Your London Wedding - July/August 2020 (Issue 72)

REAL WEDDINGS 39  M usicians Lauren and Tim met in the most romantic setting – a wedding – where a mutual friend did some skilful matchmaking. “We ended up talking late into the night,” Lauren says. And the rest is history. “I went on a four-week U.S. tour with Rick Astley,” Lauren says. “While I was away, Tim worked on fixing up our house.” His plan was to propose to Lauren in their wonderful new home when she got back, but it didn’t quite pan out that way. Tim got booked for a gig in Egypt, with the flight departing an hour after Lauren arrived back in London. Not wanting to wait any longer, Tim met Lauren in Costa Coffee at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5. “He showed me a photo-montage of the house,” Lauren remembers. “I was a blubbering mess, I couldn’t believe what he’d achieved!” Tim explained that he’d done all the work so he could take her into the garden and pop the question, as he said this he pulled a ring from his suitcase and dropped to the floor. “I went home on Cloud 9,” Lauren says. “We never imagined we’d get engaged in a Costa Coffee, but our life is rarely predictable!” The pair soon set the date for 12 th January, 2019, at Old Finsbury Town Hall, and being behind London music agency Next Level Music, they got to work planning the ultimate party… PUTTING THEIR STAMP ON Initially drawn to Old Finsbury Town Hall because of its dry-hire service and extended curfew, it was the grandeur of the Great Hall that captivated the couple. “We were struck by the romanticism and history of the place,” Lauren remembers. “It wasn’t like any venue we had played at, which was important to us; we wanted something different.” The couple chose a mauve and burgundy palette to tie their winter wedding together, and the florals complemented the look. Lauren says, “For the bouquets, I wanted an explosion of textures, blooms and exposed stems; our florist created it perfectly. We used hydrangeas for the bridesmaids’ arrangements as they were large enough to only need a couple of flowers with some eucalyptus to get the stye we wanted.” Top tip: after the photos, they used the bouquets to brighten up the ladies’ toilets! Lighting was key for the couple. The table centrepieces were pretty wisteria trees entwined with twinkling lights, candles flickered and uplighters created an inviting atmosphere. “In our line of work, we’ve seen spaces transformed with lighting,” Lauren says. “Colour-changing uplighters really set the mood, as we started with a beautiful golden glow in the day, which turned into vibrant pinks and purples for the reception.” Getting in the party spirit from the outset, the pair combined their table plan with a drinking game called Find Your Face, Find Your Place. “We printed photos of our guests and placed them on top of assorted shots,” Lauren explains. “We love the photos of our guests laughing at their picture before grimacing at the shot! I especially love the photo of my grandmother downing sambuca like it was water!” Guests were also treated to eco-friendly seed favours, which grow into forget-me-nots when planted. “We didn’t want a cake as we felt that the whole cake-cutting thing was a bit awkward for us,” Lauren says. “Instead we had a five-tier cheese stack and a custom topper. We also served doughnuts and sweet treats with our evening food.” Guests dined on a delicious Indian banquet, as it’s Tim’s favourite food. “Everyone commented on how amazing the catering was,” the bride says. “La Freshco were brilliant at meeting the dietary requirements for anyone who couldn’t eat the curry.” In the evening, a 4ft grazing table was brought out for loved ones to feast on incredible fresh produce and some Greek dishes to reflect Lauren’s heritage.