we set the date

Yesterday we booked our wedding reception for October next year at the
Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club.



I took these two pictures a few weeks back on a beautiful sunny day. The Yacht Club is situated right on the sea-front on the Plymouth Hoe. The Hoe is one of my favourite things about living here in Plymouth. I really wanted a venue on or around the Hoe for our reception, we will be getting married in the Plymouth Registry Office which is towards the top of the Hoe. I always loved the Grand Hotel right at the top of the Hoe, looking out to sea, but there was a fire there some years back and it was converted to apartments after the fire. There are other hotels around the Hoe but just not ‘right’.

I am so happy a friend suggested the Yacht Club to me a couple of months back, I can’t believe I wasn’t even aware it existed! I must have walked past it hundreds of times over the years, but it is tucked away down by the water. I looked at their website and it looked perfect, it then took me a couple of months to get around to calling them. I had the 1st of October in mind for the date, but they already had a booking on that date by the time I called this week, so I made an appointment to go and meet the wedding coordinator the next day after work. Karl and I both really loved the venue, their hire rates are very reasonable and the wedding coordinator is a lovely friendly enthusiastic crafty lady! We both warmed to her instantly. We booked the following Saturday – 8th October 2011.

It had to be October, our anniversary of being together is the 5th of October – I wanted our wedding day to be close to this. Next year is quite special too – we will have been together for 15 years next October! We actually talked about marriage when we were first together, then we bought a house.. had two kids.. and then for a long while neither of us had any interest in getting married. A couple of years back I started to think that maybe I would like to tie the knot (before I get too old!), I knew I would have to be the one to propose – Karl was quite happy as we were. It took me a while to pluck up the courage (silly – I know!) and then last year I had some rings made and decided I would ask Karl on his birthday. I did, and he accepted!

The Yacht club has the most amazing views out to sea, the main function room is quite traditional and neutral, perfect for decorating however we choose; with french windows opening out onto a balcony overlooking the sea, and it adjoins onto a dining area where our sushi buffet will be laid out. We have also hired an extra little room right on the corner with windows and sea views all around, this will be a children’s area, we will set up colouring and crafty stuff and the kids can escape up there to play! We plan on having a very relaxed informal reception, basically a big party with all our friends and family!

Our engagement rings were made by LivelyHood on Etsy to my specification, they have silver bands and a panel of copper-silver mokume-gane. The two panels on the rings are made to fit together. Mokume-gane is a Japanese technique of forging thin layers of different metals together to create a wood grain pattern. I love it!




Also from Etsy was the fabric I bought to make my wedding dress from. My dress will not be a traditional white wedding dress, it will be a Japanese inspired kimono-esque style. I found this beautiful pink maple chirimen vintage (unused) kimono silk from KimonoMomo, who had enough length of this amazing silk to make the style of dress I want. Are you detecting a theme here? Karl and I both love Japanese style and culture, and Japanese food. This is definitely the inspiration for our wedding ‘theme’. The dress fabric gives me a lovely colour palette to work with..



I won’t start planning ‘proper’ for a while yet.. got both kids’ birthday parties still to do this year.. but I am now officially excited! I am so happy we found the perfect venue to celebrate our special day!