During the summer of 2015, Kylie Philbin flew to London to visit a friend, and on a night out at The Orange Pub in Pimlico, she met Thomas Bishop. Two years later, when Kylie returned to London to volunteer and apply to MBA programs, Tom finally asked her out. “It became ‘the 52-hour date,’” she laughs. “The whole week felt like How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days—we saw each other almost every day that week, planned an NYE trip to Florence, and [I] even met his family and new puppy the following weekend.” 

Three-and-a-half years later in Antigua, Tom proposed to Kylie at Shirley Heights. As for the ring, the one-of-a-kind family heirloom belonged to Tom’s great-great-great-grandmother. “I feel so lucky to wear it,” Kylie says. “[I] don’t think she ever thought an American would be wearing it one day!” 

Once engaged, the pair chose Hampton Court Palace in London for the wedding weekend. 20 years earlier, Kylie, her parents, and her grandmother visited the home of Henry VIII for the first time. “I still have the scrapbook of our trip,” she shares. “It was the trip that gave me inspiration to live in London at some point. I didn’t think I would end up marrying someone from London or even coming back to Hampton Court, but it had a place in my heart.” 

Jessie Westwood of Studio Sorores took to all the planning and full design, while Katie Julia, who also photographed the couple’s legal wedding and engagement photos, captured every moment with Russell Kent Videography. “We intentionally brought together the sumptuosity of regal celebrations, combined with a modern new romantic Versailles mood and a whimsical style that also gives a nod to the eccentricity often found in English country houses alongside a more classic and timeless youthful fashion edge,” Jessie explains. “We used a bold yet Spring-like feel in the color palette—starting with a softer lighter look that transitioned into brighter bolder tones as the evening progressed. The entire venue was scented with Diptyque 34 which was so perfect for the space and design concept we curated.”

“We love to host parties, being two major extraverts, and we wanted this to feel like the best dinner party we’ve ever hosted and to make the Great Hall transform into a party that Henry VIII would be jealous of,” Kylie shares of her wedding vision. “We wanted the aesthetic to evoke a joyful and luxurious experience to showcase the formality and grandeur of the historic Hampton Court Palace but also bring modern and bold tones to highlight the celebratory and party-loving atmosphere.”

To set the tone for the weekend, Rose of Studio Sorores beautifully blended teals, duck egg blues, warm terracottas, and rose pinks into the bespoke save the dates and paper goods, while Lavender Green Flowers incorporated the color palette into every bouquet. 

The couple hosted welcome drinks and a rehearsal dinner at the members club, Boodle’s. To this, she selected Markarian’s Evora bow floral brocade gown. “I love big bow energy and did not want a white rehearsal dress,” Kylie explains. “Seeing this brocade dress with a pattern that reminded me of curtains in historic English buildings was perfect.”

“I wanted to take the British style of topper and train, but give it some American flare,” Kylie notes of her ceremony look. The bride-to-be fell in love with Lela Rose after visiting the atelier. “Lela’s fun and flawless personality is clearly intertwined in her styling and fabric choices, and Haley the bridal director’s energy was infectious. Haley even turned on Abba for my mom, maid of honor, Emily, and her mom, when we were finalizing our pick. We had a feeling this was the one when ‘Dancing Queen’ was turned up.”

The bride ultimately chose the white lace column Belfast gown. Emily Smeaton Jewellery created her “something blue” wedding band—a blue topaz and diamond roulette ring. 

Following the ceremony and once on the dance floor, the bride switched into Nadine Merabi flare pants paired with a hot pink Cult Gaia swing top—ideal for dancing the night away amidst endless espresso martinis. 

“I was inspired by Amanda Jones Vaughan’s Lela Rose and vibrant colored bridal party choices for her Florida wedding,” Kylie says. “We had a crew of a bridal party, and I wanted everyone to feel like the belle of the ball with a spring palette and elevated black-tie feel.” A collection of bright American and British designers came together delightfully on the day, one guest even described the curated ensemble as “a bouquet of friends” complementing the bride. Gemma Sutton added to the radiance of it all, creating every makeup look and hairstyle.

On May 27, 2023, Kylie and Tom, who looked handsome in an Oliver Brown suit, married at Hampton Court Chapel Royal as a full royal choir of gentlemen and boys harmonized English hymns alongside the organ. “We truly felt so present the entire service. Walking out and seeing all your people in one place smiling at you is a special kind of memory,” the bride shares. When the couple sealed it all with a kiss, the choir belted famed British hymn “Jerusalem,” a joyful request from the groom.   

As the sun shone through the Privy Gardens, guests made their way to the reception. Canapés of Virginian-style crab cakes, steak-wrapped frites, and tiger prawn burgers were served alongside Remedy kombucha mocktails, Nyetimber, and Berry Brothers Rudd wines. The newlyweds shared a moment alone before reentering the festivities in the Great Hall. Maison Margaux tablescapes came to life amidst tapestries and stained glass windows. Napkins swirled midair when “Kill The Lights’ played and the energy ignited. 

Following a delectable ​​Food Show Events dinner, the party commenced in the Undercroft—Henry VIII’s beer cellar, transformed by London Event Productions. Kylie and Tom danced to Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be”–a nod to The Parent Trap and their “52-hour first date”—before Prelude Entertainment queued an amped DJ set. Crowd surfing, tossing disco balls, dancing with the deejay, and everyone on elevated surfaces—the newlyweds included—set the scene on the dance floor. “We loved seeing a perfect balance of U.K. and U.S.A. cultures come together,” Kylie gushes. “How fun it was for our American guests to rent morning suits and go to venues and events that not your average tourist gets to attend. We were loving the energy that people brought from near and far just to be with us.”