Kimmy and Doug met at The Old Vic Theatre five years ago. Doug proposed to Kimmy whilst on holiday in sunny Portugal, and they got married this summer in a riverside ceremony, with Kimmy wearing her mum’s dress. They then used Patchwork to ask guests to fund an amazing Californian roadtrip honeymoon! We asked them all about it.
Where did you get married?
By the river in Shotley, Suffolk. It is absolutely beautiful there and we spend lots of time going for walks in the area as Doug’s Mum’s cottage is next to the farm where we got married.
We both work in theatre so wanted a fun theatrical day and although we were on a bit of a shoestring, we luckily have lots of creative and handy friends and family, who helped us put together our hand made wedding (including folding, threading and hanging our 1000 paper cranes).
What kind of wedding did you plan?
We are both quite relaxed and didn’t want anything too formal, although Kimmy’s obsession with the 1920s meant there was a vintage feel to the day. Kimmy’s Mum had collected vintage champagne coupes and cups and saucers from charity shops, which looked gorgeous on the day.
We had a humanist ceremony (having got legally married a couple of days before at Southwark Registry office). Music plays a huge role in both our lives so we wanted to include it where we could.
Lovely. What music did you choose?
Kimmy walked down the aisle to Doug’s friend Sam singing and playing Higher Love by Steve Winwood. The whole congregation sang The Beatles 8 days a week and Bob Marley’s 3 Little Birds, together, and Doug’s Mum sang The Very Thought of You, accompanied by his Dad and brother. Everyone was in tears.
Why did you choose Patchwork for your gift list?
We have lived together for a few years so didn’t feel we needed anything – and after the wedding, didn’t have the funds to go on a honeymoon. The patchwork was perfect as our friends and family were able to give us things that they really wanted us to experience – rather than just giving us money towards our honeymoon.
What did you want to fund and why?
We have wanted to explore more of California and Oregon for a while – Doug particularly was desperate to see Yosemite, so we thought a Californian road trip made perfect sense!
It was really fun to put together and we can’t believe how generous people were. We’ve been told that they really enjoyed looking through the patchwork and finding the right gift.
What was your favourite thing about using Patchwork?
Well, our flights were a gift from Kimmy’s brother and sister-in-law, so from the moment we arrived at the airport, everything was in some way connected with our family and friends. It felt incredible to not only have the holiday of a lifetime together, but also to share it with our favourite people as they had helped make it happen! From the baseball game on our first day in San Francisco to the bottle of Champagne we had on the beach in Southern Oregon, watching the sunset – everything we did, we were able to do because of the generosity of our family and friends.
Our friends loved being part of the whole adventure. Many had recommendations of where they’d been/what they’d done – so that influenced what they gave us from the Patchwork. Several people remarked on what a lovely wedding list idea it is. We have since recommended it to a few people – including Doug’s sister and her husband, who got married a couple of months after us.
And finally if/why you’d recommend your trip to other honeymooners?
A west coast USA road trip is always going to be a good idea! But as a honeymoon it provides such a diverse range of stunning scenery and activities – it’s a great way to spend time alone with your new other half after the madness of a wedding!
Perfect. Thanks Kimmy & Doug.
To make your own Californian road trip patchwork or anything else you can dream of just customise one of our readymades or create one from scratch.