Your weddings: Peasant experience

 

Edited by: Millie Milliken   Photos: Eliza Claire

 

 

 

Steve and I decided early on that we wanted to get married in London. It was important that our friends could catch the Tube home and not have the faff and expense of having to trek outside the capital. 

 

We researched a few pubs for our reception, but knew early on that The Peasant, on St John Street, was the one for us. We loved that we could hire the whole place, using upstairs for the meal and downstairs for the party – great for an atmosphere reset.

 

 

Our ceremony was held at the Museum of the Order of St John, hidden away in the middle of Clerkenwell. We were blown away by its beauty. It’s a secular building, but has the feel of a church. What’s more, it’s a short walk from The Peasant, which made for a noisy procession, led by our friend Paul on his bagpipes.

 

The dress I chose, the Martine by Stephanie Allin, reflected my personality well. Being able to move freely and dance on my wedding day was important to me, and it allowed me to do that while giving structure and showing off my figure.

 

Steve wanted a suit that was sharp and modern. Half his wardrobe is from Reiss, so that seemed an obvious starting point. Having found one he liked, Reiss were able to make all the adjustments he needed. He finished the look off with a tie and pocket square (also from Reiss) and shoes from Barker on Regent Street. 

 

 

The day before the wedding, Steve, his mum (a retired florist) and I all got up at the crack of dawn to get the best deals at New Covent Garden Market. She then spent most of the day carefully arranging the flowers and keeping them healthy in buckets. Our colour scheme was simply ‘colour’ – any type, as much as possible and no rules. 

 

 

The Peasant is well decorated with bunting, movie posters and art, and that took away a lot of stress. Steve’s mum and auntie made some bunting for the upstairs restaurant – a nice personal touch.

 

In the spirit of colour, the flowers were no exception. I just wanted loads of beautiful blooms against the dress, and the same for the bridesmaids. Ellie at The Flower Appreciation Society was great at pulling this together.

 

 

Another big reason for choosing The Peasant was the amazing food, which also meant we didn’t have to negotiate outside caterers. We loved the way people could have a choice of three dishes on the day, and were greeted with homemade scotch eggs and Pimm’s. We weren’t fussed about a traditional wedding cake, so went for two giant Colin the Caterpillars from M&S. They were more fun to look at and a trip down memory lane for lots of people (plus, it saved us pennies).

 

Neither of us particularly enjoys having our photo taken, so we wanted somebody who could capture the whole day in a relaxed, observational style, rather than lots of staged set-ups. After an extensive search online, we found Eliza. She was so friendly and relaxed that we wanted her there as a guest as much as a photographer. On the day, she worked with her assistant to ensure they covered as much as possible. She even set up a photo booth in a small corner of the pub to allow guests to take their own shots in the evening.

 

 

Finally, the entertainment was all about Lee, aka DJ Catfight. We met him before the wedding to discuss a loose playlist, but he brought the roof down with his range of tunes: from Abba to Taylor Swift, he kept the dancefloor packed the whole night. 

 

Steve Walking from the ceremony to the reception with our friend playing the bagpipes. It felt like a mini festival and was just so joyful.

 

Kayleigh We wrote down all the little memories and moments when we got home. This is still a highlight even now, to remember all of the small things that happened to make the day so special. 

 

Bride’s dress Stephanie Allin

Groom’s suit Reiss 

Flowers The Flower Appreciation Society, New Covent Garden Market 

Stationery Feel Good Invites  

Entertainment DJ Catfight