Elegant Victoria & Albert Museum wedding in London for a New York couple

After a romantic Caribbean proposal, this New York-based couple hired me to plan their destination wedding in London. I pulled out all the stops to find somewhere that rivalled the New York Public Library, the bride-to-be’s favourite venue back home. With its sweeping marble staircases and elegant courtyard garden, I knew The Victoria and Albert Museum would be perfect.

The couple had a clear aesthetic in mind from the beginning: elegant and formal, without being pretentious or stuffy. They wanted to showcase the magnificent setting, whilst making sure their V&A wedding felt fun and reflected them as a couple. Having two colour palettes – traditional white for the ceremony and coral pink for the reception – was a masterstroke!

The bride wore an ethereal appliquéd Mira Zwillinger wedding dress which she paired with delicate silk flats. Her overall look was effortlessly chic, yet timelessly classic. Her bridesmaids were the epitome of elegance in navy silk dresses. The groom wore a custom tuxedo, also in navy, with velvet loafers.

The blessing ceremony took place in the newly-renovated Raphael Court, the most prestigious gallery in the museum and home to the Raphael Cartoons, some of the greatest treasures of the Renaissance. Guests were in awe as they walked through the gleaming gold arch and took their seats in front of the gilded altarpiece.

In a charming break with tradition, the bride walked down the aisle arm-in-arm with both her parents. She carried an exquisite lily-of-the valley bouquet created by Veevers Carter Floral Design and her bridesmaids held bouquets of English sweet peas and scented roses.

The scale and grandeur of the Raphael spoke for itself. For the ceremony florals, we designed two towering arrangements that framed the altarpiece and elegant, all-white flowers in glass vases to create a striking backdrop. We deliberately chose ghost chairs to ensure all eyes were focused on the couple.

After a huge cheer, the newlyweds led their guests out to the garden for cocktail hour. Guests sipped on quintessentially British G&Ts and listened to jazz. It was a magical scene as the sun began to set.

Dinner was served in the Dome entrance hall with guests seated at round tables with low floral centrepieces to facilitate conversation. Blue patterned bud vases and plates added pops of colour and illustrated menus gave a personal touch.