The best surprise requests wedding planners have ever received

Couple dance at their wedding

Weddings are filled with many beautiful and wonderful moments that'll either have you doubled over laughing or reaching for the tissues. While these may be a given, people still love to go above and beyond to create moments that will blow their guests away and leave them with dropped jaws.

Well, venue decoration specialists, Scene My Event, wanted to get to the bottom of the biggest the best, and the most heartwarming requests that wedding planners have ever received. So they popped the question, and these are the incredible memories they recalled.

Man proposes to woman at sunset in the great outdoors

A wedding without a bride

Jessica Kearney, owner of Ardour & Bow Events, recalls one of her best requests, a strange yet moving moment where the bride wasn't involved with any of the planning! "I was once contacted by a gentleman who wanted help planning his entire wedding – only he hadn't even asked his girlfriend to marry him yet!
"I was a little hesitant - wouldn't he prefer to get in touch once engaged? No, he was adamant at planning a wedding for his (hopefully) future wife as a surprise."With my help, he chose a date, booked a stunning venue and selected some wonderful suppliers. I was as nervous as he was when the time came for him to jet off abroad on holiday to pop the question... Thankfully she said yes!
"It was a wonderful moment when I finally got to meet the bride, and he was able to tell her the wonderful plans he had made – with everything booked with her in mind. The venue was where they had their first date, and with her family being Scottish, he had chosen a ceilidh band and a Scottish theme for decoration. I love when people incorporate those personal touches into their wedding.
"As wedding planners, you can often be working with a couple for up to 18 months on their plans and you really get to know them on a very personal level, becoming truly invested in them and their special day. This was simply a wonderful wedding to be part of, and the bride loved every minute of the day he dedicated completely to her."

Couple dressed for a traditional Indian ceremony

Making an entrance

Sharn Khaira who runs Desi Bride Dreams recalls the time a groom wanted an entrance the guests would never forget: "The wedding that stands out for me the most was when the groom wanted to arrive on a life size elephant! In Indian weddings, the groom usually arrives to a fanfare of music, drumming and Bollywood dancing as he wants to make a great entrance when he meets the bride's family and the rest of the guests. But this wedding, he wanted more, much more!
"He entered the room sitting on top of a massive eight foot mechanical steel elephant pulled by two men. It was on wheels and was brightly coloured - in vibrant pinks, purples and greens. It had a built-in speaker too, and played music so, so loud. Behind it was a procession of his friends and family - probably about 100 people in total. I was amazed, as was everyone, although my role was to ensure that it had a clear pathway to not hurt anyone or knock anything over. He wanted to create a real statement, to do something unique which he managed to achieve. After he was wheeled around the room, he simply jumped off it and walked into the ceremony!"

Wedded couple enjoy their first dance

A musical tribute

Michelle Jonest of MJ Wedding Planning, told us the story of a song that had the audience in tears: "For a wedding in 2015, couple Simon and Sadie presented a rather special request that, I admit, I didn't appreciate the significant or the lasting impact of at the time. They asked me to arrange for the song Till Then My Love by Matt Monro to be sung to them by the groom's grandfather, John, and the moment is one of my most-loved wedding memories. Of course, the band agreed to the request and it was to be a surprise for the guests, but my, it was just the most amazing gift for everyone who was fortunate to be in that moment.
"As John took to the stage, he smiled and he immediately had us all captivated. He sang directly into the hearts of the bride and groom, with such powerful honesty that only one who feels pure love can portray. It was incredible. There wasn't a dry eye in the room, we were all lost in his words. You could feel the love he had for his family, and his desire for his grandson to have the long and happy marriage he had enjoyed himself. It was just the most magical moment, incredibly special. John and his wife Doreen have both left our world now, but their love shines through the beautiful family Simon and Sadie have created. Laughter and joy just as he promised."

Man in denim shirt proposes to woman

An a-maze-ing proposal

Not strictly weddings, we know, but proposals are where we see the imaginations of some people come to life. They want to pull off something that has never been done before and that will leave their other half completely speechless. Jessica Kearney shares one of her favourites that she helped organise:

"One of my most memorable proposal stories is of a gentleman wanting help planning a proposal to his girlfriend in the stunning grounds of Hampton Court Palace, in the famous maze - also the oldest hedge maze in the UK!
"To remain top secret, a letter was sent to his girlfriend, addressed from Hampton Court Palace, explaining that she had won an evening dinner for two. The letter looked absolutely official - she would never have guessed the level of subterfuge involved!
"For the special evening, flowers were arranged in the middle of the maze, along with champagne. Dressed as ushers, the venue's events team greeted the couple as they 'decided' to take a turn around the maze. The most amusing part for us was trying to peek through the bushes (on the request of the groom!) to photograph the proposal as it happened. Attempting this through a thick hedge and staying hidden as they made their way to the middle, added to the hilarious and wonderful nature of wedding-planning antics."You could see the surprise on his girlfriend's face when they finally made it to the middle of the maze, and he dropped to one knee to propose. It was a truly wonderful moment, helping bring his dream to life."

Are you planning to get down on one knee sometime in the near future? If so, we hope we've sparked a little creativity in your brain and got some interesting ideas flowing! Our advice? Show your partner that you know them through and through; knock their socks off in a way they, and only they, will love and remember for the rest of their lives.

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