The event is over but will leave a lasting impression
The Wedding for a Hero on Friday was a great success and this wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support from our suppliers. We would liek to thank them all once more for their kind donations.
Clive Ranger Jewellers of Bath
Satin & Lace of Cirencester
Hazlewood Bridal Boutique of Pewsham, Chippenham
Rosella Gowns and Mr Charles Menswear of Newbury
Sarah Bolt of Calne
Sarah Brock
Chrissie Wiltshire
The Little Balloon Company- Kyla Henry
Lick the Spoon
Aztec Balloons, Chippenham
Toast Master, Mark Wilding
Entire Occasions, Malcolm Hardy
Hallmark Photography, Calne
Atwell Wilson Cars, Michael Bennett
To view photos taken of the special day check out our Facebook page
Today’s the day!!
Marc and Charlie have just tied the knot and they’re off for a spin together before their wedding breakfast.
Only one week to go!!
With only a week to go we have the complete line up of suppliers to announce.
We would like to thank you all for your support and generosity
Satin & Lace of Cirencester are supplying a beautiful dress.
Hazlewood Bridal Boutique of Pewsham, Chippenham have given a generous contribution towards bridal accessories.
Rosella Gowns and Mr Charles Menswear of Newbury will be supplying the couple with Bridesmaid dresses and menswear
Sarah Bolt of Calne will be doing the hair styling on the day and Makeup Artist Sarah Brock who is based in London, will be making sure Charlie is glowing for her special day.
Chrissie Wiltshire will be making the Kerry Suite (Ceremony room and Wedding Breakfast room) look and smell beautiful with her gorgeous flower styling and Kyla from the Little Balloon Company is very generously supplying the stationary and seating plan.
Clive Ranger Jewellers of Bath have generously supplied the all important wedding bands and Aztec Balloons will be dressing the room with their chair covers and co-ordinating colour sashes.
Diana Short of Lick the Spoon will be making sure that the cake lovers don’t go without and to ensure the proceedings run smoothly, Mark Wilding the Toast Master will be on hand.
Thanks to Malcolm Hardy of Entire Occasions who will be providing those guests who are looking forward to dancing the night away with a disco.
Last but not least let’s not forget the brilliant photographers of Calne, Hallmark Photography, who will be taking snaps of the happy couple and very importantly Michael Bennett of Atwell Wilson Cars, who will be getting the couple to the church on time in one of their vintage cars.
We’re all looking forward to the day and wish the happy couple Marc and Charlie all the best for their special day and the future.
Photo supplied by Emily Hancock Photography, 2011
The latest person to join our Wedding for a Hero cause….
To add that finishing touch to the Hero Wedding taking place in Bowood’s Kerry Suite, Claire Pugh from Aztec Balloons is supplying their beautiful chair covers with colour co-ordinating sashes.
News Update
Marc and Charlie choosing their wedding bands with Jon Lewis at Clive Ranger Jewellers in Bath.
Some Exciting News!
Clive Ranger of Bath have announced that they will be donating money towards wedding bands for Marc and Charlie!
Jon Lewis, Store Manager of the Bath branch has said..”We feel they are a very worthy couple and we would like to acknowledge their courage, by happily assisting in making their wedding day truly special.”
Thank you for your generosity Clive Ranger!
It’s full steam ahead!
The planning for our Wedding for a Hero is firmly underway!
The date of the 2nd September has been set, a dress has been chosen, the transport arranged and the registrars booked. Now it’s time for the organisation of the cake, the flowers, the Groom’s clothing and the all important evening party.
Watch this space for an update of the plans soon!
LANCE CORPORAL MARC READER MC IS NAMED WINNING BRITISH ARMED FORCES HERO FOR A PRIZE WEDDING DAY AT BOWOOD HOTEL, SPA & GOLF RESORT
With the United Kingdom steeped in wedding fervour ahead of the Royal nuptials this Friday, another young couple can now eagerly look forward to their own marriage with added excitement. Having demonstrated selfless and brave service to his country and been acknowledged for it by his seniors, 24 year-old Lance Corporal Marc Reader MC of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards has been named the winner of a very special competition, sponsored by Bowood in conjunction with Wiltshire Magazine.
Designed to recognise and reward a member of the British Armed Forces (whether currently serving or having been discharged due to injury sustained while in action during the past 10 years) who is about to marry, the competition invited members of the public to nominate the person they consider a true hero.
Lance Corporal (LCpl) Reader will now share his prize wedding day at Bowood Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort (near Calne, Wiltshire) with his 21 year-old fiancée, Private (Pte) Charlie Knott. Four runners-up will also be honoured by Bowood, each being welcomed for an overnight stay with the hotel’s compliments.
