The Night Before
With guests flying in from across Europe and the US, C&W made the most of their secluded wedding venue by hosting an intimate arrival dinner the night before the main event. A sunset drinks reception on the South Terrace saw long-distance friends catching up over a glass (or two!) of Champagne, before heading into the house to dine.
The banqueting tablescape was colour focused; green dining candles in curved teal holders lined the centre, while florals referenced the Sunken Garden with orange crocosmia and blue delphiniums – an absolute juxtaposition to the 17th Century Library setting.
The I Do’s
C&W’s wedding day started as it meant to go on; with a surprise. After the grooms-to-be each enjoyed a relaxing massage in their rooms, they walked across to the Shell Grotto to be met with a private serenade from Sonare – a surprise arranged by C for W for their final moment together as nearly-weds, before heading back to the house for a quick lunch and their final prep.
The ceremony; a semi-circle arrangement on the Lake Lawn, offered the perfect view for guests to watch W abseil from the roof of St Giles House, as Abba’s ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!’ played him down. Meanwhile C, dressed in head-to-toe pink velvet, made his own dramatic entrance – walking down the aisle with bubble-gun in hand, behind cabaret-fan-bearing drag queens. The two were pronounced husband and husband by their best friends, surrounded by wild meadow in the mid-summer sun.
The Dress Code
Embracing the couple’s love of Avant-Gard, guests wore ‘Avant-Garden’ couture that absolutely lived up to their dress-code. The Met Gala-esque outfits knew no bounds; from beekeeper chic with silk and crystal bees suspended on a headpiece, to a matching suit-and-gown look, complete with hot pink knight helmets.
Crowns, capes, jewels and embroidery were of no shortage in the Sunken Garden, as guests enjoyed an early evening Champagne reception, with bespoke sparkling shipped in from a small farm C&W had visited in Chigny les Roses.
The Dinner
After a dinner of summer salad, cacio e pepe and steak-frites, guests enjoyed the ‘sweet tooth’ – orange and polenta cake with pistachio crumble, and the ‘cheese tooth’ – a connoisseur selection of vintages with quince jelly and honeyed figs. Each course was beautifully listed on C&W‘s whimsical menus, which sat among handmade glitterball mushrooms, bold candles and bright florals.
The evening continued with yet more surprises – next in the form of a flash mob that broke out mid-way through C’s speech. W, unaware of the plans, was treated to an impressively choreographed routine by 25 of their guests, before everyone headed out to the garden lounge for a cocktail service of espresso martinis & spicy margaritas.
The After Party
For one final surprise, a sparkler run led the ensemble back into St Giles House for an after party in the basement club; complete with the bespoke touches of a red LED ‘phone box’ guest book and sets from some top international DJ’s.
The celebration concluded the next morning with a farewell breakfast and IV vitamin drips in the Riding House lounge, to rejuvenate guests before their onwards travels.
Blog Photos by Sabina Povolna
Venue – St Giles House / Photographer – The Curries / Super 8 – Perky Pug Films / Florist – Martha & The Meadow / Tech & Lighting – Cinemattag / Caterer – Red Herring Events / Evening Food – Miz Street Food / Choir – Sonare Choir / Drag Queens – Rent-A-Queen / Abseiling Coach – Jim Oakley Adventures / Vitamin Drips – Get a Drip / Marquee – DP Marquees
