Inspiration

Bride Sarah had not one but two outfits. Going from sophisticated in a cowl back Cymbeline Paris gown to effortlessly chic in a modern AQAQ jumpsuit. Her groom Elliott brings personality to his attire too. Matching her in the style stakes with a fabulous checked jacket and salmon chinos. Taking to the urban streets and using it as a backdrop, Miss Gen Photography has captured some really memorable moments for this gorgeous couple to treasure as well as all that to die for fashion. I also absolutely love the elegant navy & silver toned TFNC London Bridesmaid gowns. Complimenting the pure white and greenery bouquets perfectly. Plus did I mention the Krispy Kreme donut tower wedding cake...?

Our Story

Sarah the Bride: We met as students whilst working in retail, at Austin Reed on Regent Street. Elliott worked on the ground floor and I on Gentlemen's overcoats on the third floor. He would bring up scarfs and hats in order to initiate conversation and the rest is pretty much history! After eight years together we got engaged at the beautiful coastal restaurant La Terrazza in Alcanada, Mallorca. We were engaged 9 months before tying the knot in the Town Hall Hotel in Hackney.

Venue

Finding venues that we were both happy with was key and we really fell in love with the Bistrotheque, its minimal decor, the industrial drop lights and concrete floor really demonstrated a utilitarian chic and appealed to us immediately. The Council Chamber at Town Hall Hotel with its beautiful Art Deco wood lined walls and green leather seats, was stunning and we knew it would make for a classic, contemporary ceremony venue.

The Dress

We wanted to keep our personal sense of style in our wedding outfits. I went for a Cymbeline Paris dress from https://www.blackburnbridal.co.uk/ with a cowl back, that was altered quite dramatically to include a fishtail skirt and deep V in the front. For jewellery I wore my mother’s pearl drop earrings and a pearl drop necklace from https://www.lauraleejewellery.com/, which I wore backwards to emphasise the low back of the dress. I changed after dinner into an AQAQ jumpsuit with cape from Reformation, largely so I could ensure full dancing capabilities. Elliott wore a Ted Baker checked suit jacket, with salmon trouser and a gold embroidered cravat, his shoes were from Russell and Bromley whilst mine were from Sophia Webster.

Florist

That Flower Shop’ styled all of our floral arrangements; the bouquets, buttonholes, the hair flowers, mismatched table clusters and the ceremony display. We loved Hattie and the teams aesthetic, they make beautiful floral pieces where no two are ever the same. We had quite a specific vision for our flowers and Hattie and Alice, went to great effort to ensure we were happy with the outcome. Their floristry was natural, elegant, effortless and added to the contemporary feel and vision we had for the day, whilst also complementing both venues. They did a remarkably beautiful job!

Ceremony

The maid of honor and sister of the bride did a reading in our ceremony that was so moving, there was not a dry eye in the room, such a special moment.

Photography

Both of us being designers, we love a considered, well composed photograph and hate the stiff traditional and staged wedding photography. After trawling through the internet, sifting through hours of mundane and humdrum wedding photography, we thought we would not find someone who would understand our aesthetic and be able to capture our day in a way we felt suited us….That is until we stumbled upon Genevieve. Her photography is truly astounding and her reportage style of photography really appealed to us. Gen managed to photograph the intricate details, important memories and people beautifully in a way that was authentic, captivating and elegant. Her presence on the day was unimposing and subtle yet she managed to take such an astonishing amount of truly mesmerising photographs. She was a pleasure to have around on the day, her laid back and upbeat personality slipped seamlessly into our day.

Favourite Moments

The couples shots of us are really the highlights of the day. When we had a moment to ourselves, just the two of us wondering along the Regent’s Canal in the sunshine. Our first dance was to ‘I want to be your man’ by Zapp. We both love funk and wanted something upbeat that people would be able to dance to and have some fun with.

Entertainment

Xavior’s string quartet composed a selection of contemporary songs on the strings and played during and after our ceremony. They composed a selection of Hip Hop, RnB and Rock songs to our specification, which made for a truly spectacular ceremony accompaniment. We chose songs that had personal meaning to us and it was such a unique and memorable experience. Xavior also played the piano through our dinner, playing compositions of modern pop fused with more traditional elements.

Colour Scheme / Decor

We would like to think that our day was stylish whilst being laid back. A day filled with love and laughter, surrounded by our family and friends. The venues were so beautiful, we chose to keep our colour palette quite simple and neutral. With the flowers in soft whites, and subtle yellows with lots of green foliage.

Advice

Keep it simple and be yourself. Listen to and compromise only with your fiance...Ignore all the other chatter. It is your day after all.
Lorna Shaw

Written by Lorna Shaw

Dress Designer: Cymbeline Paris | Bridal Boutique: Blackburn Bridal | Bridal Shoes: Sophia Webster | Jewellery: Laura Lee Jewellery | Makeup: Jessica Taylor | Hair: Love Hair by Lou | Bridesmaid Dresses: TFNC London | Grooms uit: Ted Baker | Grooms Shoes: Russell & Bromley | Venues: Town Hall Hotel | Bistrotheque | Florist: That Flower Shop | Cake: Krispy Kreme Donut Tower

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