A key theme was the wedding being a ‘moment in time’.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
We both have a passion for sport and exercise. Many of our favourite memories were created on long cycle rides together or at the finish line of marathons and triathlons. We have lived together in London for four years and have recently relocated to New Zealand together (where Olivia is from). Our wedding day was a perfect farewell to our time together in London before starting our new chapter in New Zealand.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met on a dating app during lockdown in London. George reached out to a Hinge prompt of Olivia’s referencing the Off Menu podcast’s key question – poppadoms or bread. Our first date was at an outdoor food market in London in the era when sitting indoors with people outside of your household wasn’t allowed. It was a cold October evening, and we sat out in the cold for hours, time just flew by.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
I knew George was the one during our pandemic dating days when we went for a walk to Alexanda Palace. We sat there, chatting and eating sausage rolls from my local bakery, looking over London. We got engaged at Ally Pally three years later.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.)
With Olivia from New Zealand and George from England, we knew that it would be nearly impossible to have all of our friends and family together for one day. Bearing this in mind, a key theme was the wedding being a ‘moment in time’. With many friends and family unable to make it, we opted for an intimate wedding, which resulted in a relaxed and fun atmosphere for the day.
We were very conscious of it being ‘our day’. We decided to stray from tradition a bit and stay together the night before the wedding, starting our day off with a wedding morning 5km run with our friends in Hyde Park. We then got ready together and had a majority of family photos taken before the ceremony. After the ceremony, we drank champagne on a vintage cream Routemaster with a pub stop for pre-dinner cake before continuing to our reception venue. We loved being able to spend the entire day together, not just the afternoon/evening!
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 wanted to showcase the significance of London as a city in our relationship. From a wedding morning 5km run in Hyde Park to capturing Albert Bridge in one of our favourite photos, highlighting London in a classic yet fun way was important to us. The cream retro Routemaster bus added to this aesthetic.
What did you enjoy most about the planning process and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
We took an iterative approach to planning. Knowing there will always be another option (especially in London!), we embraced the chaos and were very aware of how easily option paralysis can occur! Once we found a product, vendor, etc, that met our brief and was within budget, we stopped looking. It made wedding planning stress-free and fun.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
After trying on several dresses in boutiques and not finding anything I loved, I started searching online. I found my Rebecca Valance Dress online and invited two of my girlfriends around to see me try it on in the comfort of my own home. It was an immediate ‘yes’ from all of us and with help from our amazing tailor, it fit like a glove!
What was 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 hire of a cream Route Master bus was one of the highlights of our day. Drinking Champagne with some of our closest friends and family whilst travelling through London was a moment we will cherish forever.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
After the ceremony, we walked with our guests to our bus on Albert Embankment, we then stopped off at a pub for cake and a toast before dinner. I was worried about the logistics and uncontrollable Friday afternoon London traffic, but everything ran perfectly to time. At one point, our MC had to reassure me we were actually ahead of schedule!
BRIDE Olivia Willis, @oliviarosewillis_ GROOM George Willis, @gigw44
VENUE Chelsea Old Town Hall, @marrymeinchelsea; The Lucky Saint Pub, @luckysaintbeer; The Italian Greyhound, @greyhoundmarylebone PHOTOGRAPHER Emily Montay, @emilymontay.photo PLANNER By the Bride FLORIST & BUTTONHOLE Wild at Heart Europe, @wildathearteurope CELEBRANT Chelsea Old Town Hall, @marrymeinchelsea ENTERTAINMENT Louis Coupe, @louiscoupe HIRE & TABLE DECORATIONS/FLOWERS By the Bride CATERING The Italian Greyhound, @greyhoundmarylebone
CAKE Lily Vanilli, @lily_vanilli_cake STATIONERY Provided by The Italian Greyhound, @greyhoundmarylebone
 WEDDING BANDS Bespoke – Varoshe, @varoshebespokejewellery; Gold – Groom’s Grandmother; Diamonds – Bride’s Aunt
BRIDAL DRESS Rebecca Valance, @rebeccavallance BRIDE’S SHOE Russell & Bromley, @russellandbromley BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES Earrings – Pearls of the Orient, @pearlsorient HAIR & MAKEUP Sara Partov, @saramakeupartist_london BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Coco Mademoiselle – Chanel, @chanelofficial SUIT Hawes & Curtis, @hawesandcurtisglobal GROOM’S SHOE Loake Shoemakers, @loakeshoemakers GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Mont Blanc, @montblanc DRESS ALTERATIONS Elite Alterations, @elite_alterations READY LOCATION The Chelsea Townhouse, @thechelseatownhouse
