When The Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown married tree surgeon Liam Macaulay, every ingredient imaginable went into making it the most magical of days. For her big day, Candice chose a strapless duchess satin gown by Monique Lhuillier from Browns Brides - the ceremony itself took place on 22 September 2018 at Château de Varennes in Burgundy. "There was no way I was going conservative on my wedding day," Candice exclusively told HELLO! of how she teamed the dress with a tartan Vivienne Westwood bag, her trademark scarlet lipstick and bright red jewelled shoes by Alexander McQueen.
Speaking about their dream venue, a luxury estate set amid the vineyards of Beaune in Burgundy, the bride revealed: "We booked it without even going over to see it. It looked so incredible and I remember thinking: 'Even if it's not quite what we're expecting, it's nothing a few fairy lights and candles can't put right.'" When they did visit, two months before their ceremony, they knew there was no need to worry. "When we drew up, it was – wow, it was beautiful," Candice said.
Candice and Liam tied the knot in Burgundy
The ceremony, witnessed by more than 100 family and friends, took place on the lawns, in the shadow of magnificent horse chestnut trees. "We always said we wanted to have our wedding outdoors and, because of Liam’s job, it seemed special to us to be surrounded by trees," shared the 33-year-old. "Walking with my dad from the main house down the pathway and across the grass to where Liam was waiting under the trees was magical. I needed those few minutes with my dad – he's my hero. I was squeezing so hard on to his arm." She added: "He's been waiting for this day since I was born, bless him, and as I walked towards Liam, looking so completely handsome, it was all I needed; just him there waiting for me."
MORE: First look at Candice Brown's wedding
Candice first met Liam in the bar where he was working while studying for a degree in arboriculture. He proposed in 2017, a year after almost 16 million people watched Candice crowned the winner on The Great British Bake Off, which he had encouraged her to enter. "He had to eat pavlova for breakfast and dinner when I was practising recipes," she said. But for Liam, nothing was as sweet as the moment he saw his beautiful wife-to-be walking towards him in her strapless duchess satin gown. "There was no way I was going conservative on my wedding day," Candice teased.
Candice and her GBB co-stars
Scottish-born Liam's attire was no less distinctive. The 32-year-old sported a bespoke Siobhan Mackenzie kilt in his family's tartan. As a surprise, his bride arranged for her family and groomsmen – including her Dancing on Ice professional skater partner Matt Evers – to wear kilts too, while bagpipers played Flower of Scotland as she walked up the aisle. "No one knew about it," she confessed. "Liam thought it was a recording at first, then he turned around and saw them. He said he couldn’t look any more as he was struggling to hold it together."
Liam added: "The moment I saw Candice with her dad and the pipers playing will stay in my mind forever. I was struggling anyway and then that just exploded. Candice completely took my breath away." Of course, the wedding breakfast was always going to be special for a bride who has said: "My whole life revolves around food. Even at breakfast, I’ll be thinking about what I’ll eat later that day."
READ: Candice Brown reveals which celebrity inspired her wedding dress
Before sitting down to enjoy seafood broth with prawns, monkfish, scallops and potatoes, then marinated bavette with pommes frites, green beans and béarnaise sauce, followed by a dessert of apple tarte fine with fresh raspberries and raspberry sorbet, guests feasted on French delights. "We decided against normal canapés and instead we went for bread, pastries and cheese – so no teeny tiny little mouthfuls," said Candice. "This was: ‘Rip yourself off a chunk of French bread and dip it in the Camembert.'"
Candice and Liam's special day
To add to the celebration, the feasting later included sliders, a variety of crêpes and a Sticky Chocolate artisan fudge station. “We wanted everyone to be well fed and enjoy the day,” Candice shared. "We wanted our wedding to be special for everyone." Naturally the centrepiece was the couple’s wedding cake – or rather, the couple’s 12 wedding cakes, all made with love by the Bake Off class of 2016, who are now among Candice’s closest friends. "There will never be another wedding-cake table like that – there was enough to feed about 300 people," Candice revealed.
The newlyweds' first dance was to Coldplay’s Green Eyes, a song with a special meaning for them. "Early in our relationship, Liam said: ‘Listen to the words. It’s how I feel about you,'" said Candice, adding with a smile: "And my eyes are quite green." For now, the couple have had to put their honeymoon on hold as the next few months will be a busy time for both. October sees Candice leaving the home they share in Bedfordshire and heading to Sweden, before flying to Australia in November, where she will be appearing at cake bakes and food shows, sharing her culinary know-how. But her greatest secret recipe is the one to their happy life together. "We have always said we work better together than we do apart," she explained. "Being able to say we are now husband and wife is such a lovely thing. We make each other happy and we always remember that even if there is no one else, there’ll always be the two of us."
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