Hundreds of garden roses at a romantic Kew Gardens Temperate House wedding
PLANNING & DESIGN BY EMMA JOY / PHOTOGRAPHY BY TAYLOR & PORTER
FEATURED ON STYLE ME PRETTY
Lauren and Ollie legally tied the knot in 2020 and they couldn't wait to celebrate in style with their guests once Covid restrictions were finally lifted in the UK. In fact, so eager were they to start planning, that they emailed me before our Prime Minister had even finished making the announcement!
With venues closed and show rounds still taking place virtually, finding the perfect setting might have been a challenge. But nestled near their home, Kew Gardens, a couple's favourite spot, was a natural choice. When the venue told us they had availability on Lauren and Ollie's first wedding anniversary, we knew it was meant to be!
Kew Gardens is certainly an incredible venue and there's something special about Kew Gardens weddings. It has grown from the small botanic garden that Princess Augusta, mother of King George III, founded in 1759, into a major scientific institution and much-loved destination. The Temperate House is the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world and the Nash Conservatory, where the couple had their ceremony, used to be in the grounds at Buckingham Palace. Luckily for Lauren and Ollie, it was moved brick-by-brick to Kew in 1836!
Having planned their small wedding last year, I already knew their style really well and I found Kew itself very inspiring. I designed a joyful palette of soft pink and white and kept the overall feel natural and romantic. Larry Walshe used hundreds of garden roses, dahlias and other seasonal blooms, many of them British-grown, to create a floral backdrop of dreams. Lauren looked stunning in her Suzanne Neville wedding dress, perfectly suiting the contemporary elegance of their Temperate House wedding.
In a break with tradition, Ollie drove his gorgeous bride to their Nash Conservatory ceremony, and the couple walked down the aisle together. It was a beautiful and very personal service, during which they announced the wonderful news that they're expecting a baby!
“The biggest thank you for all your help and support in organising not one, but two weddings for us! You were incredible and we will remember both weddings for the rest of our lives. Despite everything life threw at us, they couldn’t have been better.”
— LAUREN & OLIVER
Being foremost a botanic garden, there were understandably lots of rules and logistics I had to consider during the planning process. For instance, because real flowers aren’t allowed inside the Temperate House in case they contaminate the plant collection, we had a magnificent display of candles instead. Exposed wood dining tables, gold cutlery and linen napkins created an elegant yet rustic feel and guests enjoyed the once-in-a-lifetime experience of dining beneath a canopy of exotic plants and trees. It was a magical scene as darkness fell, the candles flickered and the moon shone.
After dinner, everyone danced the night away to the fantastic Gatsby band. It was incredible, and Taylor and Porter captured the beauty and emotion of the day perfectly.
