5 Star Wedding Blog
Opulent 18th Century London Wedding Inspiration At Spencer House
Intertwining the grandeur and opulence of 18th century London to the neoteric chic of the present day
In its heyday in Georgian times, Spencer House was the setting for numerous lavish parties, hosted by the first Earl Spencer and his wife, and attended by the cream of London’s high society, or “The Ton”, a term which all Bridgerton fans will recognise – derived from “le bon ton’ meaning manners or etiquette. My desire was to create a style that would honour the rich history of the venue whilst appealing to couples from today’s global fashionable elite
Creative Director of Couture Events, Susannah Parker, says
“When visiting Spencer House, I was immediately struck by the magnificent 18th-century chandeliers featuring throughout the venue – so delicate and fragile yet symbolic of endurance and longevity.
These chandeliers, as illuminators and reflectors of light, became a metaphor to me as we navigate our way out of the 2020 global pandemic – banishing darkness and guiding us forward into a new normal, reflecting on what we have experienced, on what we have learned about ourselves, our motivations, and our priorities, honouring the past and those we lost whilst offering grace and hope for our future.
Building on the enduring beauty of crystal as my inspiration,
I wove this element into every touchpoint of my design, in ways which interlaced
timelessness and sophistication with innovation and contemporary design.”
All the crystal elements were perfectly complemented by the colour palette of our chosen Mise En Scene, the unrivalled Palm Room, the architectural climax of the ground floor of Spencer House, with its gilded architectural features, and delicate green and pink accents, which again I incorporated through my design, offsetting the softness of the palette with dramatic, contemporary black elements.
Stationery Suite
Our theme of timeless luxury starts with our stationery suite – meticulously, individually hand-painted on artisan paper by a master artist, and designed to become treasured heirlooms for future generations. These individual works of art are designed for the modern couple wanting a distinctly one of a kind wedding stationery suite that will never be repeated.
Bridal Party Styling
The first bridal look was super formal, in keeping with the magnificence of the venue.
The incredibly ornate crystal embellishments, luxurious heavy golden fabric and incredible cut of the haute couture Helen Gown by Milla Nova was just perfect for the vision;
I offset the classicism of the gown with a chic, modern handmade crystal hairpiece, statement earrings and modern middle parting and red carpet make-up.
I then added a modern twist to the look with a pair of dramatic black heels with a silk ribbon tie.
Our bride was accompanied by our groom wearing immaculate, timeless white tie and tails, reserved for only the most formal of occasions.
For the second, more playful look, I restyled the couple into their more informal ‘going away’ attire – a fabulously fluid yet heavily embellished bridal gown by Chosen by Khya and a snappy white dinner jacket for our groom – perfect for making their dramatic exit as they dashed off on honeymoon in their roaring AC Cobra!
Tablescape
I wanted to contrast the neo classism of The Palm Room with a tablescape that is full of contemporary design elements.
I commissioned a bespoke gold mirror table, with complimentary gold and white leather chairs which I styled with carefully chosen tableware featuring crystal charger plates and cut glass crystal stemware; in contrast to the classic formality of the antique style cut glass tableware, I chose contemporary white and gold cutlery and statement gold and crystal napkin rings.
The look was finished off with the most striking, ultra-modern tall crystal candelabra.
