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Early days…
Becky is a flight attendant for British Airways and George is a Royal Navy Helicopter Pilot. They met in 2007 at the wedding of Becky's friend. "A month after we met, George was posted to sea for a six-month deployment. In hindsight, this was the best thing that could have happened to us as it made us realise at such an early stage that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together," says Becky.
The proposal…
While on holiday in New York, the couple went to Tiffany's to choose a ring, a 0.75 carat Tiffany princess cut diamond ring set on a platinum band. "I would be wearing it for the rest of my life, so I wanted to make sure it was the perfect one and not a surprise. George agreed to this on the condition that he kept it until the timing was right. While ice skating in Central Park, he stopped me, got down on one knee (without falling over) and proposed with some loving words," says Becky.
Hen and stag parties…
Becky celebrated with her best friends, mum and sisters in Puerto Banus, Marbella. "On arrival at the airport, I was handed a t-shirt with 'Mrs George's Hen Party Marbella 2008' with 'Top Gals' written in the Top Gun font, seeing as I was marrying a real life Top Gun pilot."We played hen party games, drank loads and danced the weekend away."
George's best man organised an action-packed weekend of paintballing, quad biking and outdoor go-karting. "As well as the standard two nights of heavy drinking, there was the compulsory groom ridiculing in silly outfits - George paint balling in a mini-skirt and blonde wig was not an ideal camouflage!" says Becky.
The venues…
Becky had visited Rhinefield House Hotel on many occasions during her younger days. "I thought the building's exterior and interior, as well as the beautiful surrounding grounds, would be perfect for a dream wedding. As soon as George saw the venue, he also fell instantly in love with it."
The reception was also held at Rhinefield. "It seemed pointless to have the reception away from such a beautiful setting, and keeping all the guests in one place all day made it easier for all involved. It also kept the costs down, as the two main rooms were hired for the whole day, whether we used them or not," explains Becky.
The attendants…
Becky's five bridesmaids were her sisters Katie Holliday and Abigail White, and long-term friends Isabel Hopkins, Gemma Ainsworth and Maria Newbury. They each wore an ivory corset with a sage green sash, flower and a long sage green satin skirt. Becky also chose matching tiaras and necklaces by Linzi Jay. "I love them so much, I chose the same necklace for myself but in ivory." The bride also bought the bridesmaids green Swarovski crystal earrings, which she gave to them before the ceremony.
The ushers were George's two younger brothers Henry and Edward Thompson, and his long-term friend, Lieutenant Philip 'Bing' Chandler was the chief usher. George's best man was Lieutenant Alistair Thompson (not related), whom he had known since he joined the Royal Navy seven years ago. The best man and chief usher wore the same military uniform as the groom, while Henry and Edward, who were not in the military, wore a classic morning suit with an ivory waistcoat and sage green cravat.
The dress…
"I'd always thought I would wear a big fairytale wedding dress, but when I tried some on, I didn't get that 'wow' feeling." Then the shop assistant picked up this dress which Becky wanted to dismiss straight away. "I didn't feel it was for me, but when I tried it on, I was very surprised! I loved it and knew it was the one for me." It was a Forever Yours ivory lace and tulle fishtail-style dress covered in sequins and crystals. "I felt like a sparkly princess." Something new was her dress; something borrowed was a garter; something old was the hair extension in her hair, and something blue was the belly button bar she wore on the day.
The transport…
After the ceremony, the newlyweds were driven around the New Forest
in a four-door Beauford arranged as a surprise by the bride's mum.
The decorative touches…
From invitations and name places to table decorations - everything was accented with roses and the colours sage green and ivory. Each table centrepiece was made from a stack of three glass bowls of varying sizes standing on a round mirrored tile. Inside each bowl were floating ivory rose heads, and grass strands were tied around each bowl. Swarovski crystals were scattered around the bowl to reflect the light.
One of Becky's favourite things was the three-tier cake decorated with handmade white chocolate roses and filled with Belgian chocolate truffle. "It tasted delicious and went perfectly with the theme. After the main course, we cut the cake with George's Navy sword which was great fun and a military tradition," says Becky.
The best bits…
"Every part of the day was created by us and we had everything we had ever dreamt of - I wouldn't change a thing. From start to finish, I enjoyed every second and sharing it with our friends and family was very important. I think my mum's speech was a moment I will never forget. Her words truly meant the world to me," says Becky. For George, the best part of the day was seeing Becky walk through those doors towards him.
Top tips…
"I'm glad I spent money on a good photographer, because after the day has gone, the photos are all you are left with. I can truly say our wedding album is fantastic and worth every penny. Choose a photographer who knows your venue well because this will make your photos even better as they know where to get the best shots.
"I would also recommend a videographer if you can afford it, as it is amazing how much of the day you forget. Watching our wedding brought back so many emotions and memories of how we felt that day.
"Another person I feel you should have a great connection with is your florist. The moment I spoke to Natalie at Flowers by Design at the Highcliffe wedding fair, I felt she took on board exactly what I wanted and intuitively created it for me. My flowers were very important to me and the moment I saw them I was blown away. It was as if she had read my mind and created the image I had."
The honeymoon…
The newlyweds spent a week in Bermuda. "We both wanted to go somewhere hot and luxurious, and with a wedding in August, the Caribbean and other typical honeymoon destinations were out of season. With my job as a flight atttendant, I have been to many destinations around the world, and having only been to Bermuda once, it was somewhere I really wanted to see more of," explains Becky.
"Bermuda truly is an amazing island with beautiful beaches and some amazing resorts. It has something for everyone, and we loved lying on the beach and relaxing but also getting around the island and exploring on mopeds was a lot of fun. We definitely recommend it as a honeymoon destination."
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