There was a theme of romance and rustic charm when Australian Tatia Weston married Northern Ireland Honda Superbike Motorcycling star, Jonathan Rea in the Lake District. Photography by Rob Berry
We met while we were both working for Honda Motor Europe, Jonathan as a Honda Superbike Rider and me as the PR and Events Manager. Jonathan proposed in a Manchester hotel the evening before a serious wrist operation the following day which had been damaged in a high-speed motorcycle accident in race in Italy. The highs and lows of the motorcycling world are extreme and it was therefore during a low time when we made our pact to stay together forever as we work very much as a team together towards Jonathan’s racing career.
We chose the Lake District to get married. We both love the outdoors, I’m a keen fell walker and we have visited the Lakes for years, which is why we chose the Lake District for our wedding. After a church ceremony in Crosthwaite we chose a boutique home in Bowness-on-Windermere, Gossel Ridding, owned by the producers of TV show ‘Shameless’ as the venue for the rest of our celebrations,
I found the venue on mrandmrssmith.com and my family from Australia all stayed there the week leading up to our wedding, which was amazing to have my closest family and friends with me. Jonathan was also joined by his fellow riders (and friends) and cycled throughout the Lakes to keep up his rigid training regime.
Our theme was ivory and champagne with a touch of boutique romance and rustic charm. The flowers consisted of white peonies and hydrangeas with scented candles all around with bamboo torches lighting up the beautiful gardens and stone paths as well as a bohemian chill-out area on the grass with a fire-pit and lots of fairy lights.
The venue is very classic; romantic but with a modern twist. The setting is so beautiful that I wanted tasteful but simple decorations of candles and flowers to complement it, which is why I didn’t introduce a colour theme but kept it very simple and classic. The flower arrangements were also mixed with eucalyptus leaves in a nod to my homeland.
I didn’t feel nervous on the day - just excited. We were so lucky to have a blue sky after a week of dismal rain that I really felt very blessed. I felt a bit emotional when I was just outside the church with my dad waiting for Rev. Michael to give me the nod to head down the aisle but as soon as I saw all the faces of our loved ones and especially Jonathan’s at the end of the aisle, the emotion turned into pure joy and I was surprisingly calm and relaxed. And just very excited to be getting married to my soul mate.
I chose a beautiful Atilier diagonal Spanish designer dress by Pronovias and my ‘something old’ was my mother’s veil of 40 years (also borrowed) and I wore a garter with a blue flower on it. My ‘something new’ was a pair of pearl earrings bought by a family friend for the wedding.At the wedding breakfast, the guests ate fillet steak with chunky chips or chicken with mash served on a slate plate with silver buckets filled with sauces and vegetables. The desert was crème brulee and there was an open bar of French champagne and rose, white wine from New Zealand and the red wine from Australia with a signature cocktail consisting of Jonathan’s sponsors drink (Red Bull) consisting of Champagne, vodka, Red Bull, cranberry juice and lime.
‘Classic Ensembles’, a classical group consisting of two violinists and a flutist, played both at the church and the drinks reception outside at Gossel Ridding. They were followed by a five-piece live jazz band called ‘Soul Dedication’ after dinner. Our first dance was an acoustic version of ‘Use Somebody’ by Kings of Leon.
Rob captured our day beautifully with natural, spontaneous photographs that tell the story of the day. His style was perfect for us as we wanted to capture the emotion and fun of the day without spending too much time away from our family and friends, who had come from Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Holland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and the UK.
My favourite memory from the day is sipping French champagne on the terrace of the beautiful Gossel Ridding with our closest friends and family overlooking the stunning view of the Lake District mountains and Lake Windermere as our back-drop.
We honeymooned in the Maldives later in the year after Jonathan finished his World Superbike race season.
Mrs Tatia Weston
Useful Contacts
Photography: Rob Berry, 07787 433387, www.robphotographer.co.uk
Venue: Gossel Ridding, Bowness-on-Windermere, 07810 091008, www.gosselridding.com
