I’m thrilled to share the enchanting indie city wedding of Sarah and David, which took place on August 25th, 2019. The lovely couple exchanged vows at Department of Life before dancing the night away at Clapton Country Club in London. Their special day is a testament to embracing individuality and rejecting traditional norms that don’t resonate with one’s personal style. I’m delighted to see that Sarah and David drew inspiration from my blog, WWW, and are willing to share their own experience with readers seeking guidance for their wedding plans. So, what makes their day so unique? For starters, the crescent moon cakes placed on each table as a fun alternative to traditional cutting of the cake. The lush greenery bridal bouquet was also a standout feature, along with the beautifully crafted signs scattered throughout. Sarah’s stunning gown was perfectly complemented by her braided hair and Swedish Hasbeens, while David looked dashing in his blue suit, waistcoat, and pattern tie. I’d like to extend my gratitude to Kate Gray Photography for sharing these captivating images with us today.
The Proposal
We spent a romantic weekend getaway in a cozy shepherd’s hut nestled in Kent’s picturesque countryside, hoping to soak up the last of summer’s warmth. As we gazed up at the starry night sky after a delightful dinner at a local pub, David dropped down on one knee and popped the question. It was a truly magical moment. He had cleverly brought a proposal ring as a placeholder, knowing I’d want to search for the perfect ring in Brighton’s iconic lanes – which we did the very next day! After scouring the shops, we discovered an exquisite onyx engagement ring that David found in the final jewelry store. They kindly modified the band to suit my style, and before we knew it, I was walking away with the ring securely on my finger, just an hour later! The following day, we returned to Brighton to find our wedding rings at Baroque, where the talented jewellers crafted them to perfection.
The Vision
The idea behind our celebration wasn’t rooted in grand expectations or elaborate plans. Instead, we simply desired to bring together the people who mattered most to us, surrounded by the simple pleasures of life – delicious cuisine, lively tunes, and the warmth of shared moments over a refreshing drink.
The Planning Process
As we embarked on the planning process, a significant portion of our time was spent exploring online resources, including websites and blogs. We drew inspiration from various sources, carefully analyzing how others had approached their own weddings. Our goal was to create an event that truly reflected our personalities, values, and future together – rather than conforming to traditional expectations or societal norms.
Budget
We were incredibly fortunate to receive financial support from family members, yet still had a significant amount left to save ourselves. When faced with the decision of whether to part with our hard-earned cash for something, we relied on the wise mantra: ‘Will we still care about this item in 10 years’ time?’ More often than not, the answer was a resounding no! This guiding principle ensured that every purchase aligned with our values. Prioritizing the guest list allowed us to extend invitations to everyone we held dear, resulting in a total of 112 attendees. David was adamant that we host a sit-down meal, which along with the venue, consumed the majority of our budget. The exceptional cuisine made it all worthwhile. In the end, our special day came with a price tag of around £24,000.
The Venue
As theatre professionals, my partner and I didn’t want a venue that required extensive decoration and setup. We fell in love with the Clapton Country Club’s (CCC) interiors and vibe from the moment we stepped inside. Initially, we were deterred by the fact that CCC wasn’t licensed for civil wedding ceremonies, but after discussing our needs with owner Terence, who built the venue for his own wedding, we took a chance and reserved our date pending the renovation of an adjacent space across the cobbled courtyard. Our gamble paid off when the license came through, making us the first couple to be legally married in the Department of Life. The reclaimed parquet floors, exposed Victorian red brick, lush greenery, and natural light pouring in from the glass walls created a perfect setting for our ceremony – even in its previous state as a building site. Our guests raved about the exceptional food, served family-style at the tables, which ensured everyone had an ample helping. CCC truly excelled in service quality, making it challenging for us to decide on our final menu during our tasting session.
Your Outfits & Accessories
I donned Ted Baker’s finest groom’s suit, accessorized with my grandfather’s tie pin and cufflinks. In a clever game of dress-up, I kept Sarah’s dress under wraps – literally – until the day itself. Meanwhile, I embarked on a London-wide search for the perfect dress with my mum, two sisters, aunt, maid of honor, and best friend. The opinions were many, but ultimately, I took my sister’s sage advice to heart: ‘What style of dress do you already own that makes you feel like a million bucks?’ Following her wisdom, I made a solo trip to a nearby boutique on a Tuesday morning and discovered the exact dress I had been searching for – a stunning find at £300. To complete my look, I donned my grandmother’s vintage headpiece, which she wore to her own wedding in 1953, paired with her gold bell drop earrings and a new bracelet from Etsy featuring our shared initials. The pièce de résistance was a pair of Swedish Hasbeens shoes that proved surprisingly comfortable.
