Welcome to 'Love Stories Unfolded'—a heartwarming collection of real wedding stories where Finn & Wild couples share their stationery journeys. In today's episode I am featuring Victoria and Matthew, who got married at Gretna Green!
1. How did you two meet and could you share a favourite memory or a moment from your wedding?
Matthew and I met in 2014 as we were both part of the running club 'Flyers Southend'. I actually met his mum first and we became friends. I joined the running club as I had a place in the London Marathon for 2015. Matthew also had a place and volunteered to keep me company on the run. In 2016, we both found ourselves newly single, and on the organised runs and pub club afterwards we saw each other more and more, and we went on our first date, to O'Picados in September 2016.
Matthew proposed at the top of Scafell Pike in the Lake District in August 2020. We wanted to marry soon, in our mid to late 30s we were not loves young dream, and were anxious about all the COVID restrictions, so we chose to elope to Gretna Green in October 2021 and then have a massive party when the world was a bit more 'normal'.
The best thing about our actual wedding was that it was just us, my step son Harry, and our dog Rafa. We ate out a (now michelin star!) pub- the four of us. We had rain (it's meant to be lucky!) and a rainbow, which was beautiful. There was no worrying about if everyone was OK, fed, having fun etc. The best thing about our party in February 2022 was that it was the first 'event' many people attended coming out of lockdown. The bar was drunk dry, and so much fun was had. Our food was all our favourites, the music was all our favourites and it was the biggest and best party i have ever been to!
2. What inspired your choice of stationery?
The only stationery that we required was something that would explain we were eloping, but that we wanted to celebrate with a party too afterwards. Working with Finn and Wild, we came up with a quirky poem that explained that we were doing things a little differently.
3. Where there any special elements or details in your stationery that held particular significance for you?
Yes, absolutely! I knew that because we were eloping, I would need dried flowers that were easy to transport all the way up to Scotland. I found some inspiration from Pinterest and discussed these with Finn and Wild. We chose a thistle to represent marrying in Scotland, the pine cone to represent our love of the forest, and a peacock feather (the boys button hole was a peacock feather, and my flowers contained peahen feathers). Finn and Wild gave us a choice of envelopes that fitted the theme- we could not decide between the blue and the lilac, so we went for half and half!
Florist: Out of the Earth
4. Describe your experience working with Finn & Wild. How did Topaz help bring your vision to life?
My vision was something very simple (Matthew and I love simple!) that would share what we needed in a timely manner. I really left it up to Finn and Wild to design beyond the spec; thistles, pine cones and peacock feathers. What Topaz produced was stunning! The invite was beyond what I had hoped. The quality was outstanding, and we have kept one back to frame!
5. How did your guests react to your wedding stationery?
We received really positive feedback on our invite- in fact more than one guest said that it was the most beautiful invite they had every received and that the poem brought a tear to their eyes! We were also really supported in our decision to marry alone, which was lovely! We were asked by several guests where we had them made so hopefully they generated more business for Topaz!
6. What advice would you give to other couples current planning their weddings?
Weddings have the potential to become an absolute monster (and I am not just talking about costs). My advise would be to not lose sight of what you are getting married for. It is to celebrate YOUR love so your wedding must be absolutely about pleasing you, not family and friends! Two years on from our wedding, I still look back and am so pleased with how we did it- we don't regret a thing. From our invite, and our party, the feedback we got was how lovely everything was so personalised, so US- the flowers, the food, the cake, the table names at the party- it all represented us as a family and made for 2 very happy days!
Thank you for reading the next installment in the Love Series Unfolded series, if we have worked together on your stationery and you would like to get involved please send me an email to finnandwild@outlook.com. I'd love to share your story!