Just before 8pm, the evening at Chilston Park Hotel moved from cake cutting into Sophie and Jason’s first dance, followed by a father and daughter dance before the room opened up with the singer and sax. Their September 2018 wedding stayed in one place at the hotel in Lenham, with autumn around the edges and no need for the day to be split between different locations.
Morning
Sophie got ready at Chilston Park Hotel, the same place where the ceremony and reception were held. She had stayed there the night before, so the morning had the feel of everyone gathering into the day rather than rushing between addresses. Jason was the main point of contact and arrived ahead of the ceremony, ready for the 1pm start.
Ceremony
The ceremony took place at Chilston Park Hotel in the early afternoon. With Jason arriving shortly before and Sophie already at the venue, everything centred around the hotel rather than a separate journey to church or another ceremony space. It made the exchange of vows feel closely tied to the setting for the rest of the celebration.
Speeches and Wedding Breakfast
The wedding breakfast began at 4pm, with speeches placed between the main course and dessert. Jason spoke, followed by the best man, the groom’s mum and the bride’s father, giving that part of the day a proper family feel without pulling everyone away from the meal for too long.
Evening
By the evening, the formalities gave way to the dance floor. Sophie and Jason cut their cake at around 7:50pm, then went straight into their first dance at around 8pm. After the father and daughter dance, everyone joined in, with the singer and sax bringing the party into full swing.