From Russia with Love: The wedding of Arseny and Natalia Vlasov

The wedding of Arseny and Natalia Vlasov at the Four Seasons Hotel, Hampshire

Photography: Stuart Wood

More than 100 guests came from all over the world, Russia, Ukraine, US, South Africa, India and Germany, for our wedding day at the Four Seasons. The day was incredibly beautiful, elegant and glamorous throughout. It had rained non stop all morning, but just as the ceremony was due to begin it stopped. The guests were gathered in the beautifully decorated hallway and the string quartet started playing ‘She’ by Elvis Costello. Just as I appeared with my father ready to walk down the aisle, the sun made its appearance.

The day was a lot of fun, filled with emotional speeches from family and friends and performances by a Russian singer, musicians and English band. The guests were entertained by a Russian host accompanied by a saxophone player and pianist. The ballroom was constantly filled with laughter especially when guests were shown a movie about us and our family and friends, based on famous Russian movies as well as a sentimental small clip Arsney had designed about our childhoods.

Our first dance was a huge surprise. Suddenly the classic music came to a stop as if it had broken down, ‘Begging, begging you’ started playing and we went into a funny, fast, sexy dance. The crowd went crazy!

At 7pm we went for a break outside to find a field by the terrace covered with thousands of candles, an absolutely breathtaking ‘Field of Flames’. None of our guests had seen anything like this before and couldn’t stop taking pictures.

The perfect ending to a perfect day was an absolutely magnificent fireworks display which started to the Take That song, ‘Rule the World’. Just as it was ending Russian music suddenly began and the fireworks became even grander. The guests are still talking about it!

We and our families loved our big day and can’t thank the staff enough for their help. Just one example of their outstanding service was creating, and building, an elegant marquee on the terrace where we planned our reception and cake cutting because, although the forecast was for dry weather, the day started with heavy rain.

THE DETAILS

Photography: Stuart Wood, stuartwoodweddings.com

Venue: Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, 01252 853000, fourseasons.com/hampshire

Dress: Caroline Castigliano, carolinecastigliano.co.uk

Groom: Pal Zileri, palzileri.com

Stationery: Four Seasons Hotel, Hampshire, 01252 853000, fourseasons.com/hampshire

Catering: Four Seasons Hotel, Hampshire, 01252 853000, fourseasons.com/hampshire

Cake: Choccywoccydoodah, choccywoccydoodah.com

Flowers: Russell New, Four Seasons Hotel, Hampshire,01252 853000,fourseasons.com/hampshire

Entertainment: Corelli String Quartet and Carte Blanche band – provided by sternbergclarke.co.uk

To see more of Arseny and Natalia’s wedding images see our online gallery or the 2013 issue of Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire BRIDE