Your London Wedding - March/April 2021 (Issue 76)

then take off the skirt and straps to allow me to dance the night away!” The dress was very well travelled, first being shipped from NYC to Houston, then back to NYC for Stephanie’s hen party, then on another flight to London. “I got really nervous when the airline said that they would have to start putting carry-on bags in the hold,” Stephanie says. “Luckily, the staff were great and let me board early and make sure my dress was safe in the cabin.” Toby and his groomsmen looked dashing in Ted Baker tuxedoes. The groom also wore mini geode cufflinks, which Stephanie gave him as a wedding gift. The bridesmaids stunned in sequinned one-shoulder gowns, tying in beautifully with the bride’s shoes. “We also wore matching bracelets that I bought as gifts for my bridal party for being the best friends anyone could ask for!” Stephanie tells us. MEMORABLE MOMENTS As the couple were already married, it allowed them to have a more personal ceremony lead by one of their good friends, and featuring vows they had written themselves. They also wanted to include a unity ceremony, and decided to mix gin and tonic in a symbolic gesture. “We went to The Ginstitute in London to make our own gin a couple of days before,” the bride explains. “We then picked a FeverTree tonic that went best with our gin and used that in the ceremony.” The sort-of-newlyweds had a surprise for their guests too. “During my speech I revealed that we were already married,” Stephanie laughs. “Most people at the wedding didn’t know that we had already been married for two years. It was amusing to see everyone’s surprised faces, and no one could believe we were able to keep it a secret! Overall, I think we were most excited about having everyone we cared about in one place.” REAL WEDDINGS 37