A wedding ring fit for a King
Last updated 00:23, Friday, 28 March 2008
When it came to organising her wedding, Sam King’s parents came in particularly helpful.
Sam’s dad is goldsmith Michael King while her mum, Angela, is a designer – so they were able to offer specialist advice in the vital areas of the rings and dresses.
Richard Massey, 28, originally from Brisco, is currently studying medicine in Newcastle while Sam, 26, runs the Raspberry Rooms in Caldbeck. They met through mutual friends in Yates in Carlisle in 2000.
It was when they were in South Africa at the end of a round-the-world trip in January 2006 that Richard proposed beside a waterfall.
Sam’s parents had travelled out to see them and so Sam sat down with her dad and got straight on with designing her engagement ring.
Sam said: “I have never been able to sit down with my dad and design a ring, but because we were all on holiday we had the time to do it. The design was based on one my dad created while he was at college.”
The engagement ring was a platinum shank ring sprinkled with ice blue diamonds in the shoulder with a 1.3 carat solitaire diamond.
When it came to the wedding rings, Sam decided to have a simpler one.
She said: “I had got an extravagant engagement ring so I wanted a plainer wedding band and decided on a platinum band. The rings fit together perfectly.”
Richard’s wedding ring – an eight millimetre white gold band with carved detail – was designed especially for him by Michael, who runs a jewellery workshop at West Woodside on the A595 near Wigton.
Sam and Richard got married at Rosley Church on August 25 last year and as Sam had fallen in love with the idea of a garden party theme, they decided to hire a Victorian marquee from Evans in Lancaster and use her parents’ garden in Curthwaite.
She said: “They have a large garden and it holds a lot of memories for me because it is where I grew up. We wanted to do as much as possible ourselves.
“Having the reception at home gave it a personal touch and having a marquee meant we could invite everyone we wanted there.
“When you have a marquee there is more to think about, such as providing toilets, but it is all worth it.”
A Bentley took the groom and groomsmen to the church while the bridal party was taken by horse and country-style carriage provided by the Heavy Horse Centre in Dearham.
After the ceremony, guests went to the Kings’ family home where a champagne reception was held on the lawn.
Richard’s mum Jan made the pink and green bunting around the marquee while Sam’s mum Angela made the polka dot table cloths.
Each guest had a cardboard lunchbox containing their food – including Cumberland sausage in apple wraps and salmon – and a fruit tower to choose the pudding from, all provided by caterers Cumberland Source, of Maryport.
Sam’s grandad Ray Mitchell acted as toastmaster.
Sam said: “We wanted it to be relaxed and having the lunch boxes meant people could go and eat outside if they wanted to.”
Ben Mattinson, a busker Sam had met playing in Carlisle, played the guitar and sang while the guests enjoyed their picnic.
Sam wore a two-piece shot-silk dress from Mia Bridal in Carlisle with a specially made head-piece by Sara Gadd Millinery. She also wore a 12-carat diamond bracelet on loan from her dad’s showroom.
Her bridesmaids – Marie Anderson, Heather Massey and Charlotte Wood – and flowergirl Emilia Thomsen wore apple green shot-silk dresses designed and made by Sam’s mum Angela.
Angela also made the three-tier fruit wedding cake, which was decorated by Edna Graham and Sam.
As well as making the rings, Sam’s dad Michael made the cufflinks for groomsmen Olly Foster, Graham Forrester and David King.
There was an evening buffet of shepherd’s pie while local band The Naturalz provided the entertainment.
