A Two-Piece Halfpenny London Dress for a Private Members Club City Wedding

Hello lovelies! Even after writing about so many different styles of wedding, one thing that never ceases to impress me is the attention to teeny tiny detail that so many of you display on your ‘I-do’ days along with how many of you can call upon uber talented family and friends. This is definitely one of those weddings – just take a look at these lovely photographs by London wedding photographer Annamarie Stepney for some truly elegant table styling, beautiful blooms and creative stationery ideas – I particularly love the use of succulents in the table displays.

Katarina and Allen married on 26 July 2014 at Kat’s family church, St Mary’s Roman Catholic in Blackheath, south east London, followed by a reception at Eight Members Club in Moorgate. This venue is not far from where the couple first met in a bar in the summer of 2007. Allen is 6’8 – so he kind of stood out!

“I think more than anything we both wanted our wedding day to reflect who we are, our past and our present. I grew up in London and so, while we looked at a few places further out, I think we always knew we’d have a London wedding. Allen grew up overseas in Africa and Papua New Guinea until he was about 10 so I wanted there be a bit of nod to that as well.”

Photography Copyright (c) 2014, Annamarie Stepney

“Part of the reason we chose Eight was its modern, yet colonial feel and we wanted to carry that through. I was tearing my hair out in the run up because I wanted more than flowers, I wanted little touches too but there was no way I could have done it myself given that Eight would be open to the public the night before. I had the idea of terrariums but couldn’t source them anywhere. Eventually I came across wedding stylists, Boris and Betty and they changed everything.”

A lady of obvious great taste, Kat chose to wear a gorgeous Kate Halfpenny gown comprised of two separate pieces – a delicate lace top and absolutely divine silk skirt.

“Finding Kate was a huge turning point for me. I really struggled with the whole wedding dress experience. I found that many were poorly made in cheap material but still incredibly expensive. I really love Kate’s style and the fabrics are beautiful! I also really liked the capsule nature of the collection, you can mix and match different elements. She is also a wonderfully warm and straightforward person. I chose the dress because I loved the material, how it felt and how it moved.

I just felt it was elegant. I hadn’t wanted lace but I fell in love with the top. I chose the dress well before we established the “theme” but realised it had a very Edwardian look to it which fitted in perfectly.”

“I had an initial call with Sheena (Betty of Boris and Betty) when I explained that I loved things like little jam jars that were simply too rustic for the venue and just wouldn’t work. She suggested having similar elements but just making them a little more masculine: cut glass decanters, leather bound books, pocket watches. She also suggested ferns and succulents instead of lots of flowers.

I loved this idea and from there we really built the adventure theme together. Each table was named after an explorer/adventurer and we had their books or books about them to ‘label’ the table. The top table was Shackleton as he is my dad’s favourite!”

“A friend of mine recommended a photographer who was not available on our date and she suggested Annamarie. I knew from the second I saw her website that I wanted her. We went to her house for coffee and cake and ended up just chatting for nearly 3 hours!! I love her style, so warm and natural. We are so pleased with the photos. I think it’s so important to find the right photographer. After all that planning and love and thought, it’s the photos you are left with after all.”

“I looked for new wedding shoes but couldn’t find any that I liked. I already had a pair of soft-grey heels from Wallis which I decided to wear – the added bonus was that they were worn in and I knew they would be (semi) comfortable all day.

My necklace was borrowed from one of my bridesmaids, Gerry (my something borrowed). She wore it on her own wedding day a few years ago and I love it. I also had a crystal sash which was from Sash & Co but I found it on eBay – I had to bid for it and I think everyone in my office knew when I won. It was a bargain!”

Allen proposed in August 2013 in the middle of a lake beneath Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. He had organised a road trip through Germany and Austria and chose this point to propose because apparently the castle is at the start of the ‘Romantic Road.’ He gave Kat the ring in an old pewter matchstick box.

The box made an appearance at the wedding too when Allen presented it to Kat once again during his speech; this time it didn’t hold a ring but a bespoke book.

“I think the main thing that brings our whole story (adventure) together is the book that my hugely talented friend Emily Juniper made for us. Allen commissioned a handmade leather bound book which represented our story; it fits perfectly inside the little pewter matchstick box that Allen proposed with. When he gave it to me I know there wasn’t a dry eye in the room, certainly not mine.”

