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An Intimate Wedding in The Oldest Church in London

By Alexandra Macon

Alice and Jack met during their first year of university at Edinburgh, but it wasn’t until their last year there that they finally started going out. Six years later, Alice, who works in advertising, and Jack, who’s in the e-commerce world, decided to head out to Norway for a weekend anniversary trip, as they are both big fans of Scandinavia. “We got a cable car up to the top of the mountain with amazing views of the city,” says Alice. “It was a really sunny, crisp day, and whilst we were wandering or sliding around icy footpaths, due to inappropriate footwear choices, Jack asked me to marry him.”

When scouting for wedding locations, the couple wanted to pick a venue that would represent them, as well as their love of London. For the ceremony, they chose to tie the knot in the oldest church in London, St. Bartholomew the Great. “This historical setting was a very special place to say our vows,” says Alice. And for their reception, the two settled on one of their favorite restaurants in London, St. John Bar and Restaurant.

Alice was adamant that she wanted to give every aspect of her wedding a personal touch. And so, for her invitations, she and her sisters pressed flowers picked from her grandmother’s garden, while for the service sheets and thank you cards, she used watercolor pictures painted by her father of the church and restaurant. The wedding’s flowers were also extremely important for Alice. She worked together with Jam Jar Flowers to create stunning wild floral bouquets for the bridal party, candlestick arrangements for the church, and hung flowers around the restaurant’s interiors in a muted color palette with greenery.

Like her wedding day aesthetic, Alice also wanted something minimal and elegant for her bridal look, and used Bianca Jagger’s iconic wedding day pantsuit as inspiration. “On my first shopping trip with my Mum and sisters, I happed to walk past Pleats Please Issey Miyake and found an amazing pleated white dress and jacket, along with ice gray matching bridesmaid outfits,” she says. “I think I hit the record for, not only the world’s fastest wedding dress purchase, but also one of the smallest, as it folded up really small!” For shoes, she went with block heels from LOQ during the day, and Valentino Tango heels for the evening, paired with a white Aesther Ekme bag. Much of her jewelry (engagement ring, wedding ring, and necklace) was made by Maya Magal, and she finished off her accessories with a borrowed John Donald bracelet and simple diamond stud earrings from her mother.

On October 14, 2017, Alice and Jack headed to St. Barts Church for their wedding. “We had the most wonderful vicar, who really made the ceremony feel very personal and inclusive and struck the right balance between a joyful and ceremonial occasion,” Alice says. “I felt extremely happy and lucky to be surrounded by all of our closest friends and family from all over the world.”

After they wed, the couple and their guests headed to St. John Bar and Restaurant where they enjoyed wine and champagne, and a family style dinner which included crispy pigs cheek, roast Jerusalem artichoke, fish pies, and roast beef. Just before their meal, there were four joint toasts: One by each set of parents, one by the joint best men, and one from the couple themselves. Then it was time for dessert and dancing. The couple first danced to “This Must Be The Place” by Talking Heads, and later DJ Chris Tindall played some more classic tunes, featuring a guest set by Alice’s brother, too. “It’s hard to pick my favorite moment, but the food and drink was really a highlight, plus dancing with everyone after the meal,” Alice admits. “I lost my voice after hoarsely saying goodbye to all of our friends and family!”