Talking to Twitter on Christmas Day this year, one Good Morning Britain viewer wrote: ‘That #GMB montage of the year could barely have been more depressing if it tried’. Another viewer named the TV show’s 2021 recap a ‘montage of misery’.
In true airy-fairy Love Made Me Weddings fashion, we are going to take on the 2021 recap but make it less depressing that Kate Garaway manged to.
2021: here are our best bits:
1. London’s Valentines Day Bouquets
In February we gave you a quick low down on Instagram of our favourite blooms available for Valentine’s Day London delivery. Looking back, we wondered how many of will still with the lover who gave you the flowers? Concluded that it must be all of you because they were so bloody beautiful. Lifelong commitment beautiful. Here is a reminder of a few of the best. Can’t wait to see what next year’s floristry heroes will come up with.
Bouquets from left to right: The Rooms, Wallflower, Fluoresse + A Flower Shop.
2. Rochelle Canteen x My Lady Garden
Rochelle Canteen, we would write you a love letter if we could. My Lady Garden, ditto. When these two fabulous London hospitality institutions paired up this summer at the ICA to create one of the best looking weddings we’ve seen, we were eternally jealous that it hadn’t been one of our weddings. Must. Act. Graciously. We bow down to you, queens of East London love.
Photo credits Kavia Kaimins + Rosh Mahtani
3. Cake.
2021 will go down in history as a great vintage for cake. London was blessed by talented bakers rising to the challenge to roll out bigger and better sweetness than 2020 and my God did they perform. Our winner would have to be Violet Cakes by Claire Ptak bringing back the old school, sheet style, sprinkle-covered, simple birthday cake of our youth. Don’t tell us that this wouldn’t go down a storm at a wedding reception.
A close second-place is awarded to Jolene bakery in Hackney for their handsome rhubarb Danish pastries. Have a table of these at your wedding and you’ve won. And again, very close behind these two, comes the obvious but very deserving winner Lily Vanilli and her incredible kitsch vintage style wedding cakes which have been gaining more + more highly influential fans by the day.
(Watch this space though…. for the third year running we are championing the return of the traditional, white iced fruitcake; come on, give her a try!)
4. London’s Bad Ass Babes
In March, for International Woman’s Day, we managed to wangle interviews (just by asking nicely (!) … it was March, perhaps everyone had a bit of spare time?) with three of our female heroes: Kai from My Lady Garden, Essy Sparrow from Your Server Today podcast & the absolute news broadcasting and food & drink celebrity Felicity Spector. If you haven’t already, please do take a read of these interviews over on Instagram (click on images below). We feel as if some of the invaluable London hot spot tips & empowering life/business/wedding advice has gone a little under the radar on our 600 or so followers Instagram account - this content is Vice/Style Magazine/Time Out level content!
5. ‘The World Is A Better Place With You In It’
Love Feel Good Club: we love everything they stand for, love their style and love that they are key for our 2021 top ten. We love their campaign posters that were all over the country: ‘The World Is A Better Place With You In IT”.
Ladies, may we collab and get in on this sermon? Would very much like this to be Love Made Me Weddings’ tag line!
6. Transforming Shoreditch Studios
We had helped plan H&T’s wedding over two pandemic-filled years and so when the day came to finally transform the old arches in Shoreditch (these days a trendy photo studio) into this couple’s vision for their wedding day, it was a real honour to be a part of the team. Both working in film production, the couple had a natural very stylish style (style style style) and an eye for detail. Directing the suppliers in the morning to set up the space so that the plan could become reality was a great experience. With the Persian aisle rugs out of the window and the spotlights set up just so, the candles were lit, the greenery was hung and the couple’s celebrant (talented film director and writer with her own IMDB page, oh yes) in place with only a few nerves, the venue was transformed and ready for, at long last, this lovely couple to marry.
Photo 3+4 @mattparryphoto
7. Dancing Under The Serpentine Pavilion
In September, we had the pleasure to help plan and coordinate another spectacular wedding set across 4 venues in London: Marylebone Town Hall, Carousel, The Serpentine Pavilion and The Biltmore Hotel. There is too much to say about this wedding but the highlight had to be setting up the dancefloor for the guests under the Serpentine Pavilion - a structure situated in the middle of Hyde Park that only existed for a few months EVER. The Wedding Smashers were dishing out the disco tunes, the lighting was spot on, the moves were fuelled by cans of Send a Negroni, Partisan Brewing beer and amazing food by Jimmy Garcia.
The guests were moving and grooving under a Pavilion designed by Johannesburg-based practice Counterspace, directed by Sumayya Vally who explained that “the whole pavilion is a symbolic folding-in of London,”. Such an amazing place to have your wedding, such an amazing place to have worked, such an amazing couple who married that day.
8. Everything Halfpenny London
Kate Halfpenny’s Instagram bio says all we need to say when it comes to loving this brand of bridal wear:
“Kate Halfpenny of British Bridal brand Halfpenny London. Proud to be MADE IN ENGLAND! #BeTheBrideYouWantToBe with our dresses and separates.”
Photo credit 1+2: @chloemaryphoto + @storyofeve
Join us in having a drool over a few below:
9. Loopy, Grace, Gadsby + F.Roze
In 2020 we discovered the angels that are Abi & Grace. From their sustainable styling company, ‘Grace & Gadsby’, grew another fabulous venture selling preloved luxury bridal wear - ‘The Loop’. Everything about The Loop is thoughtful, versatile and above all so so stylish - we can’t get enough of these dresses. However, the 2021 discovery came in the form of Grace’s sister Freya! Freya Roze was the talented designer who created our favourite wedding invitations to date - see below. Keeping it in the family Freya ‘rose’ to the challenge of designing Abi’s wedding invitations and my my my, these are just as groovy and just as beautiful as the girls, their dresses and their business hustle! (Congratulations Abi & partner x)
10. Boozy Tips
In July we wrote another one of these well read, highly praised, widely gossiped about blog pieces all about bringing back the old school aperitif-style cocktails to your wedding. In the intro we had some boozy wedding tips from some of London’s greatest and we’d love to use this opportunity to remind you of these:
“On the dancefloor, shoes in one hand, wine glass in the other!” - Rachel Takes Pictures.
“A magical Hemingway Daiquiri every time! Sophisticated, refreshing and the most beautiful blush colour” - Canababes Food Co.
“…a cheeky shot during dinner and an espresso martini right after will do the trick” - Brides Do Good.
“GET. A. SLUSHY. MACHINE. (For frozen margaritas)” - Studio Kitchen.
“A Martini, the dirtier the better” - Blo Deady.
CHEERS TO THAT, OVER AND OUT.
CAN’T WAIT TO SPEND 2022 WITH YOU ALL.
MAY THERE BE LOTS OF LOVE, ENGAGEMENTS, FIRST DATES, THIRD DATES, DECLARATIONS OF LOVE, BABIES, ARGUMENTS, NEW HOUSES, TRAVELS ABROAD, NEW HOBBIES, BBQS, DRUNKEN SECRETS, BOOTY CALLS, PASSIONATE KISSES, SUCESSFUL DIY PROJECTS & LOTS AND LOTS OF WEDDINGS x
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch to start planning your day with Love Made Me Weddings.- we’d love to work with you.
Let us use our invaluable knowledge, trusted suppliers and best rates to give you the finest of what London has to offer.
We will assist you from start to finish to create a day where you can celebrate the love you have with your partner, family and friends, the way you would like to celebrate it!