day, I felt like the best version of myself!” Marcus looked dapper in a charcoal three-piece suit with a waistcoat to stand out from the groomsmen who live all over the world, in London, Spain, and Australia. The pair asked them to wear black to make coordinating easier and bought matching ties and buttonholes to match the bouquets. The bridesmaids were in gorgeous almond dresses by designer Shona Joy, who creates a range of styles in different shades each season. The bride didn’t mind if the girls matched, so she just picked the colour and told them to choose whichever style they felt the most comfortable in. Funnily enough, the four bridesmaids chose two styles, so it all balanced itself out in the end. They all looked stunning, which is all Natarsha wanted. She says, “I think the idea of the bridesmaids not wanting to ‘steal the show’ is outdated. I wanted them to feel gorgeous, see the wedding photos later and want to post the shots on their own Instagram while getting as many compliments as I did.” TIME TO CELEBRATE The pair hired a New Orleans-style band to walk with the newlyweds and the guests from Islington Town Hall to the reception venue, which everyone loved! They also had a DJ later in the evening to keep the celebrations going. The dancefloor wasn’t the biggest heat because the wedding occurred during a heat wave. Due to noise restrictions, the supplier had to set up indoors, so guests could only dance for a song or two before heading back outside to the beer garden to sit down and cool off. “It was quite funny because it made people picky about which songs they wanted to dance to, jumping up and running inside when they heard a favourite playing,” says the bride. “It was such a balmy evening in the end. Sitting outside mingling under the starlight and fairylights felt so magical.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS The bride expected to feel nervous, but mostly, she was excited and felt so lucky to have everyone in one place. Marcus was the same; he was just so grateful to have all their loved ones with them to celebrate. The bride says, “The most memorable moment was undoubtedly the band. It honestly felt like we were in a Richard Curtis movie. People came out into the streets to watch, wave and cheer. People were hanging out of the windows of townhouses and restaurants. A group of schoolchildren stopped and clapped as we walked by. It felt like the streets of London were celebrating with us. The guests said they had never experienced anything like it – it felt so surreal. “I didn’t realise but in Norway, it’s traditional to go around the room and let the wedding guests make a toast or a speech. Marcus’s mother’s side of the family is Norwegian, so we had some family come from there for the wedding. They all had words prepared, not realising this wasn’t planned for the day. His uncle especially wanted to speak, so we had a view spontaneous speech, which took us and everyone else by surprise! All the speeches were fantastic; I teared up a little during every single one. We read our own vows, which also felt extra special and personal. Marcus was nervous about his, as he doesn’t consider himself much of a writer, but what he said was perfect.” HONEYMOON The couple spent their honeymoon in North Croatia, mostly on the Istrian peninsula. They wanted to get a little off the beaten track, and this part of Croatia is still such a hidden gem. It was a mix of inland vineyards in the mountains, walled cities on the Med, delicious seafood, truffle pasta, lots of swimming and scenic drives. The pair couldn’t recommend it more! Natarsha says, “We had the time of our lives, and it was the perfect way to wind down after the busy wedding week. I say week because since we had friends and family visiting from all over the world, the celebrations were very much not limited to one day. The highlight was probably Rovinj, this stunning walled city on the coast. It was just busy enough that it had an atmosphere but quiet enough that it felt romantic. We spent our days there swimming and getting lost in the cobbled laneways, eating, drinking, spotting dolphins from our balcony and listening to the church bells. At night, all these performers would pop up to play guitar randomly on corners; you could order a wine from a local bar to sit down and watch. The locals were all so friendly, chatting with us over morning coffees and telling us the best secret spots for a dip – it was magical!” 47 REAL WEDDINGS
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