Your London Wedding - January/February 2021 (Issue 75)

REAL WEDDINGS 33  Hosting their reception at Craft, a high-end restaurant, the pair knew their catering was in safe hands. They also had a delicious chocolate cake with a white chocolate exterior. “Why have fruitcake when you can have chocolate?” Fabienne laughs. AISLE STYLE Never much of a girly girl, princess dresses and long trains were never going to be right for Fabienne. “I found myself drawn to an aesthetic of elegance and glamour – I’m half French so maybe that’s why!” She says. “My look had a vintage feel, from the slim-line Monsoon dress and Hollywood-wave hairdo to the family jewellery dating back to the 1940s.” When selecting a bouquet, Fabienne wanted bold colours and geometric shapes. She let the talented Harley from Harley’s Flowers come up with a unique arrangement, which included Singapore orchids, bright pink calla lilies and tropical foliage. “I had a wonderful time getting ready with my closest friends in the morning,” Fabienne remembers. “Hannah Monk Hair and Make-up did a stunning job on my look and she was a wonderful person to spend the morning with – calm, friendly and fun.” IT’S A CELEBRATION As Tony plays with the world’s best orchestras, finding amazing musicians to perform live was never going to be a problem. “For the ceremony, we had a group of Tony’s colleagues – a string quartet and a harp – along with our close friend, Sandy, who is a professional soprano,” Fabienne says. “We knew a soprano voice would soar in the large resonant acoustic, and it brought tears to everyone’s eyes. The Woolwich staff told us that they had never heard such beautiful music in the space, and many of our guests, who weren’t classical buffs, were clamouring to thank and praise Sandy afterwards.” The newlyweds had a surprise up their sleeve for guests, with an after-dinner performance from their friend William, who is an actor and international cabaret artist. “William is a showman in the truest sense of the word,” Fabienne says. “He had the whole room in the palm of his hand! It really meant a lot to us to be able to showcase our enormously talented friends.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS We just had to ask the newlyweds what their favourite memories of the day were. Tony says, “We pre-booked two coaches to take our 80 guests from the Town Hall to the restaurant. During this time, we snuck off to have photos taken by the river. It was an impromptu decision; our photographers, Jeff and Sarah, encouraged us as the weather was so outstanding. It ended up being one of our favourite moments of the day. We had the chance to revel in the sunshine and glow of being newlyweds. The radiance shines through in these photos and we adore their urban nature.” Fabienne was thrilled that so many of their loved ones could join them. “Tony’s family and friends are based in Australia and the U.S., while mine are half French, so we had people flying in from all over the world,” she explains. “We hosted a pre-wedding family day at Charlton House and a post-wedding lunch at the Intercontinental. On the day, the beautiful warm evening meant everyone could spill out onto the terrace to enjoy cocktails.”