Richard and Anita tied the knot at Goodwood House this August. Speaking to Richard after the big day, we managed to get a grooms-eye-view of the happy couple’s “simply magical day”.
SEP 20th 2018
Richard and Anita
Richard says: “Our day was quite simply the most magical, spectacular and memorable day we could have ever dreamed of, never mind asked for, or even planned. Everything was outstanding – the venue, staff, food and organisation was just superb!
Aside from actually getting married, Richard also told us of the many other special highlights from the day.
“Being allowed up to the main balcony of the House for Anita to throw her bouquet was an experience we’ll both remember for years to come. What a special treat to be up there anyway, let alone for such a prominent part of the day! Another highlight has, without a doubt, got to be the wedding breakfast. How the kitchen team are able to produce so much food with so many perfectly matched flavours, to such a high degree of precision is simply mind-blowing. Bravo!
It was also fantastic to lean on Goodwood’s motoring heritage and bring a car-related theme to the turning circle. Us, and a few friends, displayed our weekend cars in front of Goodwood House, adding an extra layer of interest for our guests and some fantastic photo opportunities."
One highlight which must be mentioned is Goodwood’s generosity in lending us a “Woody” golf buggy to move around the grounds for photos. It really added to our day and created special moments, both privately for us but also as captured by our photographer.”
The start-to-finish process for planning a wedding is exciting, but can be somewhat overwhelming. Richard and Anita were delighted with the support from our Wedding Planners.
“In terms of the staff and the process, it could not have been better and we couldn’t have expected more. Hannah and her team followed through on every promise they made: from the very first contact almost 2 years ago, to the very last phone call once we had returned from our mini-moon. The service we received from day one was absolutely second to none and as for the wedding day itself, well neither of us can find the words to thank Goodwood enough. It was nothing short of perfect."
Goodwood House, exclusively yours for your wedding day, provides the perfect backdrop to the most important day of your life. Richard continued:
“To encapsulate the romance, charm and magnificence of such an incredible venue and the magic that it brings to an equally special celebration in one paragraph is no easy task. All we can say is that everybody should do it - it’s an indulgence and privilege you’ll never forget!”
For Richard and Anita, the Goodwood Estate holds a great deal of memories and value. “It has always been very close to our hearts so to be married in its pinnacle, Goodwood House, just made perfect sense,” said the groom.
“From a young age, my Dad would take me to Goodwood Motor Circuit to watch the cars, almost every Saturday afternoon. As Goodwood has evolved, I feel like I’ve evolved with it. When I met Anita, one of our first dates was at the Revival and we’ve returned to almost every year.”
And finally, to ensure that their day was extra special, Richard and Anita pulled out all the stops for their first dance.
“I’m a terrible dancer, I always have been,” explained Richard. “But as much as I hated the thought of having to do a dance on parade in front of 80 people, I knew I couldn’t let my new wife to be down. In the run up to the wedding, we brought in some expert help who, in just a few weeks, taught us a full routine with special steps, twists, turns, swirls, dips and lifts! It was fantastic to actually have something planned, rather than just tragically swaying around. The photos tell the tale with aplomb and the Ballroom certainly added to the special feeling of dancing with my new wife in such a magnificent room.”
Photography – Matthew Doyle
Cake – Marilyn Page
Florist – Sophie Doe
Hair – Halo Hairdressers
Make Up – Viktoria Webster
Evening DJ – Ian David
Pianist - Elliott Herrington