TJ Iconic Wedding Claire + Ralph by Danelle Bohane

We are bringing back an edit of our top-performing real weddings from the TJ archives. These are our very best weddings that our audience has loved the most, and the ones we think are still very relevant and aspirational…

Ralph is a motion graphics designer and I am a film director. We have been in London since 2013 and were friends for six years before we got together.

We were based in New York at the time and we got together while renting the same apartment, so we never dated without living together, which was interesting and sometimes hard to navigate. Initially, it was a little complicated, transitioning into a romantic relationship.

It involved working out new types of trust and independence with someone who used to be just a friend. But it was also perfect and wonderful and we would not change a thing. We discussed marriage early on in our relationship, and had said that the three year mark could be a good point for marriage, but when Ralph proposed, we had only been together for two years.

We were on holiday in Santorini, and he casually said, ‘Hey, so would you want to marry me?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah of course, we’ve talked about this’. He kept having to repeat himself, saying ‘Yeah but would you want to marry me?’ And I’m like, ‘you’re being hypothetical right?’ And he’s like ‘No, I have a ring in my pocket!’ Finally, he asked, non-hypothetically, to clear the confusion. ‘WILL YOU MARRY ME?’ It was a funny and beautiful moment. I was so shocked and so happy!

The power of language and delivery! It took nearly two and a half years to get to the wedding day. We couldn’t make up our minds on a venue, finally opting for the Coatesville Settler’s Hall because of its relaxed, summery feel and the ability to do and bring in what we liked.

It was very important for us to have Danelle photographing our wedding. She is one of my oldest and dearest friends and we adore her and her work. We hired about 25 giant plants to style the reception setting and, instead of a seated dinner, we had mid-century couches, cane chairs, a bunch of beer garden tables and picnic blankets set outside under the trees. It helped make the event feel relaxed and it suited our dining style, which was an on-site taco truck.

We did a few things differently. We got ready together, with a bunch of our friends, which was great fun. We had our formal photos taken before the ceremony, and we had a marriage blessing back in London in the beautiful Church of St John-at-Hackney, followed by a celebration at the local pub.

It was fun to do the whole thing again a month later! It snowed that day, which was very special and different to our New Zealand celebration.

Photography: Danelle Bohane / Bride’s shoes + earrings: Topshop  / Bride’s dress: Bespoke dress by Rachel McCulloch  /  Reverend: Reverend Ivica Gregurec of Holy Trinity Cathedral / Groom’s attire: Paul Smith / Ceremony: St Mary’s Cathedral Church, Parnell  / Processional song: ’Sea of Love’ by Cat Power  / Bride’s bespoke engagement ring: Michael Jannece  / Groom’s bespoke signet ring: Monarc Jewellery  / Flora: Jo Mann at The Wild Bunch  / Furniture Hire: Two Foxes Styling  /  Plant hire: Living Decor  / Glassware hire: Insphire  / Additional furniture hire: The Goods We Found  / Makeup: Sharon Massey  / Hair: Matt Benns  / Reception: Coatesville  Settlers Hall  / DJ: Connor Nestor  / Cake: Ash at Organic Ash  / Groom’s shoes: Aldo   First dance song: ‘Up All Night’  by The War on Drugs