OUR KENTISH CEREMONY
MARRIED AT HEVER CASTLE
HEVER HISTORY ENTHUSIASTS ASHLEIGH REES AND MARKUS DIRNBACHER MADE THEIR OWN HISTORY WHEN THEY TIED THE KNOT AT ONE OF KENT ’ S MOST ICONIC CASTLE VENUES
Photography by : Danni Beach Photography
THE VENUE As a child , I was a huge Tudor history nerd and Anne Boleyn was my favourite of Henry VIII ’ s wives . After meeting Markus , we visited Hever Castle together and enjoyed the beautiful grounds . Just a few months later , he proposed .
The following day , he asked if I had a wedding venue in mind and I told him that I had always dreamed of getting married at Hever Castle . He looked online and there was a wedding showcase the very next day , which we went to . We booked our wedding there and then ! We had our venue , photographer , celebrant , and string quartet booked within 48 hours of getting engaged !
THE DRESS I wanted a wedding dress that was classic and timeless , rather than one that followed the trends . I visited different shops and tried on a number of dresses but nothing felt right . I then found Eva Lendel dresses online and fell in love with mine . I was desperate to try it and so relieved to find out that it was stocked in one shop in London ( Love Bridal , Crystal Palace ). I tried it on and fell in love with the long train ; it felt like a real princess dress without being over the top . I also loved the removable sleeves as it created two different looks for the ceremony and evening reception .
THE ENTERTAINMENT We had a surprise performance by Silver Service Singers . They pretended to be waiters and then shocked our guests with a staged fall prior to starting their live set . This got all of our guests on their feet after the meal and prevented any lull between the speeches and the first dance . It meant our dance floor was full all night ! After their set , they DJ ’ d for the rest of the evening .
THE PHOTOGRAPHY Danni Beach was our photographer . We met her at the Hever Castle wedding showcase and loved her enthusiasm for our wedding and her calm , reassuring manner .
We also had a videographer ; Aidan Willis . This was the best investment of our wedding . The footage we have received is beautiful . Our guests say that the edit is like a Hollywood movie !
THE HIGHLIGHT Prior to entering our wedding breakfast , we practiced our first dance on the empty loggia overlooking the lake at sundown . It was a moment of peace and serenity just for us that we will cherish forever .
40 | AKENTISHCEREMONY . COM | SUMMER 2024