Holly + Charlotte by Carr & Senteno

We knew that we wanted a ‘London-centric’ wedding.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

We live in East London and absolutely love it here. We are very close to Victoria Park, which is extremely handy given that we have three sausage dogs called Walter, Albert and Dora, who we love very, very much.

We both work as lawyers; Holly loves being a lawyer, Charlotte not so much.

Charlotte would describe herself as an introvert and her hobbies align with this, she is re-learning to play the saxophone, dabbles in ceramics, loves to read and is a member of not one but two book clubs. Charlotte is less of an introvert when it comes to watching football. Charlotte would describe herself as the Lionesses number one fan and was lucky enough to watch England win the Euros final.

Holly is very social and loves to attend social events and host dinner parties for all our friends, although we both love music and love a party or festival.

We both love lazy Sundays playing board games, but Holly has been banned from Catan for throwing a paddy every time that she plays.

Together we love to go on adventurous holidays, our favourite places so far are Borneo, Thailand and Hydra in Greece.

Oh, and we LOVE champagne.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met in 2017 while working at the same law firm in Bristol. Before Charlotte even arrived, Holly had already heard rumours that a new starter was joining — and that they were “really edgy”. Holly’s ears immediately pricked up, intrigued by the idea of meeting someone potentially even edgier than her.

We quickly became close friends, but it wasn’t long before we realised there was something much deeper than friendship. As our relationship started in the office, we were understandably nervous about letting anyone know. Naturally, we handled this with great professionalism by getting drunk and kissing on the dance floor at the office Christmas party.

First impressions were surprisingly accurate. Charlotte thought Holly was confident, warm and incredibly easy to be around — someone who could light up a room and make everyone feel welcome. Holly’s first impression of Charlotte was that she was fun, edgy, thoughtful, intelligent and loudly funny, with the loudest laugh in any room.

It didn’t take long for us both to realise there was something special there, and from that first meeting, everything just seemed to fall naturally into place.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

We always knew we wanted a very London-centric wedding. We live just a few minutes from Hackney Town Hall, where we held our ceremony, and the building is simply breathtaking. The atrium in particular completely blew us away — it’s grand, light-filled and effortlessly beautiful.

The same is true of The Standard, where we held our celebration. Set within a 1970s Brutalist building that was formerly Camden Town Hall, it overlooks the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel and offers sweeping views across London. The rooftop is one of our favourite places in the world, so choosing it felt incredibly special.

The décor at The Standard is striking yet refined — slick, floor-to-ceiling windows, a huge central fireplace, and an abundance of cacti and succulents give the space a sexy, modern edge. It felt so us that we barely had to think about decorating at all. The venue spoke for itself, and we knew instantly it was where our wedding party had to be.

The colour palette used in Decimo went on to inspire our wedding stationery and bridal party outfits, tying everything together beautifully and reinforcing the London-cool aesthetic we loved so much.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

One of the things we loved most about the planning process was how much it became a shared experience with our friends and family. It made the whole journey feel incredibly personal. Charlotte’s parents own a printing company, Imprints, and they designed all of our wedding stationery — it was so special to have something so meaningful and beautifully made.

So many of the details were crafted by people we love. One of our best friends, Cassie, made Charlotte’s outfit; one of Holly’s former flatmates did the flowers; our best friend Bow did our makeup; Holly’s sister sang during the ceremony; and Charlotte’s cousin designed and made her wedding ring. Having so many loved ones involved made the day feel truly one of a kind.

As huge music lovers, choosing the songs for our ceremony and entrances was an absolute joy and one of our favourite parts of the planning process. We also really loved our visits to The Standard — every time we went, the team made us feel like absolute royalty.

In terms of advice, our biggest tip would be to trust the process. As lawyers, we naturally struggle with letting go of control, but learning to delegate and trust your suppliers is essential. They’re experts for a reason, and when you let them do what they do best, your day really does come together perfectly.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

Two vendors immediately come to mind: The Standard and our photographers. While we’ve already mentioned the family and friends who contributed to our day, these two “supplies” felt like part of our family too.

From the moment we attended the wedding showcase and met Nicole, we knew we were in the best hands. Nicole guided us through every option with clarity and pulled out all the stops. Once we had the date booked, we were introduced to Kelly and the rest of the incredible team, who made planning our special day an absolute dream. Kelly’s impeccable organizational skills ensured that every detail, no matter how small, was perfectly planned.

The team at The Standard truly listened to our vision and offered creative suggestions, ensuring that every element of our day (and more) was thoughtfully considered.

The breathtaking views, fabulous décor, delicious food, amazing cocktails, and the attentive, friendly staff all came together to make our wedding day unforgettable. We can’t recommend The Standard enough for a wedding that’s anything but Standard, yet truly extraordinary. All of our guests have said it was the best day ever, and we wish we could relive it all over again.

