These lovebirds met on Tinder in July 2020 in that brief Covid window when people were allowed back outside in the summer together. Jemima recalls, “We definitely clicked over our shared sense of humour on our first date, and Hassan’s charming moves convinced me to give him a second chance. I had just returned from living abroad, and Hassan had recently moved to London, so we enjoyed exploring the city together that summer. It felt really special that we met, especially since I hadn’t planned to be back in London that summer – everything had to fall into place for us to meet, and I’m so grateful it did.” Fast forward to December 2022, the couple started talking about their aspirations for 2023, and the topic of engagement came up. They decided then and there to get engaged. In early January, they picked out the ring together and began sharing the exciting news with friends and family. SETTING THE SCENE The couple’s main wedding goal was to have fun! They had both experienced a challenging few years leading up to the wedding, compounded by Covid and the lockdowns. They truly wanted their wedding to be a celebration of their relationship. As a couple, they did not set New Year’s resolutions but instead, named their years to establish their intentions and hopes for the upcoming year. They named 2024 as their year of joy, reflecting their aspirations for the wedding and the beginning of marriage. When finding the perfect venue, Tudor Barn Eltham ticked all the boxes. The couple wanted the same venue for the ceremony and the reception, ideally with some nice gardens for photos and a drinks reception. The venue is situated in stunning gardens and features a beautiful room upstairs. The pair appreciated that they would have the whole venue for the day and that the staff were knowledgeable about hosting weddings. Food and drink in the package was also an appealing aspect. The bride hired a classic Bentley to transport herself and her bridesmaids from their hotel to the venue to feel extra special. Luke from Three Kings Wedding Cars went above and beyond to ensure a calm ride, despite the unexpected traffic and the fact that they were running late. The flowers were the main focus for the venue styling and the florist, Fika Florals, did not disappoint. The arrangements beautifully tied everything together, featuring lovely shades of pink in the bouquet, on the ceremony table, and the dinner tables. The venue was already so well decorated that they felt little else was needed. Hassan, being a software developer, meant that a significant number of software developers attended the wedding. To reflect his passion, the couple decided to use coding languages for the table names. This led to an interesting discussion about the hierarchy of coding languages. The venue provided excellent catering and was accommodating to the couple’s requests; for instance, they agreed to swap out the starter for a Middle Eastern mezze. The lovebirds wanted to weave in elements of Hassan’s Syrian culture wherever possible, and Diwan Damas on Edgeware Road became one of their favourite spots for Syrian sweets. A couple of weeks before the wedding, they ordered a substantial amount of sweets and baklava from the shop to assemble into boxes themselves. They also enjoyed designing the labels for the boxes, taking pride in having personally contributed to that element of the wedding. The pair ultimately chose a Lola’s Cupcakes 31 REAL WEDDINGS
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