Your London Wedding - July/August 2024 (Issue 96)

ceremony and were later removed for the reception. With the dress being the focal point, the bride opted for elegant and understated jewellery and shoes. She couldn’t have been happier with how everything came together. Her hair and make-up, inspired by old Hollywood glamour, complemented her wedding outfit perfectly. The vintage gold and pearl jewellery borrowed from her family added a beautiful vintage touch to the overall look. To complement the bride’s elegant all-white attire, the groom chose a sleek allblack ensemble of a custom-fitted black tuxedo and black shirt combination. His look was a sophisticated statement. To align with the theme, all the groomsmen, ushers and pageboys also wore black tuxedos, but they differentiated themselves from the groom by wearing white shirts. The white buttonholes provided a perfect contrast against the black tuxedos. As for the three adult bridesmaids, Abi wanted to showcase their individuality by allowing them to choose their dress styles, as long as they were black, floorlength and made from the same material to maintain uniformity. The three young bridesmaids and flowergirls wore white to match the bride, and the little girls were thrilled with their flower wands! TIME TO CELEBRATE The pair opted to book Rockaoke, a skilled rock band that encourages audience participation by inviting them to sing along, providing guests with a special chance to perform alongside a live band! Abi exclaims, “They were a massive success! I don’t recall any guests who didn’t join in to sing, and the dancefloor was consistently filled with people enjoying our ‘performers’ attempting classic rock tunes. Rockaoke delivered the perfect blend of live music and guest amusement.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS The newlyweds had a fantastic day, the most enjoyable experience ever! The bride shares, “Having all our loved ones gathered in one place is rare, so we truly cherished every moment and couldn’t stop smiling throughout the day. One of the highlights was watching the kids sing along to Sweet Caroline with the band. It’s a beloved anthem among our friends, and all our guests joined in, singing and dancing along. Another standout moment was the Jägermeister tap. The groomsmen did an excellent job of serving shots to everyone, and all our guests were excited to try it. Ultimately, every guest (except me and my dad) had at least one shot! Initially, we had planned for an outdoor wedding, but unfortunately, the backup gazebos we had for rainy weather had holes in them! So, my poor husband, who was in charge of the morning setup, had to coordinate with our suppliers and groomsmen to move everything under cover. Surprisingly, we loved the rain as it created truly unique and beautiful pictures. My husband and I agree that every supplier went above and beyond to make our day special. They played a fundamental role in creating the perfect atmosphere. We had initially chosen a summer wedding, intending to have it outdoors. Still, with the rain all day, we are incredibly grateful to our suppliers for taking the initiative and ensuring everything was moved under cover. My favourite moments were when my husband recited his written vows and delivered his speech. His words were both beautiful and authentic to his personality. We rarely have the opportunity to express ourselves so profoundly to each other, so it was an extraordinary moment on our wedding day.” HONEYMOON After all the stress of wedding planning, the couple decided to keep their honeymoon very simple and booked an all-inclusive resort on an island called Isla Mujeres, just off the coast of Cancun in Mexico. They went for 10 days of pure relaxation. Very few cars are on the island, so most people travel around via golf buggy. The highlight was hiring one for the day to explore and visit Playa Norte, which was awarded one of the best beaches in the world. They also found the most delicious taco spot and enjoyed some authentic Mexican food for lunch. REAL WEDDINGS 29

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