Image © westlondonphotography : Syon Park Syon House Charlotte and Jason's wedding at Syon Park HOuse
Charlotte and Jason's Wedding phototographs at Syon Park Syon House London home of the Duke of Northumberland
When a friend introduced Charlotte to Jason, she was instantly smitten. And yet, their first date nearly didn't happen. 'Jason invited me to drive down to Brighton,'explains Charlotte,'but his car broke down. He's a real gentleman and was really upset to think I was disappointed'.
Their love soon blossomed and Jason planned a fabulous suprise. On holiday in Costa Rica, he popped the question in an amazing landscape, tropical gardens and steaming volcanoes, and produced a gorgeous ring which would stand in for the real engagement ring they would later choose together in Hatton Garden.
EAST MEETS WEST AT SYON PARK
Charlotte Ashby and Jason Ng exchanged vows and celebrated their marriage at Syon Park, one of London's prime wedding venues. Wedding photographs by West London Photography, Susan and Godfrey Johnson westlondonphotgraphy.com
'The first thing I did was to buy all the wedding magazines and google all the venues to find the perfect setting for our big day,' explains Charlotte. 'I was born and brought up in Northumberland and I looked north at first. But most of our friends live in London and we wanted a good party as well as a great ceremony. We found the ideal solution in Syon House, the London home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland.'
Charlotte's Wedding Dress
Once the venue was booked, Charlotte started the hunt for her bridal gown. 'I fell in love with Ian Stuart's wedding dresses. I wanted to feel really special and different. The wedding dress I chose is called Courchaval, and I really appreciated being able to make a few changes to the design. My dress is a one off. I love it'
Wedding Photography
'Make sure you book your wedding photographers once your wedding venue is confirmed' advises Charlotte. 'The best only photograph one wedding a day, and once the date is gone, you could well be disappointed. Susan and Godfrey are recommended suppliers at Syon House and when we saw their work in their studio, we could see why. We loved the relaxed, natural shots which showed the excitement and emotion of the day. And of course, we wanted photographs of ourselves, our family and guests in such splendid surroundings.
Susan was really calm and helpful as I was getting ready. There were all sorts of stresses and strains on the day. My main bridesmaid couldn't be with me as she'd hoped, and I needed all the support I could get. It was such a hot day too. At one point, Susan just sat me down, put away her camera and helped me to relax. That was what I needed.
We're delighted with the way Godfrey and Susan worked together, blending in with our guests and coming up with such amazing photographs. We can't wait to see our album'
Wedding Flowers
A lot of thought went into the choice of Charlotte's wedding flowers. 'Jason's great grandfather was a well known orchid collector in Hong Kong. I wanted to reflect an Oriental influence in my choice of flowers as well as the more traditional English arrangements. Green Cymbidium orchids were my accent flower, with a mix of hydrangeas and roses. The flowers said a lot about us'
Fantastic service from our wedding caterers
Philip from Party Ingredients was the recommended caterer at Syon Park. 'I can't recommend Party Ingredients highly enough,' says Charlotte. Philip was super organised on the day and took all the worries away. Everything ran on time, the food was superb and all our guests were delighted.'
A very Oriental surprise
Once Charlotte and Jason were officially man and wife, it was time to celebrate joyfully. Unbeknown to all their guests, they'd booked a troupe of Chinese Lion Dancers who were to lead the bridal party from the House to the Great Consertavory.
The couple let Susan and Godfrey into their secret and on the pretext of setting up a group shot, managed to get everybody together. 'It was fantastic to watch our guests' reactions to the loud drum and colourful dancers. Nobody expected anything quite so spectacular. We both felt so relieved that the ceremony was over and it was wonderful to hold hands, knowing we are now married.
Vincent and his dancers lead us along the Queen's Walk. It was a very special feeling and the Lion was so cute, dipping his paw into the pond and later offering us blessings. I'll never forget this moment'.
Evening in Syon Park's Great Conservatory
'It really is a spectacular place. When the sun shines through the domed roof, you feel you're in a glass cathedral. I came in feeling really joyful and that mood stayed with me the whole evening. It was one big celebration. Nick from Yes Events did a good job with the lighting and we chose a First Dance that was a little bit different: Candi Staton U got the love. A perfect start to our evening party'.
The honeymoon
Two weeks touring in Sri Lanka where theystayed in jungle lodges and were thrilled to spot wild elephants and a leopard. 'The people were so friendly and welcoming,' says Charlotte. That was followed by a week of pampering at the Hilton Rangali in the Maldives,a fabulous spa resort. Sheer bliss.