On a crisp Tuesday in December, Primary School Teacher, Chloe, married her Firefighter fiancée, Gavin in a ‘Magical Winter Wonderland Wedding’. Chloe and Gavin were runners up in our Key Worker Wedding competition, launched in 2020 in as a thank you to some of the people working on the frontline during the pandemic.
Chloe’s competition entry filled us with joy, reading about her love for Gavin and passion for teaching young children at a local primary school. Throughout the pandemic, supporting children both online and at the school hub, Chloe would get quietly excited planning the perfect wedding day with Gavin.
A local girl from Chepstow, Chloe dreamed on one day getting married at StTewdrics House and on 21st December 2021, that dream came true. Chloe says: “As a teenager, I would walk across Mathern fields with my friends, and we would chat wistfully about the future. There was a large tree trunk we used to sit on, in view of St Tewdrics House, and my friends would fantasise about buying it to live in some day. I always insisted that it was too big to live in but one day I would get married to the man of my dreams in that very house.”
Gavin’s proposal to Chloe was so spectacular, it made the ITV News! After 6 and half years together, Gavin proposed on the 5th March 2020. It was World Book Day and Chloe was in school dressed as a Zoo Keeper, possibly not the ideal outfit for a proposal. Her teaching was interrupted by the Headteacher who said he needed assistance with something in his office. Nervously, Chloe went with him and he began discussing plans for the next school year.
Out of nowhere the Headteacher received a call summoning him to the school playground and Chloe dutifully went with him. Arriving in the playground, she was greeted by a fire engine and three of her classes singing her favourite Welsh song ‘Calon Lan’. Chloe still didn’t register what was about to happen and thought that it was just a lovely birthday surprise.
Then, suddenly, Gavin walked down the middle of Chloe’s pupils and got down on one knee. He had called in a favour with the South Wales Fire Service to arrive in the engine and propose! Chloe describes this wonderful day as the only time in her life she has been totally speechless.
Chloe’s vision for her wedding was to create a ‘Magical Winter Wonderland’ and we think she absolutely nailed it. The House is always adorned with a grand Christmas tree in December but for this wedding, there were even more trees and decorations to add extra festiveness. We also welcomed some special guests to the wedding in the form of donkeys and reindeer! There was even a snow globe for the little ones and a sleigh full of gifts for all the guests.
The Courtyard looked truly spectacular with more Christmas trees, sparkling decorations hanging from the rafters and a candle lit aisle where Chloe walked down to meet Gavin, escorted by her brother, Joel. The couple’s entrance song was James Arthur’s ‘Falling Like The Stars’ and after a beautiful ceremony, Chloe and Gavin walked back up the aisle to the cheer of their guests and the joyful sound of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’. After saying, ‘I do’ the couple’s guests greeted the newlyweds with a snow throw at the front of the house as a festive alternative to confetti.
During the reception, as a fun and festive treat, everyone received Secret Santa gifts. Guests enjoyed delicious seasonal food prepared by our in-house Caterers, Cleverchefs which included a special dessert, Chloe’s Nan’s Toffee Tart. The wedding reception ended with a recital of The Twelve Days of Christmas with each table signing a verse.
Our last wedding of 2021 at St Tewdrics House was truly wonderful. We wish Chloe and Gavin a lifetime of happiness and hope they cherish this very special day forever, the team at St Tewdrics most certainly will.
