Home To Holland Park
Emma & James
When James proposed to Emma, the rest fell easily into place. They’d be married at the Orangery in Holland Park, where James grew up, Emma’s wedding dress would be timeless, elegant, and unique, and she’d find a pair of shoes to match from the brand whose heels she’d been loving for years. Read on for the bride’s story behind her dream day now.
Photography by Taylor Hughes
"I knew early on that I wanted something slightly different from the more traditional wedding looks I’d seen — something that still felt timeless and elegant, but with a bit of a modern twist. I actually came across the Divine Atelier dress on TikTok and instantly felt it was very ‘me,’ and tracked down a boutique in London that stocked it. I’d always had this vision of wearing a ruffle veil to add a soft touch to the look. I found the perfect handmade veil through an independent business I discovered on Instagram."
"I always wear my Dahlia sandals to weddings as they’re incredibly comfortable and I always get compliments on them, so I knew I’d be turning to this brand for my wedding shoes. I chose the Carmen pair because the satin finish matched my dress perfectly, and the oversized bows added just the right amount of flair. I love that they became a standout part of the overall look, rather than just being hidden under my dress."
"James grew up in Holland Park and it’s a place where we spent a lot of time in the summers during and after university. It's the first place we thought of after we got engaged and didn't even look anywhere else!"
"One of our favourite parts was the roaming band we had at our reception on a nearby rooftop which had everyone singing along in the sun! Other than that, our favourite part was having all our friends and family in one place for the day."
"Our favourite part was having all our friends and family in one place for the day."
"I’m not the most organised person, so planning was definitely a bit of a challenge! But we had a really clear vision of what we wanted from the start, and we made sure to stick to that throughout the process. We wanted the day to feel like a relaxed, fun, party rather than anything too formal, so we chose vendors who really matched that energy. Hopefully, that vibe came through on the day!"
"Getting ready in the morning with my mum, sisters and best friends will always be such a special memory. Also — James’ Mum organised for big blow up pictures of our cats to come out onto the dancefloor towards the end of the night for us to dance with, and everyone was handed a cat mask to wear, which was a huge surprise and definitely memorable!"