Beauty
I opted for a hairstyle that echoed my usual summer look, but elevated it thanks to Kirsten’s exceptional skills. Her expertise made me feel like royalty on the morning of the wedding, effortlessly incorporating my grandmother’s headpiece into the design of my plait. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Nicola, my trusted makeup artist, for over 15 years. She previously worked her magic at a close friend’s wedding and was my top choice to help me prepare for the big day. Her calming presence and exceptional skills transformed me into a more radiant version of myself. We experimented with different looks before settling on the perfect one, as I’m not typically one for heavy makeup application. The end result exceeded my expectations.
Bridesmaids
In a departure from the traditional big bridal party, we opted for a more intimate approach with just one maid of honor, Jess. Her stunning flutter sleeve midi dress was from ASOS. As we wanted to include our many nieces and nephews in the celebration, we ended up with four adorable flower girls and two charming ring bearers. The girls’ skirts and tops were courtesy of M&S, while the boys’ shorts, waistcoats, and shirts came from John Lewis. To add an extra touch of glamour, all the kiddies wore matching high-top sparkly shoes from John Lewis. The flower girls also sported beautiful rose gold headbands from Claire’s Accessories. My sister Hannah worked her magic to style each girl’s hair in a way that made them feel like the best version of themselves – and with ages ranging from little ones to older siblings, it was a truly special touch.
Groomsmen
One of the perks of having a Scottish best man is that they often come equipped with their own stylish attire. In this case, my best man’s Scottish heritage allowed him to bring his own kilt and suit to the party, making him look dashing and debonair as he stood by my side.
The Readings & Music
During the ceremony, David’s sister Maeve beautifully read a passage from Dolly Alderton’s ‘Everything I Know About Love’, specifically a poignant section about the love of friendship. This resonated deeply with us, as it was refreshingly different from other readings we had come across. What made this even more special was that Maeve had taken the initiative to find this perfect passage for us, after feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of other options that didn’t quite fit our unique love story. The entire book is indeed wonderful, and this particular passage perfectly captured the essence of our relationship and affection for each other. Sarah walked down the aisle to Cat Power’s soulful rendition of ‘Sea of Love’, while we strolled up the aisle to ‘You and Me’ by The Wannadie’s, with a clever edit that ensured the chorus, ‘Always…’, kicked in at just the right moment. Our first dance as a couple was accompanied by Tom Odell’s heartfelt ballad, ‘Grow Old with Me’, which held special significance for us as it was the same song we had first heard performed live by Beat Junkies on our very first date together.
Your Photographer
After extensive online research, we stumbled upon Kate Gray’s remarkable portfolio and fell in love with her unique style. We were thrilled to secure her services for our special day and arranged a pre-wedding meeting a few months prior, where she put us at ease by simulating the photo-taking process – a welcome experience for both of us, as it didn’t come naturally. On the big day, Kate worked seamlessly with her husband Jon, allowing us to capture intimate moments during our getting-ready preparations at the Airbnb near CCC, and David’s interactions with guests at the venue. The trio was an absolute delight – warm, kind, and made us feel like we were celebrating with old friends. We were thoroughly impressed with the photos and the thoughtful package Kate sent containing a USB stick and small mementos from our special day, which transported us right back to that magical moment.
The Details & Décor
As we scoured blogs for inspiration, one gem stood out – a suggestion to draw from our own home for décor ideas. This approach allowed us to leverage our personal taste, incorporating earthy greens, metallics, and dark blues that were already well-represented in our space. CCC’s beautiful decor meant we only needed to add a few subtle touches to make it truly ours. Fortunately, our talented friend lent her skills to create stunning signage and stationery for the day, including a calligraphy-style table plan and large signs that adorned the main hall. We supplemented these with personal touches – framed photos of us around the venue, as well as a large collage featuring our grandparents on their wedding days, a poignant tribute given only one grandparent could attend. As someone who works in theatre, I’m no stranger to backstage bouquets, and I asked fellow actors to pass along their wilted flowers for me to dry and repurpose as confetti. We also upcycled leftover save-the-date cards into cones to hold the flower confetti, a small but meaningful effort towards reducing waste and living sustainably.
