Photos above: Photographer: Annelies Photos
Fate struck
Karl proposed to Laura on the beach on August 7, 2020. Less than a year later, on June 26, 2021, they got legally married. The plan was to then marry in church and celebrate their wedding on April 2, 2022. Fate, however, had other plans: Karl had a severe motorcycle accident a month before their wedding party. Laura shares: “We waited anxiously to see if he’d make it... Karl narrowly escaped death.”
Their wedding celebration was postponed until, finally, it could take place a year later on April 29, 2023. More than ever, this day meant everything to the couple.
Wedding styling with help from experts
Laura took charge of the wedding styling, relying on Annelies Gailliaert – also their wedding photographer with Annelies Photos – to perfectly translate the style into the printed materials. Laura says: “I first contacted Annelies after winning a love shoot with her on Facebook. We clicked immediately! Annelies knew exactly what I wanted, without needing much guidance.”
Laura’s floral arrangements were also completely understood. Her cousin Rani, from Rani Flowers & Soul, was given carte blanche. Laura: “I only chose the chalices for the aisle and set the budget. What Rani created… wow! The result felt like the Bridgerton series, but in real life!”
Dream outfits for the entire suite
Laura found her dream dress at Prima Donna in Deerlijk: a Martina Liana gown, completed with a veil by Randy Fenoli.
Karl rented a morning coat. Laura: “We didn’t buy a suit for Karl because I wanted something special. We rented it at Vanwynsberghe in Kuurne.”
The female suite members purchased their outfits at Dianna David, Oni Onik, and the brand A Ligné. The children were dressed by Athena Kids in Waregem.
Classic cars as wedding transport
Laura and Karl chose various classic cars for their wedding transport, arranged through acquaintances. Laura: “This was one of the biggest stress points in our preparation. Luckily, my mom took over this task. Tip: Get help and choose people who know what they’re doing!”
Glam Time!
On April 29, 2023, Laura and Karl’s church wedding day finally arrived. The morning began calmly. Laura visited Salon Vandeputte in Emelgem, where Lisa, who has known her since childhood, styled her hair perfectly. At home, her friend Valentine from Esthetique Valentine in Meulebeke awaited her for makeup. Laura: “Just before the evening party, she even touched up my look. It felt like a little pampering moment!”
Emotional mass in Laura’s childhood church
The church ceremony took place in St. Peter’s Church in Emelgem, where Laura was baptized as a little girl and did her first and solemn communion. She couldn’t have wished for a more beautiful place.
Laura shares what made the ceremony so emotional and beautiful for them: “When I walked towards Karl in the church, it became overwhelming for him after everything we had been through. He was so happy to stand there and still get married. Tears of joy flowed. And then came our vows… We had written them ourselves, and they were deeply moving. Those words came straight from our hearts. We even lived the ‘through good and bad times’ part before speaking them.”
The ceremony was led by master of ceremonies Danny David and musically accompanied by singer Janne Blommaert and pianist Daan Demeyer from Dayanne Music. Laura says: “I found Janne through a friend from the conservatory in Ghent. The only thing I’d heard her sing was her duet with Tom Helsen of the song ‘If’. Nevertheless, I trusted she’d sound like an angel, and she did. Janne performed personal songs that we could choose ourselves. Her warm, deep soul voice brought so much romance. I’m thrilled with our choice!”
Shoe emergency
After the beautiful ceremony, Laura and Karl and their guests moved to the party venue: Huyze De Baere in Maldegem. Laura says: “The venue is truly unique: warm, refined, and large enough for all our guests. The beautiful inner garden was perfect for our reception. We were nicely enclosed, so there was no wind, and the sun could do its job beautifully. With the lovely view of the green landscape behind, the atmosphere was instantly top-notch!”
Then, disaster struck… Laura’s shoe heel broke off! Laura: “Luckily, the venue owner responded immediately. She took out a key to a cabinet full of lost shoes. However, there was only one pair in my size: black shoes, which unfortunately didn’t match my dress... Ultimately, a friend provided the solution: her wedding shoes, just in time for our reception!”
Laura advises future brides: “Have an extra pair of shoes that match your wedding dress. Really, it would have spared me so much stress!”
Top Gun serenade and more surprises
After the reception, dinner followed. Laura says: “The service was classy, and the food was excellent! For the main course, we chose Belgian beef. It was sublime, and the venue owner made sure everything ran smoothly. We didn’t have to do anything ourselves.”
During dinner, Karl had a significant surprise. Laura explains: “Between the starter and main course, I was blindfolded. Suddenly, Karl, along with his friends, sang the serenade from Top Gun. We’re big fans of this movie and often joked that he’d do it someday at a local café. Now he did it for me at our wedding, in front of all our guests… I was completely surprised!”
And the surprise didn’t end there: the serenade transitioned into a fun dance by all their friends. Finally, they sang the anthem of their student club. “This moment is one I’ll always remember!”, laughs Laura.
Dance party until the very early hours
After dinner, it was time for Laura and Karl’s opening dance. The couple had taken dance lessons at Life Danscenter in Izegem for this moment on the dance floor to be entirely theirs.
Finally, DJ Sweeby created an unforgettable atmosphere during the evening party. “We filled out a questionnaire beforehand with our favorite and ‘banned’ songs. The dance floor was packed from start to finish. There was no designated end time, so the DJ just kept going. Our party was the longest I’ve ever experienced!”, laughs Laura.
Tips from Laura & Karl
Laura and Karl share some top tips for engaged couples:
“Agree together in advance on what you definitely want and don’t want. Make sure you’re on the same wavelength; it brings clarity during planning. Once everything is set and the day has arrived, let it go. You can’t change anything then. If it rains: so be it. If you’re a bit late: so be it. Your guests come for you; they will wait.
Enjoy. You only get this day once. Let go of the idea of ‘perfect’ and enjoy everything as it comes.
Surround yourself with people who know what they’re doing. It’s invaluable; it saves so much stress. I could blindly trust the venue and catering, which brought peace. Rani also ensured I didn’t have to worry about the flowers and everything around it. Even the transport of the flowers from the church to the venue was arranged.”
Congratulations, Laura and Karl! We wish you much love and happiness in the future.
Would you also like to be assisted by reliable and high-quality wedding vendors? Book them now via House of Weddings.
Church: St. Peter’s Church in Emelgem / Venue & catering: Huyze De Baere / Photographer: Annelies Photos / Videographer: SV Video, Stefan Vandelanotte / Printed materials: Annelies Gailliaert / Wedding dress: Prima Donna (brand: Martina Liana) / Veil: Randy Fenoli / Wedding suit: rented at Vanwynsberghe / Shoes: Gabrielli Roeselare (brand: Luca Renzi) + Teirlynck (brand: Ciro de Pascale) / Jewelry: Louis Reichmann + Dumoulin / Suite attire: Dianna David + Oni Onik + brand: A Ligné / Children’s attire: Athena Kids / Flowers: Rani Flowers & Soul / Master of ceremonies: Danny David / Live music: Janne Blommaert & Daan Demeyer, Dayanne Music / Decoration & furniture: Huyze De Baere + Bert’s Creations / DJ, lighting & sound: DJ Sweeby / Makeup: Esthetique Valentine / Hair: Salon Vandeputte / Opening dance: Life Danscenter Izegem
