Film photographer Louis Kassam was on a last-minute trip from London to New York City, and his mother insisted that he stay with a family friend, Emma. While Louis certainly appreciated the couch in Emma’s Lower East Side apartment, it was Emma’s roommate—Talia Robinson, the director of product development at Saalt—that he stayed for.
After their instant connection, Louis and Talia overcame the struggles of long-distance and dated for three-and-a-half years. On a trip to Paris, while overlooking the City of Love on their hotel balcony, Louis proposed. They scheduled their wedding for September 19, 2020 in New York City, the perfect meeting point for their cosmopolitan guest list.
As COVID-19 began to spread across the globe in March 2020, the couple postponed their wedding to May 2021. They were, however, forced to cancel that new date in February 2021.
Louis’s friends and family are based in London, and with no clear re-opening date, the couple wasn’t sure when these guests could make the trip to the US. Instead of rescheduling again, Louis and Talia decided to go ahead and elope—à la the classic Vegas wedding.
The plans began in March 2021. By April, the two snuck off for a long weekend (and quick wedding) in Las Vegas. Talia admits, “The planning process was fun and stress-free once we were able to move past the disappointment of the previous two cancellations.” In fact, the process was so breezy, the couple didn’t even need a wedding planner.
The bride dressed to match the aesthetic of flashy chic Las Vegas. Her effortlessly classic Alaïa dress and dazzling By Far rhinestone heels perfectly paired with the neon-lit milieu. She accessorized with bracelets and earrings that had been passed down from both of her grandmothers. Las Vegas-based Sam Benston styled her hair and applied her makeup. Talia dishes, “I was so lucky to find Sam!” Meanwhile, the groom wore a dashing custom tuxedo from Thom Sweeney.
On April 3, 2021, Louis and Talia stepped into the iconic Little White Wedding Chapel for a “surreal” yet “hilarious” ceremony. An Elvis Presley impersonator personally walked Talia down the aisle. After the vow exchange, everyone burst out singing “Viva Las Vegas” and dancing to the King of Rock and Roll’s hits. While remembering her wedding, Talia recalls that she and Louis “were both so excited! The ceremony could not have been more different from our original plans, but we fully embraced it and had a blast.”
The newlyweds popped champagne in their limo and launched into a photoshoot along the Strip with Paul from Forged in the North Photography. As the sun set over Las Vegas Boulevard, the two retreated to a snazzy sushi restaurant for dinner before gambling the night away.
While their elopement definitely wasn’t the original wedding they had in mind, Louis and Talia feel like they hit the jackpot. They both agree—”We had the best weekend of our lives, and we could not be happier!”