The Flowers
We opted to save money on venue decor by focusing on bouquets and buttonholes from Grace and Thorne’s ‘Ready to Wear Wedding’ range, which was not only beautifully designed but also reasonably priced. The added bonus was that they delivered the arrangements to us on the morning of the wedding, with minimal travel required since they were local to the venue. Our decision to support a local business was an important one for us.In the days leading up to our big day, my best woman Jess and her partner Tom ventured out early to a flower market, returning with £100 worth of greenery. Alongside my sisters and two friends, we crafted table decorations using the venue’s own vases the night before. The end result was impressive, leaving us with plenty of spare material to work with.
The Cake
We were thrilled to discover Luminary Bakery, a local business that resonated with our values. The sample cakes we tasted were all incredibly delicious, but we ultimately chose a scrumptious lemon and blueberry cake. To add a personal touch to the meal service, we opted for family-style serving, where a dozen standard-sized cakes were placed on each table, allowing guests to help themselves to a slice. This approach was not only more cost-effective than a traditional large, decorated wedding cake but also fostered a sense of community and camaraderie among our loved ones. The highlight of the evening was when everyone took turns cutting their own ‘wedding’ cake and capturing adorable photos – a moment that has been fondly remembered and cherished by all.
The Honeymoon
As we approached our February 2020 getaway to Sri Lanka, we couldn’t help but think about how our post-wedding itinerary would shape up. Given our pre-wedding chaos, it was clear that planning a dreamy honeymoon wouldn’t be feasible before the big day. So, we decided to flip the script and ask loved ones for honeymoon contributions instead of traditional wedding gifts. The response was nothing short of astonishing – our generosity-driven family and friends came together to make three weeks of blissful travel possible.
Memorable Moments
Our wedding day was a scorcher, which made putting rings on our swollen fingers a memorable experience! The lovely Natalie, our Hackney registrar, kept us calm and conducted a beautiful ceremony. In between sips of champagne, we enjoyed some friendly competition playing Harry Potter Dobble with the kids – I didn’t even win! We also broke tradition by having speeches from our best man, best woman, and then ourselves, which brought laughter and tears to all. And let’s not forget enjoying leftovers in the hotel room, literally carrying a box each of pizza back to our rooftop haven. As we sat next to each other, newlyweds, during dinner, taking in the joy-filled atmosphere surrounded by loved ones, it was a truly special moment that will stay with us forever – and yes, it got a bit sentimental! Having all those people we love in one place, celebrating with us, is something we’ll treasure.
Advice For Other Couples
As you embark on this new chapter together, remember that every decision is a collaborative effort. Prioritize open communication and make choices jointly, knowing that others may have differing opinions – but ultimately, it’s your own thoughts and feelings that truly matter. When planning your wedding and life ahead, don’t forget to carve out some much-needed downtime in the days following your special day. We wish we had taken more time off ourselves, as returning to work just two days after the ceremony can be overwhelming, especially when juggling freelance responsibilities.
Credit Where Credit Is Due
With the big day just around the corner, Sarah and David decided to treat their loved ones to an unforgettable experience. Behind the lens was Kate Gray Photography, capturing every moment in stunning detail. The sweet treats were courtesy of Luminary Bakery’s delectable cakes, while a beautiful bouquet from Grace and Thorn added a touch of elegance to the proceedings. The bride-to-be looked ravishing in her Victoria’s Bridal Boutique dress, perfectly complemented by her groom’s Ted Baker suit. The Clapton Country Club provided the perfect setting for the celebration, with signage and stationery courtesy of graceandflourish and save-the-date cards designed by hawthorneandivory. As the sun went down, Yard Sale Pizza took care of the evening food, while hair styling expert Kirsten M’Clelland and makeup artist Nicola Spensley-Hather ensured the happy couple looked their absolute best. Jewellery was provided by trinketsbymoonlight, with wedding rings designed by Baroque Jewellery. The evening’s entertainment came courtesy of Beat Junkies via Tailored Entertainment, a Wedding Directory member. As the night drew to a close, Sarah and David retired to The Zetter Clerkenwell, their wedding night hotel. It was truly a day to remember, with a heartfelt thank you from Lou for sharing their special moment.