A Music-Filled Marquee Wedding at Oldwalls, Swansea with a Ronald Joyce Dress

Kate and Oliver began their big day with a chilled-out village church ceremony and ended with a memorable, fun and firework-filled wedding reception

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Emily Deane

17 June, 2020

If classic and elegant is the wedding vibe you’re dreaming of achieving, then you’ve come to the right place for wed-spiration. Kate and Oliver filled their day with stunning white flowers and candles, making this once-in-a-lifetime occasion totally timeless.

Kate and Oliver met at their local pub and quickly got together. “We met at a charity night in a local bar. A friend of mine had passed away and every year we do a charity night in the local pub with speakers and music. Oliver’s friends played in the band that was performing on the night and he caught my eye. The rest is history!”

A band was also playing the night Oliver proposed, although this particular group were performing at a (slightly!) larger venue. “It took me by complete surprise! We went to watch a Coldplay concert in The Millennium Stadium and in front of thousands of people, Oliver proposed. I really didn’t expect it. The stadium was cheering, it was a magical moment.”

They hosted their big day in the gorgeous chic marquee at Oldwalls near Swansea, with a visit to the stone’s-throw-away beach for some epic wedding photos!

Photographer: Nick Murray

The Wedding Dress

Kate was taken by surprise when she tried on dresses and realised that ‘The One’ was not at all what she’d originally had in mind. “I wore a ballgown dress by Ronald Joyce, called Helena. I felt amazing in it. I didn’t think I’d go for a big dress, I always had a specific vision in mind. When I tried it on, I felt like this was the one. This was THE dress. The dress was backless and it had a high up mesh top. I felt like a real million-dollar princess!”

Kate accessorised the embellished gown with jewel-encrusted shoes, a simple hair vine and a full-length veil. When it came to hair and makeup, Kate chose a soft and romantic updo, with loose curls, and glowy skin with high-impact eyes.

The Wedding Party

Kate chose childhood friends Angharad, Katie, Rebecca and Louise to be her bridesmaids, along with Oliver’s niece Katie and gorgeous flower girl Chloe. All wore grey/green dresses, apart from little Chloe who wore a white tulle dress with a sash to match the older bridesmaids.

The men’s suits were from Crush Men’s Outfitters and were based around a classic English theme. “For the suits, we went for an ‘Ascot’ theme with pinstriped trousers, waistcoats, tails and shiny shoes. The guys looked so handsome!”

The Wedding Ceremony

Kate and Oliver tied the knot in a religious ceremony at St Rhidian and St Illtyd Church in Llanrhidian, Gower.

“It was only a five-minute drive from Oldwalls, and Father Tim was amazing. He played the flute as everyone arrived and was even wearing flip flops! The ceremony was so serene.

“My father walked me down the aisle while the Taliesin String Quartet played At Last by Etta James. I wore a veil and that moment of my dad lifting my veil and giving me away to Oliver was just so special and a moment I will treasure forever.

“We then had Coldplay’s Viva La Vida playing while we walked up the aisle as husband and wife.”

The Wedding Reception

The bride and groom chose the stunning Oldwalls, Gower as their wedding reception venue. The exclusivity as well as the idyllic location made this popular venue Kate and Oliver’s ideal setting.

“We’d been to see a handful of other venues but none of them were exclusive and none lived up to the reputation that Oldwalls has. It truly is a unique place.

“The setting was just incredible. With exceptional service and breathtaking views, the whole venue was just so peaceful and beautiful – and don’t get us started on the food!”

The couple treated their guests to a Gower garden soup and baked goats cheese tart starter, followed by roast sirloin of beef and truffle scented mash. For dessert the team at Oldwalls served up white chocolate cheesecake and deconstructed lemon meringue pie.

The Wedding Flowers and Cake

Vintage cream roses and plenty of foliage gave Kate and Oliver’s reception the elegant and sophisticated feel they wanted, and the simple, white wedding cake complemented the blooms perfectly.

“We had a three-tier cake from Bella’s Cakes. The top tier was red velvet, the middle tier was salted caramel and the bottom was Victoria sponge. It was gorgeous.

“We froze our cake as we were going on honeymoon to South Africa a few days later and when we got back a week later the cake still tasted amazing! It was so moist, you would never have known.”

The Décor and Special Touches

Kate and Oliver filled their venue with candles and flowers, ensuring an atmospheric and romantic feel. The couple also utilised a sweetie display in matching, muted hues. A mirrored table plan completed the sophisticated vibe.

When it came to the favours, Kate and Oliver treated their guests to yet more tasty treats.

“We chose personalised M&Ms! We went to New York for Christmas and we saw them in store. We had the date of the wedding and ‘just married’ printed on the chocolate and chose pink, grey and cream for the colours. It was something different and the guests loved it!”

The Entertainment

Unsurprisingly for this music-loving couple, Kate and Oliver chose live music for the day and evening. “During the drinks on arrival we had the Taliesin String Quartet. In the evening we had a band called iRock. We also provided guests with a flip flop box so there was no excuse not to dance the night away!”

The couple gave the traditional slow dance a miss and instead took to the floor for their first dance to Maroon 5’s Sugar.

After months of planning, Kate and Oliver’s day went by in a flash and so it’s no surprise that Kate’s advice to future couples is to take time to appreciate the day. “Make sure you take it all in as it goes so quick. We realised we hadn’t even spoke to our parents most of the day! Just enjoy it and live in the moment.”

Their night ended with a spectacular fireworks display which all their guests loved!