama and a full length sheer veil.
How did you travel on the day?
I surprised my bridesmaids with a horse and carriage from Arclid Carriages in Cheshire. They were very generous and travelled the distance for us as I’ve worked with them in the past – they’re a family run company and they are outstanding.
Which photographer did you hire?
Our photographer was the chilled and talented Damian Brandon from DSB Creative. He’s an absolutely amazing bloke and seriously talented!
Damian hides out so a lot of his pictures you wouldn’t know were being snapped. He captures the moment and every wedding for him is a big deal, he finds new creativity in your day. I once worked with him and found him on the floor shooting through a fan. He’s so quirky, I love him.
In one of the more creative shots, he used a wall with quite a big drop behind so it wasn’t for the faint hearted, but made for an amazing panoramic picture to hang on our wall. There was also a quirky shot through the window of Pizza Express and a fab painted wall that was like being in Club Tropicana!
What food did you choose for the wedding breakfast?
We ate Pate for starters followed by roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes, with Panna cotta for dessert.
What entertainment did you choose and how did this work in the event space?
The Dome can be a bit tricky with sound so we opted for just the DJ. I’d always wanted a saxophone or a harp with strings but it might not have been heard, so we saved the money and went to the DJ from start to finish.
Would you recommend your venue to another couple?
Of course – we had THE best day. I would really like to have a Dr Who phone box to go and do it all again. It was magical, it honestly feels like a dream!
What was your favourite part of the day?
Walking down the aisle without a doubt! It was an unbelievable, epic moment. Just breathtaking.
What was the biggest challenge of the day?
I set all the bridesmaids and flower girls’ hair and also did makeup for myself and four adult bridesmaids on our wedding morning. There was no stress, it was slight chaos but calm and lovely to enjoy. Close friend and bridesmaid, Holly of Dream Dress Bridal is in the wedding industry too so she was a good calming influence!
What would be your top tips for brides-to-be?
Go with the flow, don’t run down the aisle, never worry it always comes together and works out and finally – smile!
Who were your suppliers and who would you recommend?
- Gerard and Maggie at Roseleigh Guest House
- Jen from the Harry Jon team did a fabulous job of dressing our hair
- Tom of Silk Wedding Films a lovely and talented guy, our video is fab and something to cherish. Our girls have watched it over and over again!
- Liz at Unity Civil Celebrancy is fantastic at translating your life in a nutshell
- Lightech were so easy to work with
- Azone disco took a couple of last minute changes in his stride
- Pink Cocoa created some quirky ‘meringue kisses’ in our colours
- The postbox was from Mrs Toppings Tea Parties
- The Love sign came from Stacey at Dressed To Impress
- We used Inspired by Lisa for stationary
To watch Clare and Chris’s wedding video, click here.
For details of Clare’s freelance hair and makeup services, visit her website at www.harryjon.com
To find out more about weddings at the Devonshire Dome, visit our wedding pages or call the team on 01298 330643.