Me & My Wedding: A Beautiful Summer Wedding In London

The Engagement 

Alex proposed to me one morning in May 2019 when I was still in bed. Later that evening we went for dinner at Scott’s and dropped by the Connaught hotel where my brother and sister-in-law surprised me. We drank champagne and danced into the early hours. 

The Ring

Alex designed the ring with Annabelle from jewellery store Love Weds. The ring was a 3.5 carat sapphire with 0.5 carat diamonds set on a platinum band and setting. It’s so beautiful and very ‘me’. 

The Ceremony

We got legally married during the day at Old Marylebone Town Hall. We had three special readings – one by Alex’s brother Myles, one by my dad and one from Alex himself. We didn’t have bridesmaids or groomsmen because we were meant to have a bigger wedding in the Cotswolds but had to move it twice. Instead, we decided on a more intimate day, which turned out to be even more special. 

There were only ten people at our ceremony and another nine came to the evening dinner and party. I was so excited and not nervous at all. I did cry a couple of times, like when I first walked through the door and saw Alex in the hall and then again during the speeches. Our baby boy Beau, who’s about to turn one, was also there – it was so special to have him with us.

The Venue 

We had our wedding celebration at the Rosewood Hotel that night. I had stayed in the hotel before and loved it – each room is so unique. There’s also an amazing courtyard, a stunning copper corridor at the entrance, and a beautiful striped floor in reception. The grand staircase is so majestic, too. The planner at the Rosewood, Kathrine, was so helpful and kind – I highly recommend her services. 

The Dress

My dress came from my aunt’s vintage shop in Glasgow called Mr Ben. I had the lace replaced and the back of it redesigned by a talented woman, Adele, and her nephew Owen. We decided to go backless and add a bow with a little train. My shoes were from Saint Laurent and I also got a beautiful gift from Alex – a white Prada bag with a gold chain.

The Make-Up & Hair

My make-up was done by my friend Lauren O’Donnell. She has done my make-up over the years for various premieres and events – she’s the best. I went for a very natural look. My hair was done by Tomasz Dobroz – he’s also a friend of mine and has done my hair for years. I absolutely loved the low, loose ponytail we went for – we tied it back with a black velvet bow from John Lewis.

The Groom's Look

Alex wore a Paul Smith suit, Gucci shoes and an Hermès tie. 

The Flowers & Décor 

My flowers were by @FlurLondon, my friend Holly’s company. Seeing as she’s a florist and event designer, I pretty much left it all up to her. The room looked stunning, as did my bouquet. She went for all white roses everywhere – it was so pretty.  

The Entertainment

We played a lot of our own music throughout the day – there was lots of disco, Prince, Bowie, The Cure and Frank Sinatra. Then, in the evening, we had an acoustic band.

The Photographer 

Our photographer was Elena Popa. She was recommended to me by my sister-in-law Arielle Shear, who is also a photographer. Elena was the sweetest, most chilled-out and professional photographer we could have asked for. She felt like part of the family, and captured the magic of the day in every shot.

The Food & Drink

The food at the Rosewood was delicious – we had lots of canapés to start, which included duck croquettes, tiger prawns and mille-feuille of Scottish salmon. The wedding breakfast included a tandoori-spiced halibut and kedgeree risotto starter, mains were sea bass and beef fillet and then there was more bowl food and canapés into the evening. We didn’t have a cake – it just wasn’t our thing – instead we opted for passion fruit and white chocolate twisters with vanilla yoghurt sorbet. 

The Day Before/After The Wedding 

We stayed for two nights at the Rosewood, while our family stayed over the night of the wedding. Most of the guests went to bed when we did – around midnight. We all had a huge champagne breakfast together the morning after which was so lovely. We got to discuss everything about the wedding while nursing our hangovers!

Advice For Other Couples

Try not to get too nervous or anxious about it. You’re marrying your best friend with everyone you love around you, it’ll be the most memorable day. I honestly wouldn’t have done anything differently. It was magical.
 

Photography by Elena Popa