Summer Wedding at Rowhill Grange
Yasmin and Myles married with us on a beautiful Summer’s day and generously shared the details of their wedding with us.
How long have you been together and how did you ‘pop the question’?
Myles said: We met online via Guardian Soulmates but I was based in Spain, so it was like a very long summer romance. In Winter 2018 I quit my job and relocated to London so we could develop our relationship. I proposed during Yasmin’s favourite song, Just like Heaven, at a music festival in Paris where the Cure were headlining in Summer 2019. It was a very romantic moment, if not the most romantic moment, we have shared..
How did you start planning your wedding? What were your first steps?
We were not too sure what sort of wedding we wanted. Whether to do something in the UK or abroad as we both liked the idea of doing something outdoors in the sunshine. We did look at destination weddings, but felt somewhere not too far from where we both lived would be a better option.
What kind of things did you take into consideration when choosing your wedding venue and what made you pick Rowhill Grange?
We wanted a beautifully landscaped garden and a focal point for an outdoor wedding. The Gazebo in the gardens was perfect. All we were concerned about was whether it would be sunny on the day. We needn’t have worried, as it ended up being the hottest day of the year!
When did you first visit the hotel?
The first time we visited Rowhill Grange was actually for a spa retreat for Myles’s birthday. We really loved the place.
How long did you take between becoming engaged and tying the knot?
We were engaged in August 2019 and planned to marry the following summer in 2020, but of course that was a very different year. So, we spoke to the team at Rowhill Grange who were brilliant, and moved the date forward to July 2021.
What was your colour scheme / theme? Where did you find the inspiration for your wedding day?
Our colour scheme was ivory, navy, orchid and gold. We wanted to blend our cultures for a beautiful and unique interfaith celebration, taking elements from both.
What cultures, traditions, quirks or unusual ideas did you incorporate into your day Yasmin?
Myles wanted to see me in a wedding dress on our wedding day. I found a stunning ivory wedding dress, heavily embroidered with crystals and pearls, by Maggie Sottero, which I felt also reflected my heritage.
Blending two cultures, Bangladeshi & Irish in one ceremony was unprecedented in our families so it was completely our own vision of what a wedding celebration should be. We exchanged colourful garlands of flowers as we do in a Bangladeshi ceremony. We had a harpist who played ‘Just like heaven’ as I walked down the aisle to meet Myles, which was really emotional. We had passages from both the Quran and Bible and my daughter Amber read a poem called ‘To love is not to possess’ by James Kavanaugh, a poet of Irish heritage. We also had a beautiful tuk tuk photobooth in the gardens as well.
How did you find the perfect dress?
Yasmin says: I went to lots of boutiques with my children which was a lot of fun. I wanted a dress that reflected both cultures. They were very excited to be involved and so happy that I had met someone that made me so happy. Myles and I actually came to a wedding fair at Rowhill Grange and Victoria’s Bridal Boutique had a selection of dresses there. Later I went to their store, which is close to where I live, and found my perfect Maggie Sottero dress.
Tell us about the groom’s attire and the bridesmaids’ dresses?
South Asian weddings are very colourful, so to make sure our wedding was a balance, we made sure there were pops of colour. We searched far and wide to find orchid-purple bridesmaid dresses. Everywhere we went only had pastel-coloured dresses and we wanted a much stronger colour to complement the skin tone of my daughters who were going to be my bridesmaids. There was one Italian designer that had these in the perfect colour and we ordered matching scarves so that the dresses looked a bit more South Asian. The groom and my son wore suits in navy with pops of orchid purple in their ties and handkerchiefs.
What menu did you choose?
Rowhill Grange really went the extra mile in accommodating us. We needed a bespoke menu so that all our guests had a great time. We had chocolate-dipped strawberries, mocktails for all the Muslim guests and champagne toasts for everyone else on the lawn. We had a blend of both Bangladeshi food and Myles’s favourite, a roast dinner. So we had lots on the menu from chicken tikka, naan bread, chickpea chaat, peas and paneer with rice and tarka dhal to roast lamb with all the trimmings. Champagne and sparkling Belvoir elderflower and rosé were served to our guests.
What was your favourite moment of the day?
Our favourite part of the day was the ceremony as it was perfect.
What was your first dance?
As the wedding was literally on the last Saturday of covid restrictions, we ended our wedding day Bangladeshi style with tea, wedding cake, and drinks on the lawns.
Any top tips that you’d like to share for future Rowhill Grange couples?
Don’t be afraid to go with your own feelings about the day. It doesn’t have to be the same as everyone else’s. We had so many compliments about our wedding as it was unique and different as an interfaith ceremony. Blending two cultures in one ceremony was unprecedented in our families so it was completely our own vision of what a wedding celebration should be.
Looking back, is there anything you’d do differently?
It really was a perfect day. Even the little mishaps added humour and fun. The only minor detail would be to have had more sun umbrellas/parasols for guests who are sat down for the ceremony. We were so fortunate to even have this to consider.
Suppliers that Myles and Yasmin used to bring their vision to life:
Harpist – Miriam Wilford
Bride’s Hair – Jessica Louise Hair Stylist
Wedding Cake – T’s Cakes
Wedding Dress – Victoria’s Bridal Boutique
Floristry – Yasmin Khan
Venue Dressing – the Bride’s family
Top Table dressing and lighting – Chic Weddings
Photography – NCB Photographic
Thank you for sharing the details of your beautifully bright wedding day with us. We look forward to welcoming you both back to Rowhill Grange in the coming years.