We were inspired by the Jewish practice of ‘hachnasat orchim,’ emphasising warmly welcoming guests.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Imogen works in Advertising, and Ed is a Cinematographer and photographer. We live in North London with our Dachshund Elvis. We love going for long walks with him, spending time with our families, and cooking big meals for our friends.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met back in 2018, having been set up by a mutual friend. We quickly realised that our lives had been interconnected for a long time despite never meeting each other. Imogen was friends with Edward’s best friend when they were children, and she also shared a classroom with his cousins in the nursery. We spent a number of years dating, and soon, we were deeply in love.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
It wasn’t one moment for me; it was three years of dating and truly seeing the standup person Ed is. He has all the qualities of a person you want by your side always.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
Ed took me to Venice, where his mother’s family is from. It’s a special place for him, as they grew up going every year as kids and still do now. While I don’t have a family connection to Venice, its narrow, winding streets, charming bridges, and quiet squares immediately created a romantic atmosphere that captivated me.
We went during the June Biennale art festival. After a weekend of immersing ourselves in incredible art, we took a water taxi to the island of Burano. Ed had planned a dinner at Venissa Estate, a picturesque walled vineyard open to the public. As we strolled through the vineyard, savouring a glass of their exquisite Prosecco, Ed proposed. I immediately burst into tears of joy, causing Ed to forget to ask. It was the most beautiful and heartfelt moment of my life.
After a wonderful dinner, we took the water taxi back to Venice. To our delight, fireworks lit up the sky over the Grand Canal, marking the end of the Biennale and adding a magical finish to our perfect day.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
One element of our wedding we were happy to splurge on was the combination of food, bar, and atmosphere. This trifecta created an unforgettable experience for everyone. We were particularly inspired by the Jewish practice of ‘hachnasat orchim,’ which emphasises welcoming guests and making them feel as comfortable as possible. Ensuring that our loved ones felt cherished and at ease was incredibly important to us. Our way of showing this was through a beautiful setting, lots of food, and a bar flowing with cocktails all night.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
We had a long debate about whether we should have the family dogs at the wedding. Sadly, Elvis, our spirited 8-month-old Dachshund, didn’t make the cut. We worried it might be too overwhelming for him, especially with his mighty bark. However, Biscuit, our beloved family Golden Retriever, did receive an invite. At the end of the ceremony, Biscuit bounded down the aisle, adding a sweet surprise to our special day. A less sweet surprise came when he enthusiastically greeted the bride right after taking a dip in the pond!
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story? The history of the ceremony dress…
While our main outfits weren’t particularly unique, several special elements made our wedding truly memorable. I converted to Judaism, a year-and-a-half process that was an incredible journey and brought Ed and me closer together. Coming from a Church of England background, most of my family and friends had never attended a Jewish wedding before. We worked with Rabbi David to ensure everyone understood the beautiful traditions involved.
Ed’s parents walked him down the aisle, followed by my parents walking me down. It was meaningful to have both my parents by my side, as they both played a significant role in raising me. We all stood under the Chuppah, which Ed made himself, adding a personal touch to our ceremony.
We took a modern approach to the Sheva Brachot (seven Hebrew blessings) by asking our closest friends to write personalised blessings in English for us. After the ceremony, Ed and I followed the tradition of Yichud, which comes from the Hebrew word B’Yachad, meaning ‘together.’ We spent our first few moments of married life alone in a private room, savouring the intimacy and joy of our union without any distractions.
LOCATION Family home, in Laycock Wiltshire PHOTOGRAPHER Olivia and Dan, @oliviandan FLORIST Ella Sparks – Flowers of Bath, @flowers.of.bath CELEBRANT Rabbi David Mitchell – West London Synagogue CATERING Clare Doggart – Doggart and Squash, @doggartandsquash STATIONERY Alissia Dawood, @studioalissia BRIDAL DRESS Pronovias, @pronovias BRIDAL BOUTIQUE & TAILORING Mirror Mirror, @mirrormirrorbridalcouture BRIDE’S SHOE Jimmy Choo, @jimmychoo ACCESSORIES Custom Headband – Mirror Mirror, @mirrormirrorbridalcouture; Earrings – Family MAKEUP Frankie Neal, @frankienealmakeup HAIR Chad Maxwell, @chadmaxwellhair SUIT P. Johnson, @pjohnsontailors GROOM’S SHOE Crockett & Jones, @crockettandjones_official BRIDESMAID DRESSES Maids to Measure, @maidstomeasure STRETCH TENT InsideOutside Marquees EVENT PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Kris Box BAR The Drunken Jockeys, @thedrunkenjockeys
