Effortless elegance

It was a day of pure romance and style as Sharon and Huw celebrated their big day in the heart of Cowbridge. Photos by Kate Barnard Photography

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Early days…

Sharon and Huw had been friends for a few years before they finally got together. After four-and-a-half years as a couple, Huw proposed during a long weekend in Dubai. "The last night of our stay was Huw's birthday, so we spent the evening watching the sunset over the desert on the open-air terrace bar, with a few cocktails," says Sharon. "That whole evening he had been acting very strangely - and I told him so! After a lovely meal in the bar we went back to our bedroom. I fell asleep straight away but Huw woke me up, holding several cards on which he had written some lovely, thoughtful messages, with the last one saying: 'For all these reasons...will you marry me?' I was still half asleep and so overwhelmed I almost forgot to say 'yes'!"

The venues…

The couple chose The Bear Hotel in the market town of Cowbridge as the venue for their big day. "We love Cowbridge," says Sharon, "and lots of people we knew spoke very highly of The Bear Hotel. The atmosphere there is so relaxed and friendly - it really lived up to our expectations."
Being an art teacher, Sharon decided to send out invites with a special task attached to them: "Huw and I set our guests some homework - to draw a self-potrait," she laughs. "We had some very hilarious reponses and decided to use them inside our place cards on the day. We made the whole thing into a competition, and announced the winners after the speeches - with their portraits printed on t-shirts as the prizes!"

The attendants…

Sharon and Huw kept the wedding party small, with Sharon's sister Tracey as a bridesmaid and Huw's brother Joel as the best man. Tracey looked stunning in a deep purple gown from Absolutely Fabulous Bridal in Llandaf North, while the groomsmen complemented the colour scheme in dark grey suits with purple cravats and ivory waistcoats, bought from Dyfed Menswear in Cardiff.

The dress…

Sharon chose to wear this stunning white Maggie Sottero gown from Allison Jayne Bridal in Cardiff. It had a fitted, pleated bodice, and a full A-line skirt made from dupion silk, accented with lace applique.
Sharon accessorised with a pair of silver caged silk peep-toes from Dune. They were embellished with pretty diamantes for extra glam. She also wore a beautiful pearl and crystal hairpiece as a striking alternative to a tiara, bought from Absolutely Fabulous Bridal in Llandaf North. She completed her look with a pearl necklace and earrings.

The flowers…

The couple kept their look simple, and opted for a stylish purple, cream and green colour scheme which was reflected in everything from the flowers to the finer details, like the stationery.
"The flowers were gorgeous," says Sharon. "I chose a quite loose, country-style bouquet made up of salvia, eucolyptus, roses, echinops and bear grass in shades of purple, blue and cream."

The decorative touches…

Sharon and Huw's pretty stationery was handmade by one of Sharon's close friends, who is also an art teacher. "They were beautiful," adds Sharon, "both Huw and I were really pleased with them."
The couple also had a helping hand with their wedding cake, which was made by a friend of the family. It was a simple but striking white iced design, decorated with purple ribbon and fresh flowers to match the bouquets.

The best bits…

"There were so many brilliant parts of the day," says Sharon. "The ceremony itself was really emotional, and I also loved sitting back to watch our friends and family enjoying the celebrations."
"I was surprisingly calm on the morning of the wedding," adds Huw, "but as soon as I saw Sharon walk down the aisle, a huge wave of emotion just came over me. She looked beautiful in her dress. It's definitely a moment that will stay with me forever."

The honeymoon…

After the big day, Sharon and Huw jetted off to Thailand where they spent two weeks visiting Bangkok, Krabi and an area just outside of Phuket. "The hotels we stayed in were amazing and the whole holiday was very relaxing and romantic."
One of the resorts the couple stayed at was the Anantara
www.phuket.anantara.com which has bautiful views of the nearby beaches. The newlyweds spent time sightseeing, shopping and trying the local delicacies. Bliss!

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