Maddy and Nik celebrated their beautiful February wedding with a heartfelt ceremony at their local church in Hitchin, followed by a relaxed and intimate reception at their favourite restaurant, Perilla, in Stoke Newington.
As the Director and face of Morgan Davies Bridal – a highly recommended Love My Dress supplier – Maddy’s gown was always going to be very special. Morgan Davies Bridal, with its luxury boutiques in London and Hitchin, showcases coveted designers like Halfpenny London, Alena Leena, Alon Livné, and Milla Nova and Jesus Peiro – and it was this latter, sought after Spanish designer who created her showstopper of a dress.
However, after the deeply personal loss of Maddy’s beloved mum, the couple decided to shift their original plans for a grand summer destination wedding, opting instead for a more intimate, local celebration in late winter. Photographer Emily Rose Hamilton captured every heartfelt moment, with their sweet baby daughter Cherry in their arms, making the day feel all the more precious.
Last Minute Plan Changes
To be honest, everything went a bit wrong before our wedding which meant the plans changed completely, very last minute. My mum, who founded Morgan Davies with her mum, passed away in December. We were supposed to have a huge wedding in Montenegro this July which we chose not to go ahead with.
We had always planned our smaller civil wedding in February 2024, on my mum and dad’s wedding anniversary, in the church they got married in, with my dress being inspired by her dress. The big wedding felt so daunting but the February date had so much thought behind it – it wouldn’t have been the same if we pushed it to later in the year. So at the last minute, we decided to move forward with 13th February 2024.
The Ceremony
We married in St Mary’s Church in Hitchin, where my mum and dad married 32 years before. It was the same church we’d also held my mum’s funeral, a month prior.
My dad walked me down the aisle and the vicar carried our daughter Cherry down the aisle – this was to Canon in D, which was supposed to be by organ, but the Organist didn’t show up. Luckily, I had the song backed up on a USB!
We had the reading as we had at my mums funeral; Corinthians 13.
I wore mum’s wedding rings, which I had resized. We got Nik’s ring on ebay.
My dad organised a gospel singer, who is close to my family, to sing mine and Nik’s favourite song, ‘Kiss From a Rose’, By Seal, whilst we signed the register.
The Dress
My dress was from Morgan Davies, Morgan Davies Bridal. I wanted something classic and signature Jesus Peiro. I wanted my dress to be inspired by my mum’s dress and to flatter me; having recently had a baby I was bigger than I wanted to be.
I actually got flown out to see Jesus Peiro in their headquarters in Barcelona and had a private meeting with the head designer where we designed my bespoke dress. Jesus Peiro were amazing as always.
Jesus Peiro were amazing as always. I had recently had a baby so they took my measurements right at the last minute so that I could get it as close to my size as possible. I got to see all of the dresses being made and meet the people who would be making mine.
My hair and makeup artist was Cat Parnell, who was actually one of our brides a few years ago – I sold her her wedding dress. Cat is more of an editorial makeup artist, all about the skin, very natural, which is what I wanted. And it was great having someone who did hair and makeup.
My perfume was Chanel Madmoiselle and I wore my gold hoops that I wear every day and my mums wedding ring.
How They Met
We met whilst working together at a cocktail bar/restaurant. He was 17 and I was 18. We became really good friends, even though I had a boyfriend. I used to joke that I was going to marry him, not realising that I actually had feelings for him. I quickly finished with my boyfriend and we started seeing each other.
A couple of months later I moved to university and after two days, Nik came to visit me and we made it official. Over eight years later, we have somehow managed to grow together through lots of life events. It’s crazy to think that we are now married with a house and a baby when we still feel like eighteen year olds. We got engaged in August 2022 and I fell pregnant in November 2022.
Moss Bross in Jermyn Street, London were amazing for Nik’s suit. We went in thinking they were very high-street but the service was impeccable, they were proper tailors that worked in their and they made Nik’s custom made suit in twenty one days. They spent three hours with us making sure it would arrive perfect, and it did. I would highly recommend them.
The Reception
Following the ceremony, thirty five of us got a party bus to London to go to our favourite restaurant, Perilla in Stoke Newington, which we had booked our for lunch. They created a special five course tasting menu for us.
Before my mum passed, she had secretly been collecting vintage crystal glasses that would have been on the tables for all of the ladies in Montenegro as favours. We had just enough for everyone in the restaurant to have one to toast out of, then take home as their favour.
The tables were also decorated with glass candle sticks and bows which I ran around collecting from family, friends and all of the charity shops in Hitchin a couple of days before the wedding.
We then walked around the corner to finish off with the rest of our loved ones in a local pub. I had booked a DJ four days before the wedding. My cousin surprised us with a homemade pavlova cake.
Everyone had the best time. With no expectations, the wedding was everything I could have hoped for and more.
Every detail was so personal. It was gutting not to have my mum there but we all felt her with us all day.
My cousin made us a pavlova cake as a surprise.
White Cottage Weddings did our invites which were beautiful. We got the orders of service printed by our local printer in Hitchin, Dragon Print, three days before the wedding.
A New Site is Coming
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Words of Wedded Wisdom
This is the most important day of your life, or one of, so my biggest piece of advice would be to relax and plan a day that is reflective of how you and your partner want it to be.
Try not to get bogged down with other peoples opinions or to care too much about what other people think. Relax and enjoy it.
It rained but we didn’t mind. We had found clear umbrellas in my mums car a couple of days before the wedding that my mum had bought just in case it rained.
I had such a stress free day and I had the best time. Life it too short to worry about tiny little details that no one else will notice.
morgandaviesbridal.co.uk
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Annabel View all Annabel's articles
Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.
