We're so pleased to be sharing Lucy and George's intimate Shepherd's Bush wedding with you today, which took place at a romantic candlelit ceremony at St John the Baptist Church.
Lucy wore a bespoke Jesus Peiro wedding dress; a combination of the elements Lucy loved from styles 263 and 123. Our bride paired the dress with one of our favourite Jesus Peiro capes, style 260, which made a dramatic, elegant statement in the breathtaking surroundings of the church. Lucy finished the look with a very special 1920's family heirloom veil, and the perfect berry red lipstick.
Read on to find out more about Lucy and George's intimate, heartfelt church wedding ceremony, Lucy's dress shopping experience and planning a wedding during a pandemic, with photography by Alex Dimos.
A bespoke Jesus Peiro wedding dress and cape
I chose Jesus Peiro dress 263 but with the skirt from Jesus Peiro separates 123 (I preferred the tulip shape of the skirt). I also wore a Jesus Peiro cape (style 260). I loved the simplicity of the dress and its beautiful tailoring which were exactly the sort of classic look I wanted, rooted in Hollywood glamour. It also has pockets, which I love. And the cape made me laugh with delight every time I put it on! I felt so elegant and confident in my dress and cape. Wearing the dress was absolute bliss - I loved the feeling of the satin moving round me.
I brought my dear friend Alexandra with me when I found the dress. Because of Covid regulations I could only have one person with me, but we had such fun together. We knew this was the right dress because both of us got a bit teary looking at me in it. I'm really glad I treated myself to a 'proper' wedding dress even though it was such a small wedding. It felt like compensation for not having more friends there, AND I will definitely wear it again for a wedding party, when we can have it!
Dress Shopping
My favourite part of the dress shopping experience... It's a toss between trying on all those dresses (which was huge fun!) and meeting Emma. Emma had such enthusiasm and expertise and she knew exactly what I was talking about when I started referencing 1940s and 1950s Hollywood film stars! She has a cracking sense of humour too. She would put anyone at their ease and guide them through what could otherwise be quite a nerve-wracking experience.
The team were just brilliant. They were very kind about my panicky need to return almost immediately after my first trying on to make sure I'd made the right decision. The second lockdown was announced on a Saturday - the next day I had two reassuring emails in my inbox from the team saying how it would affect what, and giving me details of my new dress-fitting appointments. Not having my family and friends able to join me in choosing my dress and going to fittings could have made the process a bit lonely, but Rosie and Jo made up for it with their enthusiasm and kindness. Jo managed to fit my two fittings in the week between the end of the second lockdown and the wedding, helped me pack the dresses into the back of my tiny car, and even advised me on how to hang them to prevent creases.
Styling
I chose to do my hair and make-up myself, partly from thrift, and partly so that I knew that wouldn't be affected by anything Covid-related. I did a 1940s gibson roll on my hair, which had to support my veil. The veil is from the 1920s and had been worn by my great-grandmother and my mother. I had great difficulty deciding which precise shade of red lipstick to wear - and on the day I swerved to berry! I already had my shoes, a pair of gold court shoes from LK Bennett. I wore a pair of diamond studs that I borrowed from my oldest friend (we've been pals since nursery) as my 'something borrowed'. As she couldn't be with me because of the restrictions it was a lovely way of having her with me. When I tried everything on I thought that a pearl bracelet would look very pretty on my wrists as they came out of the cape, and that was also borrowed from Niamh. My something blue was my engagement ring, which has an aquamarine. I bought an ivory silk face mask from Etsy.
An intimate Shepherd's Bush wedding
We didn't really have an agreed style, though we both had a mid-twentieth century smart London wedding in mind. I was thinking of photographs of various Mitford sisters at the church porch! We knew with only 15 people it would be intimate but very heartfelt. The main thing for us was to be there with the people we loved and for everyone to have a fun, relaxed time. (The service and the music was also really important to us both, so a lot of thought went into that!)
The best bits
There were so many wonderful moments, especially as we hadn't seen our friends and family for months. I managed to have a last minute hen-do with six chums on the morning of the wedding, drinking coffee on a bench in Holland Park in a wedding veil and silly Elton-John-style 'Bride to Be' sunglasses. But the best moment was when we came out of the church onto a busy London road at the end of the service, all the cars started honking their horns and waving at us - and a lot of people in the houses opposite came to their windows to see what had caused the honking and started waving (and dancing!) as well. It was so unexpected and spontaneous and joyful. I think everyone really wanted good news during the pandemic, and even Londoners turned quite demonstrative!
Lucy's Advice
On finding a dress: take a good friend who you trust, and stick to your guns if you know that taking your mum along might not be the best plan. If you're short of time (as I was), and you know what styles suit you best, don't worry about going to lots of boutiques to try lots of really different things. Don't get overwhelmed by all the magazines. Your instinct is probably right. And have fun!
COVID-19 Advice: Keep the faith - it can be done! We had a really special day which we'll always cherish. In fact, it meant even more because of the extraordinary circumstances. Keep talking to everyone involved - if you aren't seeing your guests as often or in such large groups as you would in normal circumstances, communication is a bit more difficult and things can slip through the net. People had a few surprises about arrangements close to the day itself, because we'd assumed they knew what was happening. The other thing is keep relaxed about some of the finer details. Keep your eye on what's important - that you will both be there, making this amazing step - and roll with the rest. Everyone is on your side, and they'll understand if it's not perfect or has to change last minute. For instance there was no way I was going to get my bridesmaids and flower girls into exactly the same colour dresses when we couldn't shop together, and I really wanted the girls to be able to choose their own dresses so it was fun for them. We also couldn't have the photographer at the wedding breakfast. If you find yourself doing your own make-up, I strongly recommend watching some of Lisa Eldridge's videos. She has a very soothing voice and has good tips on long-lasting make-up that looks good with flash photography. Oh, and if you're buying lingerie in a lockdown, starting hunting early - you may have to return a lot of bras in the post before you get the right size!
Suppliers
Photography: Alex Dimos
Church: St John The Baptist, Shepherd's Bush, London
Dinner: Clarke's Restaurant
Bridesmaid's dress: Libelula via Wolf and Badger
Flower girls' dresses and fur capes: JJ's House
Printers for service sheet: Barnard and Westwood
Groom's suit: Ede and Ravenscroft
The rest was largely done by friends and family:
Flowers arranged by my mother and mother in law, flowers supplied by Triangle Nursery
Wedding cake by professional baker Mary Clare, @maryqueenofscones
Biscuits for tea after service by my mother