There’s something beautifully understated about the way Bernadette and Robin chose to marry; no big production, no pressure, just the two of them, in a city they love.
From the quiet elegance of Bernadette’s Andrea Hawkes Bridal gown to the familiar streets of Islington and scenes captured thoughtfully by Miss Gen Photography, every part of this elopement feels genuinely personal, laid back and authentically true to this lovely couple.
Shop Items We Love
We arrived at Islington Town Hall using the Gett App via a Black Cab (when in London!). Coincidentally, the taxi driver told us he also married his wife at Islington Town Hall many years ago, which added a nice sense of community.
On arrival, we walked into the Canonbury Suite in Islington Town Hall together.
We chose Islington Town Hall for our elopement. Having lived in Islington for a few years, including through the pandemic, it became a real home away from home (which is originally Sydney, Australia). This community holds a special place in our hearts and it felt like the perfect choice for our special day.
Our wedding bands were from London Rocks Jewellers in Leather Lane.
Photography
Our photographer was Miss Gen Photography. We came across Gen’s photos on Instagram and felt her natural and relaxed style resonated with us. On the day, she made us feel comfortable, gently gave us much-needed direction (to help us feel more relaxed in front of a camera), and she captured moments as we walked around our local area.
It was a bonus that Gen was also familiar with Islington Town Hall. She gave us a lot of guidance in the lead up to the day as well, which we really appreciated. Especially given the intimate nature of our ceremony, we needed someone like Gen. We felt like we were in safe hands. We would definitely recommend Gen to others.
I wore the Brie dress (with custom alterations) by designer Andrea Hawkes Bridal. It was an absolute pleasure working with Siobhan and the team at Andrea Hawkes Bridal.
It was important to me to get a dress from a sustainability-minded designer and I wanted a dress that could be easily re-purposed post-wedding.
I already loved Andrea Hawkes’ classic and elegant designs, then when I learned more about their commitment to sustainability, I knew I needed to get my dress from Andrea Hawkes Bridal. It was an amazing bonus that the studio was located close to home.
The Dress
‘Brie’, by Andrea Hawkes
The Andrea Hawkes Bridal team went above and beyond to squeeze in appointments for me between flights and work, and they still managed to do alterations within a tight timeframe.
The team are so lovely. The studio is comfortable and calm. And the dress (the beautiful Brie) was just perfect. Brie is now living her second life as a separate top and skirt, being worn casually.
My ‘Lovely Wrap Top‘ was from Gown + Altar and my shoes were the vegan Harriet design by Emmy London.
For perfume, I wore Byredo’s ‘Lil Fleur’. This was my ‘something borrowed’, from my older sister.
I wore pearl drop earrings that my younger sister had previously gifted to me for my birthday. Then wrapped around my bouquet, I had both a Tiffany & Co. necklace that my older sister, gifted to me (after I was a maid of honour for her wedding), as well as a bracelet my best friend from Australia gave to me when I first left Sydney for London (it is an evil eye bracelet with blue gemstones so the bracelet was also my ‘something blue’). It was a way for me to feel like I had them with me in some way on the day.
As we were having a very low key civil ceremony with no guests, I decided to do my own hair and make up. Since I don’t often wear a lot of make up, before our elopement weekend, I did a masterclass crash course with the Resident Senior Make Up Artist at NARS Covent Garden, Georgia. She showed me how to do a more natural style of wedding make up and the cost of the session was credited towards my choice of products to take home. Massive thanks to Georgia who was so kind, talented and incredibly helpful.
How They Met
We met at a mutual friend’s wedding in Sydney in January 2017. From weekend road trips in the first year of our relationship to frequent travels around Europe, we shared a love for adventure. One evening, in the comforts of our own home, he went on bended knee. It came as a surprise. We already knew we were devoted to each other, but a diamond ring proposal was not expected. After a moment of shock, the reality of it all sunk in, and it was an obvious yes. He proposed in October 2022 and within a year we got eloped at Islington Town Hall, in October 2023.
Due to work commitments, we had a period of a long distance relationship ahead of us, so we wanted to officially tie the knot before (temporarily) parting. We knew it was going to be impossible to have our immediate family and closest friends come together from different parts of the world at the time, so we decided to keep the day low-key and simple, just the two of us.
Robin’s suit was fitted by Suit Supply in the Sienna fit. His shoes were Doc Martens 1461 Mono Smooth Leather Oxford Shoes and his white shirt and cufflinks were from Ted Baker. His navy blue knitted tie was by The Gents Lab.
We got the bouquet and matching buttonhole from Untitled Flowers. A couple of our close friends gifted us a beautiful Untitled bouquet on our engagement. I loved their arrangements posted on Instagram and they are also local to the area, which was another plus. I opted for a florist’s choice bouquet in a lighter, softer palette. I asked for some orchids to be included because I love the elegance of orchids, but ultimately left it to the Untitled team as I knew they’d put together a beautiful arrangement.
We didn’t have a wedding ‘first dance’ but technically, we danced out of our ceremony to Ed Sheeran’s Put It All On Me (feat. Ella Mai). It’s an upbeat, fun song that puts us in a good and relaxed mood. We instantly think of the music video clip, which shows different couples just having a good time dancing. We love how it beautifully captures real love stories from around the world.
My favourite part of the day was unwinding with my new husband after the day’s main events (still disconnected, with my phone left at home), and sharing a pint at one of our local pubs, the Earl of Essex. It was an unusually perfect, sunny 26°C day in October.
I also enjoyed being able to surprise one of my best friend’s at the end of the day. We turned up at her flat a few streets away, and I passed on my bouquet to her (her fiance surprised her with a proposal just a few days earlier) – a sort of bouquet toss!
Words of Wedded Wisdom
Of course, we would have loved to have had our nearest and dearest by our side on the day, but given the circumstances, it wasn’t possible at the time. We had an all or nothing mindset, and we had a fast-approaching period of long distance ahead of us. Ultimately, we’re happy that we got to spend the day focusing on just the two of us and enjoying moments together around Angel.
It’s easy for the moments to pass before you know it. Take a breath and gift yourself a pause during moments you want to remember. If anything isn’t going to plan, trust that everything happens for a reason even if you can’t see what that reason is yet (at the very least, you can always find a reason for anything that happens).
Looking for a Wedding Florist?
We recommend some of the best florists and floral designers in the UK, each of them aligned in our values of working with seasonal flowers and supporting British flower farmers. View all our florist recommendations here.
