Hello! I’m Kate and this is my very first feature for Love My Dress. Amazing! Thank you Annabel for letting me into your world, and I really hope I can do this lovely wedding justice. Allicia and Dale were married at Camden Town Hall on 12th April this year, with a picnic-style reception at the Square Pig and Pen gastropub in Holborn.
Allicia created many parts of the day herself, including her stunning Grecian-style gown. Since the wedding she’s gone on to put her obvious creative talents to good use, founding event decoration and venue styling company eightsixandthree, and ethical fashion and homewares business LiLiMACLEAN.
“We made sure that we did exactly what we wanted rather than following the wedding rulebook. Neither of us like formal, stuffy situations and would much rather be hanging out with friends at a pub, picnic or barbecue. So we wanted to incorporate that same laid-back atmosphere into our wedding. I also love the 1920s era, vintage colours, and all things nature and garden-related. So we used these themes to create an indoor garden party, complete with grass dessert table and a Krispy Kreme doughnut tree!”
Photography Copyright (c) 2014, Anna Pumer
The couple met in their hometown of Milton Keynes.
“I was 18 and Dale was 19. We worked opposite each other and met through mutual friends. We hung out almost daily for a year and then just before I went off to university we had a drunken kiss on one of our walks home.
Seven years later we were reunited by the wonder of Facebook. After a month of dating – with me living in London and Dale in Milton Keynes – we decided we no longer wanted to spend our weeks apart, and Dale moved in with me. A romantic trip to Venice cemented our love and then a magnificent engagement in Paris followed three months later. As our engagement happened so soon into our relationship we decided to enjoy some time together before planning the wedding. Just under two years later we finally tied the knot.”
“Camden Town Hall was the obvious choice for our ceremony. I’d walked past at least once a week for six months and had no idea that such a grand interior was hiding behind the door. The gorgeous marble staircase as you enter definitely sold it to us. We found our reception venue, The Square Pig and Pen, by chance after searching through hundreds of venues. It really was perfect for us – a lovely, unpretentious gastro-style pub with a quirky interior and some of the most helpful staff I’ve ever met. Food is very important to us – Dale loves meat and I’m vegetarian so we needed to have something that would please us both and also fill everyone up. The Square Pig ticked every box.
With only six months to go we decided to put my master’s in events to use and plan the wedding ourselves. I’m still dumbfounded over how much we achieved in such a short time! After the wedding, we had so much great feedback I set up an event decoration and venue styling company.”
“I decided to make my own dress as I had an image of what I wanted in my head – a 1920’s Grecian-style maxi dress – and couldn’t find it anywhere. I made a test dress to see if it worked, and liked it so much I decided to make the real thing! I love the plunge on the dress, I felt that it added a touch of glamour and made me feel sexy in an understated way.
I didn’t want a bouquet – controversial I know! Instead our lovely florist at Queens Park Flowers made the flower accessory in my hair, and my mum brought me my Johnny Loves Rosie gold clutch bag as a wedding present. It’s something I’ll cherish forever.”
“I made the cake myself. It was a six-tier vanilla sponge and marble cake, layered together with delicious homemade buttercream. To finish it off I decorated it with piped buttercream roses and a homemade cake topper of myself and Dale.
In case you’re wondering, these beautiful images are by Anna Pumer Photography.
“Anna is such an incredible photographer. Myself and Dale have never felt comfortable having photos taken. But Anna always seemed to find the most beautiful angle or the perfect smile, we cannot find fault with any of the photos she took. She managed to capture every intimate moment without being invasive.
“My wonderful mum walked me down the aisle. My favourite part of the day was walking into the ceremony and seeing Dale waiting for me. He looked so happy to see me and I practically ran down the aisle and gave him a massive cuddle and kiss. All the stress lifted at that moment.”
“We hired a Mariachi band for our Mojito and Pimms drinks reception as a surprise for the guests. It really got the party started and worked as a really great icebreaker for people who hadn’t met before.”
“We asked our guests to donate to a charity we support rather than buy us a gift. Our wonderful guests managed to raise £1,000 for Animals In Distress, a charity in Spain who work tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home stray, abandoned and abused animals. It was so nice to know our wedding had a greater purpose than just us getting married.”
“The dessert table was my pride and joy! So much so that two hours before the wedding I was at the reception venue setting up the table with the staff.”
Words of wedded wisdom…
“We both agreed we should have spent more of the day together. It’s so easy to get separated and not see each much of each other until the end of the night. Your wedding is a celebration of your love, so be a little bit self-indulgent and spend as much of the day together as possible.
And above all else remember that this is your day – do what you want to do, wear what you want to wear, do not think for one second that you have to follow past rules. Your wedding is yours so make it exactly how you want it.”
Congratulations beautiful Allicia and Dale! I have to confess, as a bride-to-be myself I’m a little in awe of Allicia’s creative prowess, not to mention superhuman planning skills.
If you’re feeling similarly inspired, you can find more homemade weddings here. Are any of you lovely readers planning to make your own dress? Do tell!
Love Kate
Photographer – Anna Pumer Photography
Venue – Square Pig and Pen
Bride’s dress – Made by the bride (Fabric Truro Fabrics, embellishments MacCulloch Wallis)
Shoes – Aldo
Accessories – Clutch bag Johnny Loves Rosie, Belt Topshop, Bracelet Whistles
Groom – Suit Next, shirt Hawes and Curtis, shoes Kurt Geiger, cufflinks Hugo Boss
Rings – Engagement ring Friar House, wedding bands Frazer Hart
Flowers – Queens Park Flowers (no website)
Wedding cake – Made by the bride
Favours – eightsixandthree
Stationery – Designed by the bride
Entertainment – Mariachi Tequila hired through Salsa Direct, DJ 9STAR (no website)
Kate is a member of the Love My Dress® writing team. You can read more about Kate on our About Page.
You can read more about Katie on our About Page.