All that matters.. a Wetherby wedding

Luke and Louise didn’t have the big wedding they’d planned, but they did have the most special guest

Luke Barker and Louise Puchalka

Where: St Peter’s Church, Rawdon

Photographer Cris Matthews

We wanted our wedding to be big and fun and to involve everyone we loved. We chose Wood Hall Hotel and Spa in Wetherby specifically because we could fill it exclusively with all our friends. I used to work at Anita Massarella Design Couture and knew I wanted her to design and make my dream dress – a fitted, fishtail gown in duchess satin, with a long train. And, as I’m a bridal accessories designer, I wanted to create all the accessories and headwear for my bridal party.

However, my dad, Stef, had been suffering from cancer for six years and as his condition worsened we decided to bring the wedding forward. Invitations were quickly sent out, rooms were booked and flowers were organised.

But at the end of January, dad was admitted to hospital and, overnight my priorities changed. We cancelled our wedding at Wood Hall and I contacted St Peter’s Church in Rawdon. The next available date was four days away. My original dress would have been too ostentatious for our new, more understated wedding, so I frantically scoured Yorkshire and Manchester and chose a simple, pleated, knee-length BCBGMAXAZRIA dress and classic white coat from Harvey Nichols. My dress got lost in the post. It arrived as I was having my nails done the day before, but heavy snow had fallen that morning and half way into Leeds my car got stuck. After a frantic call to my best friend Lisa Cater, she managed to pick up my dress and delivered it to me on foot, after trudging through the snow.

On the morning of my wedding, I had my hair done and then did my own make-up. I tried my dress on for the first time with fingers crossed it would fit. My auntie and uncle, Kay and Alan Scott, chauffeured mum and dad with all his medical equipment, to the church. A wedding car drove me, my sister, Sally Barker and Lisa.

The wedding rings arrived 20 minutes before the service and we forgot to take the buttonholes to the men, but a friend, Daisy Morgan, was on hand to run around thecorner to the church to drop them off.

There were nine of us in total – our parents, sister and brother, and a couple of our best friends, who acted as witnesses. Other friends and family waited outside the church to throw confetti afterwards.

It wasn’t the big wedding we’d envisaged; we didn’t have an after party, or drink until the early hours, but my dad walked me down the aisle, and it could never have been my dream wedding without him.

WHO DID WHAT

Photography: Cris Matthews, www.crismatthews.com

Dress: Harvey Nichols, Leeds, 0113 204 8888, www.harveynichols.com

Accessories: Lou Lou Puchalka Accessory and Millinery Boutique, (bride), Leeds, 0113 242 2453, www.louloupuchalka.com

Hair & Make-up: Adele, Mousie Browns, Horsforth, 0113 258 4692

Groom’s outfit: Slaters, www.slaters.co.uk

Flowers: Jill Springall, Leeds, 0113 284 3070,

Cake: Janet Cater, friend

Transport: BB Wedding Car Hire, Leeds, 0113 289 7884, www.bbweddingcarhire.co.uk

Rings: McSorley’s Wedding Ring Shop, Pudsey, 0113 239 3131, www.theweddingring-shop.co.uk