Our photographers were equally amazing. On the day, they made us feel relaxed, confident, and beautiful. The couples’ photos were so much fun that we’d do that part all over again. Rachel, in particular, has an incredible eye for capturing candid, natural moments, and the finished photos absolutely delight us — they perfectly tell the story of our day.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

For Charlotte, her sister’s best friend — and one of our closest friends Cassie — is a stylist who had launched her own wedding dress brand the year before our wedding. Charlotte had no idea what she wanted to wear, but Cassie sent over some amazing ideas, and Charlotte decided to have a custom gown made. It was Cassie’s first custom design, which made it a great learning experience, and it meant Charlotte got exactly what she wanted. Cassie’s mum even embroidered our names and the wedding date in blue into the top — and made Charlotte a matching bag! It was such a special experience to wear something made by a friend, and it felt incredibly personal on the day.

For Holly, she wanted something classy yet fun. Holly had done some research and fell in love with a designer called Charlie Brear. Holly started looking for dresses about 18 months before the big day because her best friend lived in Malaysia and this was the only weekend her best friend could do. Holly had arranged to try some dresses but was adamant she would not find one that day. She tried a few Charlie Brear dresses on that she thought she would like but nothing was working, then her friends saw the feather skirt and told Holly to try it on. Holly instantly fell in love with it and bought it there and then. However, she needed a top. Holly then saw that Charlie Brear was doing an end of line sale in Carnaby street so booked tickets and went along. Charlie Brear was there and Holly got to meet her and found the perfect top to match the feather skirt which made the experience extra special.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Charlotte proposed to Holly, and her ring is from a designer called Jonny Hoxton, who is a jeweller based in Hatton Garden. Holly wanted a simple solitaire diamond engagement ring, and Charlotte worked with Jonny Hoxton to design and make the perfect ring. Holly initially said she wanted a very plain wedding ring, but after perusing some sparkly ones, she decided to go for half sparkly, half plain. Charlotte’s ring is a simple flat gold band and was made and designed by Charlotte’s cousin, @oliverosejewel. Holly has already requested one for her!

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

The venue was without question the element we were happiest to invest a little more in. We fell in love with The Standard instantly and very quickly realised that we wanted to make the most of it — hiring the restaurant, the nightclub and the rooftop to create a full, immersive experience for our guests.

Food was equally important to us. We had both eaten at Decimo before, so we knew the food would be exceptional. One of our all-time favourite restaurants is Casa Mia (now closed) in Bristol — we both agree it’s the best dining experience we’ve ever had. Coincidentally, the founder and chef of Casa Mia, Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, is now the head chef at Decimo. Peter is Bristolian, which felt especially meaningful given that we fell in love in Bristol, bringing our story beautifully full circle. For us, investing in a venue and food that felt personal, memorable and joyful was absolutely worth it — and something our guests still talk about.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

There were so many moments that felt incredibly special. Walking down the aisle with both of our parents was unforgettable, as were the beautiful readings given by Charlotte’s sister and Holly’s best friend, Laura.

As huge music lovers, one of our favourite moments came when Charlotte suggested having a singalong during the ceremony, Holly suggested we make it a surprise for our guests— ideas we immediately loved. We chose As Long As You Love Me by the Backstreet Boys, and secretly hid the lyrics under everyone’s seats so only the registrar and the two of us knew it was coming. Standing there, about to marry the love of your life, watching your friends and family belt out “I don’t care who you are, as long as you love me” is a feeling we’ll treasure forever. If we could relive one moment, it would be that.

Holly also surprised Charlotte by hiring a bright pink Cadillac to take us from Hackney Town Hall to The Standard. Driving through London with the roof down, we felt like absolute rock stars. Thanks to London traffic, we had a full hour just the two of us — the perfect, unexpected pause to let the fact that we’d just got married really sink in.

Finally, we loved having our photos taken, especially at St Pancras beneath Tracey Emin’s iconic installation I Want My Time With You. We both love art and are huge fans of Emin’s work, everytime Holly sees that piece of art in St Pancras she gets a lump in her throat, so capturing that moment there felt incredibly meaningful. Also, out photos in our suit were amazing, we sat in an empty bath feeding each other champagne -BLISS.

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?

Being married means love, commitment and choosing each other every day. It’s about putting your partner first and being there for one another, no matter what life throws your way.

We’re both busy and have demanding jobs, so we’re very intentional about supporting each other. When one of us has a little more space to breathe, we step in to help the other — whether that’s taking on more at home or simply being a bit more present.

One small ritual we really value is our Sunday evening check-in. We spend around 30 minutes planning the week ahead — not in a boring way, but as a way of sharing the mental load. It means all the everyday decisions, like who’s walking the dogs and when, are sorted in one go, leaving us free to enjoy the rest of the week together.