Marc’s name was selected from a short-list of deserving candidates drawn up by Sally Thorneloe, widow of Lieutenant-Colonel Rupert Thorneloe. Mrs. Thorneloe’s husband was commanding the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards when he died in Afghanistan in 2009, becoming the most senior Army officer to be killed in action since Lieutenant-Colonel ‘H’ Jones in the Falklands War in 1982.
“I have deliberated long and hard over the last few days, trying to decide which one of the finalists would be given their dream wedding at Bowood. It was an extremely difficult decision, as all those short-listed have obviously shown immense courage, determination and an enormous degree of selflessness,” says Mrs. Thorneloe. “However, the citations made by his senior officers were impressive and clearly identified Marc Reader as an outstanding individual and a worthy winner.”
Captain Storm Green and Lieutenant Howlin of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards both nominated Marc Reader who has served in the regiment for six years and conducted two operational tours of Afghanistan in 2007/08 and 2009/10. He is now based at Mons Barracks in Aldershot where Private (Pte) Charlie Knott is a chef in the Royal Logistics Corps. Having originally met when both were posted at Victoria Barracks in Windsor, they have been engaged for over a year.
It was a year ago that the couple returned from Operation HERRICK 11 having served between September 2009 and April 2010 in Helmand, Afghanistan. They spent their tours of duty apart and without phone contact, as LCpl Reader was at a very remote outpost on the frontline of operations in Helmand. Meanwhile, Pte Knott was helping to feed the 5000 troops stationed in Camp Bastion in temperatures that can reach 50°C.
LCpl Reader was deployed with his battalion to the volatile region of Babaji. During the tour LCpl Reader’s company of 120 men sustained a large number of casualties and soldiers killed in action. LCpl Reader was caught up in a lot of these incidents and subsequently treated a number of the wounded himself certainly saving the lives of at least two soldiers through his actions alone. These and other acts of bravery earned him the Military Cross.
Lieutenant James Howlin highlights, “LCpl Reader MC is held in extremely high regard by both his peers and seniors alike. His professional competence, discipline, intelligence, humility and sense of humour are at the centre of this popularity. Even without daily exposure to his work it is easy to see the respect he commands, which is in my mind thoroughly deserved.
“He is an outstanding young man and a superb ambassador for the Regiment and the Army,” adds Lieutenant Howlin.
Having now been together for three and a half years, overcoming many challenges along the way, Marc and Charlie have recently bought their own flat. As they build their future together they can now look ahead to the planning of their big day and anticipate the most memorable of events in truly beautiful surroundings within Capability Brown’s 2,000 acre Grade I Listed Great Park at Bowood.
Their prize will allow Marc and Charlie to invite up to 60 guests to their wedding with a civil ceremony, three-course wedding breakfast and then an evening party with a finger buffet and disco all included in their prize. Additionally, Charlie’s wedding dress will be donated by Satin and Lace in Newbury and she will also enjoy the attention of various locally-based beauty experts, with Sarah Bolt concentrating on her hair and Sarah Brock on her make-up. Chrissie Wiltshire Flowers of Winterbourne Monkton will be supplying the bridal bouquet and floral arrangements while a mouth-watering chocolate wedding cake will come courtesy of Lick the Spoon (with outlets in Corsham and Cirencester). The day will be captured in pictures by Calne’s Hallmark Photography who will also supply an album of prints afterwards. Rounding off their once-in-a-lifetime day, the happy couple will then stay overnight in a luxurious suite at Bowood Hotel.
In congratulating the couple, Bowood Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort’s General Manager, Ben Danielsen comments, “Having sought to select a hero as the winner of our competition we are delighted to have, in fact, discovered two such deserving young people to share the prize. Marc and Charlie’s service to their country, selflessness and dedication to one another are inspirational and exemplary.
“Our wedding planning team at Bowood is much looking forward to becoming acquainted with Marc and Charlie and working closely with them to turn their dreams for their most special of days into reality,” continues Ben.
“We will also be giving the warmest of welcomes to the competition’s four runners-up and their intendeds, offering each of these couples dinner, an overnight stay and breakfast all included with the compliments of Bowood Hotel.”
The four runners-up are: Miss Nicola Daley (who has travelled to various locations across the country to support boyfriend Laurence Hooper during his rehabilitation from injuries sustained in Afghanistan); Staff Sergeant, Chris Eastman of the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers (a vehicle mechanic who was attached to the Royal Irish Regiment for Herrick 8 in 2008); Lance Corporal, Terry Gidzinski of the Kings Royal Hussars (who served a six month tour of Afghanistan in 2007 and, having recovered from a later serious assault, is due to go on a second six month tour in April 2012) and Lance Sgt Stuart Jones of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards (who was deployed on Operation Herrick 10 where seven of his comrades died in action).
For further details on Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort on 01249 82228 or e-mail weddings@bowood.org. For fuller background on Bowood, visit www.bowood.org.
