our wedding breakfast was held, monitors were carefully attached to the ring, streaming tailor-made videos from the moment we met until the days before our wedding.” When it came to the seating plan, Olga and Oliver were keen to name each table after a place important to them. “The head table was Happily Ever After,” says the bride. “We also chose Basil’s and Tortuga, among others, named after Oliver’s favourite bar and villa on Mustique Island, St Vincent and The Grenadines. Choosing where guests sat took some planning by Oliver, taking into consideration friends’ and families’ interests, politics and preferences.” DRESS TO IMPRESS No expense was spared when it came to the bride’s dress. “My bespoke gown was created by an award-winning designer from Ukraine, and took over a year to make,” says Olga. “It was befitting for our high society wedding, with guests including British nobility, the UK’s most prominent business leaders and high net worth individuals from overseas. The ivory satin bodice was inspired by Grace Kelly’s royal wedding dress, featuring embroidery with floral motifs cut from hand-made lace, appliquéd onto silk tulle. Thirty eight crystals were used instead of buttons, while the top of the dress was covered with thousands of crystal beads. I finished my look with a bridal train that was just shy of three metres, and a five metre veil with yet more crystal beading.” The groom also looked the part, with a tailored navy-blue morning suit with grey trousers, vest and mustard tie. “His groomsmen wore traditional tails, while my bridesmaids were dressed in sage floor-length gowns, also designed by a Ukrainian award-winning designer,” continues the bride. LET’S EAT Paying attention to their guests’ every need was also important to Olga and Oliver. “We started with drinks at Grantley Hall’s Après at The Orchard, before enjoying a four-course Michelin-star wedding breakfast,” says the bride. “Later, we cut our cake – a five-storey salted caramel creation. Decorated with pearls and white edible ‘lace’, it featured fresh foliage, hydrangea and white country roses on the perimeter circle of each tier. But the food and drink didn’t stop there, with a free bar, drinks, canapés and late-night sandwiches served throughout the evening.” The groom was a professional DJ in his twenties, meaning it was down to Oliver to organise the music. “Oliver’s always known what tunes to play to get everyone dancing,” says Olga. “He therefore pre-mixed records for the reception, wedding breakfast and first dance – Van Morrison’s Someone Like You, the favourite song of his late father, who passed away in 2021. A private DJ then entertained our guests for a few hours, before we partied until 2am at Grantley Hall’s very own nightclub, Valeria’s.” 35 REAL WEDDINGS
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