Planning a wedding is one of the most fun things to do, and choosing the little personal details is one of the highlights. Doing it together too, is even more enjoyable – just ask Simon Webbe and his new wife Ayshen, who were both heavily involved in planning their recent wedding, which was covered exclusively in HELLO!.
“Lots of grooms are like, ‘Just say yes’, but I love all the little details,” says Simon. “Most people say it’s the bride’s day. But I believe it’s my day too! Ayshen’s got a vision and I just wanted to make sure I did my part to make it all happen.” Ayshen commented: “We’re a good team. I’m a lot more organised. But Simon has worked so hard to make this wedding come alive." The Blue star added: "Every man wants a woman to help him thrive. You can only go so far yourself. But with a real woman behind you, you can do anything." We’ve got all the decoration details from Simon and Ayshen’s wedding to help inspire yours…
REVEALED: The very special role Blue played in Simon Webbe's wedding
The personal touch
Guests love nothing more than super personal touches at a wedding, and Simon and Ayshen invited their guests to get to know their love story with a beautiful storyboard etched mirror from Neon & Blush. The chic mirror chronicled their relationship, from when they first met to Simon’s proposal.
The flowers
The beautiful Royal Penthouse suite at Corinthia Hotel London provided the perfect backdrop for the official wedding pictures. Prior to that, though, the ceremony itself took place in the hotel’s Courtroom, where plinths topped with vases of simple white hydrangeas and lilies framed the curved aisle beautifully. The simple white theme was carried through to the bride’s bouquet too, a classic posy of white roses, all created by a family member. Of the flowers, Ayshen said: “I said to her I wanted to keep it quite classic - whites, creams. I’ve left it to her to do it all. She’s showed my pictures and I’ve said yes. I’m going to have a simple bouquet of white flowers. We’re keeping the table pieces all white and fresh, too.”
The cake
The best way to tie a wedding theme together is to carry it through from flowers to cake, which is exactly what Simon and Ayshen did. Their four-tier confection was an elegant, sleek affair with white rose petals scattered down it. “It’s a beautiful cake,” said Ayshen. “And we’re all about flowers. Simon buys me flowers once a month – that’s our tradition. I love flowers."
The reception
What to name your tables? Simon and Ayshen gave theirs a talking point for guests, as they were named after memorable places to the couple. Table names included Jamaica, where Simon proposed last year, and Kings Oak, where they had their first date in August 2015.
Each table was decorated with Pomegranate Rouge Candles from Sandy Bay London and stunning centrepieces of foliage and white hydrangeas.
EXCLUSIVE: Blue's Simon Webbe marries Ayshen Kemal in lavish ceremony
The food
Simon and Ayshen’s wedding breakfast menu reads like a dream. For the main course, there were two options: roast rump of lamb with minty crushed peas, baby vegetables, aubergine fondue and Madeira jus, while vegan or vegetarian guests dined on roasted vegetable pithivier, Thai asparagus and carrot sauce. Puddings were split into two camps – one for the male guests and one for the ladies.
Ladies were served chocolate sponge, Abinao 85% chocolate whipped ganache and raspberry sorbet, while the gents enjoyed vanilla crème brulee, Tonka bean crumble and cherry sorbet. Another great tip is to not forget those guests with dietary requirements, not just for main but dessert too – Simon and Ayshen had theirs covered with a strawberry, tomato and ginger salad served with Mara des Bois sorbet. A final course of tea, coffee, Turkish delights – a nod to the bride’s Turkish heritage - and petit fours finished off the meal in style.
All the details from Simon and Ayshen's wedding
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