“Being 6ft 8” Allen has to have his suits tailor-made. His wedding suit was from A Suit That Fits. I bought him his first tailor-made suit for his birthday in 2008 from the same place, however they are a much bigger operation these days!

Allen added some pewter stag cufflinks to finish off his outfit and Kat gave him a gift on the morning of some Highland Angel engraved silver collar stiffeners.

“My engagement ring has been in my family since c.1870. My mum used to wear it on special occasions and I always loved it. When Allen proposed she passed it on to me – I still find myself just staring at it. It’s quite unusual and so the wedding band had to be made to fit it. The guys at The Wedding Ring Workshop in Hatton Gardens did an amazing job and made it with a little groove so it fits with the engagement ring perfectly. Mine is white gold but Allen’s is a rose gold band. We didn’t feel the need for them to match, we are so different after all.”

I love the idea the couple had for immediately after the ceremony – the Black Cab Coffee Company served coffees, G&Ts, ice creams and salted caramel affogatos in the church garden to waiting guests!

“Allen was in charge of booking the wedding car so I was half expecting to be picked up in some hugely impractical super car. But he chose an authentic turn of the century London cab which fitted in perfectly. Our driver, Pat was so kind and thoughtful, we loved him.”

“My amazingly talented sister made all of the invitations. We more or less copied the design of my parent’s wedding invitation and bound each one with lace and leather. They also included an origami heart that contained all the practical information for the day; my sister folded each one perfectly! She also made the table plan from a frame she found and strung each table as a luggage tag across it.

She also took one of my parent’s old suitcases and made it in to a ‘guest book’ so that guests could ‘send us a postcard’ from our wedding and also leave cards in it. The place cards were origami butterflies printed with each person’s name, again, Felicity expertly folded each one.”

“We have so many favourite parts of the day! However I think the moment that really stands out to us both is when we walked into the wedding breakfast. Allen’s brother announced us as Mr & Mrs Knight and there was the biggest cheer, everyone was on their feet clapping and I know it sounds cheesy but you could honestly feel the love in the room. That moment encapsulates the entire day for us and will stay with us forever.”

Words of wedded wisdom

“Where to start?! I think getting the right photographer is crucial and it’s worth spending a bit more time and money to find the right one for you and, getting in early as they get booked up a long time in advance. We are so pleased we found Annamarie, she was perfect for us.

Something that worked out very well for me was calling in favours where you can, it keeps the cost down, shares the load and people enjoy being part of your day. You have already heard about the amazing support I had from my mum, sister and aunt. My bridesmaid Gerry and her husband also spent many hours putting together an ipod playlist for us and Nicola at Chocoa-deco and Graham Buck of Black Cab coffee are both friends. I think allocating jobs according to what people do well and enjoy makes all the difference. Assembling a ‘team wedding’ was also a lot of fun!

On another practical note, I think having a detailed day plan and making sure most of your suppliers and a few reliable guest have it and are mindful of keeping things on track means you can relax and enjoy the day. As the bride you simply cannot be the point person on the day. My bridesmaid Jo was incredible at being my eyes and ears. Knowing that she and the other bridesmaids cared about everything as much as I did was a huge comfort and help.”

What a talented bunch of willing family and friends came together to create this gorgeous day! Many congratulations to Kat and Allen and many thanks to Annamarie Stepney for sharing this day with us all.

I particularly love the family heirlooms that have been passed down (and created) for this wedding. Are any of you lucky enough to have some treasured possessions included in your celebrations?

Much love, Katie xx

Photographer – Annamarie Stepney
Venue – Eight Members Club
Dress – Halfpenny London
Sash – Sash & Co
Groom – A Suit That Fits
Stationery – FuzzStar Cards
Rings – The Wedding Ring Workshop
Wedding styling – Boris and Betty
Car – Vintage Taxi
Church garden drinks – Black Cab Coffee Company
Chocolate treats – Chocoa-deco
Bespoke book – Juniper Bespoke Books
Hair & make-up - Dannique at Beauty Call
Singer - Joanna Russell
Videographer - Bloomsbury Films