Your London Wedding - May/Jun 2019 (Issue 65)

REAL WEDDINGS 45  passionate. We had Middle Eastern sharing plates to start, followed by slow-roasted lamb, cous cous and picked vegetables. We wanted the food to be a highlight for the guests and it was.” As Emma works for Transport for London, a Routemaster was a no-brainer for transporting guests between the ceremony and reception. The couple served mini bagels and Pimm’s on board as a prequel to the drinks reception and hired on-the- day coordinator Devine Bride to aid the transition. “A few months before the wedding, we realised we may have bitten off more than we could chew with three venues and restricted access to them in the run up, so I booked Laura to manage the day. She was an angel and the wedding wouldn’t have been the same without her,” says Emma. DRESSING THE PART And while Emma had firm ideas when it came to dressing the venue, her hunt for a gown was less straightforward. “I’m incredibly indecisive and found dress shopping challenging,” she admits. “I ended up choosing the second dress I tried on but thought I’d made a mistake at the first fitting. I cried. A lot. On the day, however, when accompanied by my flowers and accessories, I couldn’t have loved the dress more.” Jonny’s decision was less conflicted – he chose a navy suit from Hugo Boss and accessorised with brogues and pink tie. MAGIC MOMENTS True to form, Jonny was cool and collected on the day. “I’d thought I’d be really nervous but I actually felt remarkably calm all day. My best men stayed over the night before and we woke to glorious sunshine, made breakfast and got ready at a leisurely pace. We then walked down and travelled to Hackney by Overground, arriving in time to chat to our guests. Before I knew it, Emma had appeared at the end of the aisle. I was really glad we’d stayed separately the night before because that moment of seeing her for the first time was so special.” Emma picks out their couples shoot as among her favourite memories of the day. “The sun was shining and we walked through Clissold Park with our photographer snapping away. Strangers were congratulating us and we were able to soak it all in and spend some time together before the madness of the reception.” The couple both look back on the speeches fondly too. “When I stood up to make the speech, I honestly wasn’t sure if any sound would come out,” laughs Jonny. But he discovered there was no need to fret. “It’s the warmest crowd you’ll ever address,” he advises. And although both were sad that those friends they’d travelled with back at the beginning couldn’t make the day, as Emma explains, it was for the best possible reason, “Rosie was in labour that night – she gave birth to a baby girl in the early hours of Sunday morning.”