Beth + Matt by Maja Tsolo - Together Journal

I am famous amongst my friends for talking a LOT, and normally a lot of nonsense. We got our wedding video back and couldn’t stop laughing at my speech. I went on every tangent you could think of, I lost my train of thought and fumbled my words but it was so funny. And so me!

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
B: We have been together for 13 years since we were just 18. We live in South East London with our dachshund Edna. Matt works in rail, I work in luxury fragrance. We are both the exact same and the exact opposite at the same time. Matt loves all sports, I cannot stand any sport. Matt cooks, I eat out at every opportunity. Matt hasn’t read a book in about 10 years, I read 10 books a year. However, we laugh at the exact same thing. We constantly crack the same jokes, quote the same movie references and love a dog walk to our favourite pub.

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
M: We met when we were so young, we just took each day as it came, it just organically happened. It built up naturally until we moved in together and thought this is it!
B: I think when I graduated uni and Matt did a master’s, we had a year of trying to work around each other’s schedules. Matt would drive over at all hours just to come see me at my parents’, even if just for a couple of hours. I knew then he was absolutely someone I wanted in my life forever.

Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
B: It was perfect, the second time around. I spoiled the first proposal, which was meant to happen in Miami. Let’s just say, if your boyfriend of 8 years is hanging around London’s diamond district, it’s quite obvious. However, it turned out perfectly, Matt took me on a surprise visit down to Salcombe, Devon, a place that my family have been holidaying in for generations. He took me to a small secluded bay and we sat on a bench and he passed me a set of headphones, he had prerecorded the entire proposal so he didn’t forget anything he wanted to say. He then opened the ring box to the most amazing art deco ring, but instead of romantically taking the ring out of the box and putting it on my finger, he closed the box shut and shoved it onto my lap, it was perfectly Matt.
M: I’d planned to propose to Beth for a couple of years, I had so many grand ideas but after much deliberation, I thought we should get engaged in a special place to us. I know I’m terrible with my words and would forget all the important things I wanted to say. So, instead, I recorded it in our bedroom one night. In Salcombe, I made the excuse to Beth that we had to walk over to our favourite spot. I sat Beth down on the bench and told her I wanted to check up on the West Ham score but instead I passed her my headphones and told her to press play.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding…
M: I’ll let Beth handle this one. I was the budget man, she was the ideas woman.
B: Matt was very hands-on with the organising, but knew the vision and the feel of the wedding was my forte. I wanted a luxury town hall wedding, with small nods to the festive period without it being a “Christmas wedding”. Something that felt intimate but grand at the same time. The Town Hall Hotel was perfect. It was in East London where my family grew up. it had beautiful light, marble everywhere, and art deco features. It was stunning. Matt and I both love 70’s music and especially David Bowie. Our first dance was to Bowie. Our theme was “Modern Love” after the Bowie song. We had 70’s touches in the dress, the cake, and the music. I wanted the flowers to contrast the dark masculine panelled rooms, lots of pinks and creams, the flowers needed to feel ultra feminine. We also wanted to keep the mood fun and light throughout the day. Post dinner we gave out song books and drunkly sang our favourite songs around a piano with all our guests. It was one of the highlights of the day and was a great way to transition from the meal and the speeches to the dancing.

What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
M: The food and drink. I think the best weddings we’ve been to are where everyone is well-fed and there’s plenty of booze and I wanted the same for our wedding. The food and drink at the Town Hall Hotel was phenomenal, shout out to the most incredible truffle potatoes. And the spicy margaritas as our reception drinks went down a treat.
B: For me, it was the flowers. I was not willing to budge. It had to be Worm, it had to be visually beautiful. I wanted people to leave with flowers at the end of the night as parting gifts. My bouquet was incredible. I still can’t stop thinking about the flowers. I envisioned these feminine, sculptural installations and centrepieces and Worm brought them to life.

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
M: I am famous amongst my friends for talking a LOT, and normally a lot of nonsense. We got our wedding video back and couldn’t stop laughing at my speech. I went on every tangent you could think of, I lost my train of thought and fumbled my words but it was so funny. And so me!”
B: The speech! We will laugh about it forever. He really does go on, but at least it’s never quiet.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
B: I actually bought the first dress I tried on, it was simple with long sleeves, and had a nod to the 70s – that’s all I wanted. I am, however, a Leo, and therefore had to add a little pizazz. My mismatched earrings from Completed Works and black velvet shoes from Mach & Mach definitely were the most commented on! When I was a teenager, I used to tell everyone I would wear a black wedding dress, so the shoes were a nod to my younger self. I was also determined to have a veil that went over the face, it was one of the only traditional elements of our whole wedding. It’s the only opportunity I would have to wear one and being “unveiled” by Matt felt very intimate and special.
M: I wanted everyone to have their eyes on my beautiful wife. That’s all I cared about.