Texas came to Suffolk for Wendy and Laurence’s fabulous wedding at Ipswich Town Hall.
Think Stetsons, cowboy boots, a vintage American truck as the bridal car, and live music from a singer flown in especially from Texas for the day — yee‑haw to that!
In the words of their celebrant, Debbie Clarke:
“It was so relaxed and full of laughter. Their personal vows were full of emotion and so much love – there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. I didn’t own a Stetson prior to their wedding, so their guest kindly let me borrow his – I think I may just have to purchase my own now!”
Obviously, this was never going to be your standard polite shuffle to the buffet afterwards.
Wendy and Laurence’s celebration escalated — joyfully — into a full‑tilt, seven‑hour Suffolk hoedown, and it was utterly perfect. Everyone embraced the theme and dressed the part: boots, hats, checked shirts, denim… even Wendy’s elderly mother gave the line‑dancing a go!
And (Stetson) hat off to Wendy — after tripping over her granddaughter mid‑line dance and breaking her wrist, she simply dusted herself off and carried on partying. The celebrations did eventually end in A&E, but not before they’d danced, laughed, and enjoyed every second of the day exactly as they’d hoped.
The Proposal: Friends for a while, it took Laurence one year to summon the courage to pop the question: During a family trip to Dublin for Wendy’s son’s 23rd birthday, he dropped to one knee mid‑dinner… only for Wendy to assume he wasn't being serious and tell him to get up and finish his meal!
Curiosity did get the better of her, and she later asked if he’d actually meant it.
He absolutely had — so he asked again. And this time, she said yes.
Wedding Planning
Wendy and Laurence both have a huge passion for country music and a great love of Texas and ranch life. Wanting the big day to reflect that way of living and be very relaxed and casual, they focused on an intimate, relaxed civil ceremony, followed by a big party.
Their wedding prep reflected this relaxed approach: Wendy and Laurence DIY'ed almost every aspect of their wedding and focused the budget on a few bespoke touches that meant the most to them: a singer flown in from Texas, the vintage American truck as bridal car for instance. And a very nice hotel room for the start into their married life - incidentally they didn't get to use it as the night was spent in A&E.
As a beautiful personal touch, Wendy and Laurence wrote wedding vows for each other and kept them secret until they read them to each other during the ceremony.
Wedding Planning Top Tips
Best piece of advice for couples planning a wedding:
Plan a day that reflects you as a couple. Make it about what you want and not what you think others expect it to be. Be true to yourselves and don’t spend more than you can afford. It’s one day, you shouldn’t be paying for it at the expense of your future. The day should be about you and your relationship together; shared with the people that you love in a way that makes you happy.
Budget saving tips:
Contact people directly rather than through third party websites (singer, catering etc) which saved money. We designed our own invites and got them printed locally. We had our friend from Texas and Laurence’s band playing and used our own Spotify playlist in between; another friend (Who is a professional photographer) offered to photograph the day; Wendy’s daughter and daughter-in-law helped with hair and make-up; Wendy made the cake and arranged her own bouquet using flowers from Sainsbury’s.
One thing worth splurging on?
It depends on what’s important to you. For us, it was a nice hotel room for Wendy to stay the night before and as a couple on the wedding night; however, it never got used on the wedding night due to being in A&E!
One thing to save on/do without?
Catering for less people due to last minute non-attendance. There will always be people who can’t make it on the day.
How do you minimize stress on the day/run up to the day?
Plan and write lists!
Wendy's and Laurence's Supplier Team:
Venue: Ipswich Town Hall followed by Gainsborough Labour and Social Club
Celebrants: Debbie Clarke & Kim Edwards, Ipswich Register Office
Photographer: Claire Naylor Photography
Cake: Wendy!
Make up & Hair: Wendy's daughter and daughter-in-law
Flowers: Sainsbury’s - arranged by Wendy!
Catering: The Ration Box (burger van)
Music: Clint Fisher / Stetsons are Cool / Andrew Krietz / Spotify
Entertainment: Line dancing lesson by Lucy at Country Nights
Bridal dress: Shein / Temu
Groom’s wear: Shein / Temu
Further Reading
If you enjoyed Wendy & Laurence’s story, you might also love:
Build Your Perfect Festival Wedding Line‑Up — expert tips for creating the perfect flow of music, atmosphere and entertainment throughout your celebration.
How to Have a Chic Register Office Wedding — elegant styling ideas and modern tips for a beautifully simple ceremony.
How to Get Married in Suffolk: Your Step‑by‑Step Guide — everything you need to know about ceremony options, legal preliminaries and planning your Suffolk wedding.
Plan Your Perfect ‘I Do’ — from intimate civil vows to bespoke celebrations, see what’s possible.