Step inside Annabelle Hoy and JC’s maximalist pink celebration at the Royal Naval College’s Painted Hall, including – a Viktor & Rolf ballgown, candy-pink draping and an all-night dancefloor.
Venue
We chose to host our wedding in the incomparable Painted Hall in London. It was the first and only venue we viewed, and we instantly knew it had to be there. The room is so breathtaking, and yet it’s also in our home city – where we live, met and fell in love. It just felt perfect for us, and I immediately had a vision.
Fashion
After a lengthy dress-shopping process – during which I apparently aimed to try on every dress in London – I found mine at The Wedding Club. It’s a Viktor & Rolf from the 2023 collection, and this was back in Easter 2025. I’d never seen a dress like it. I’m a sucker for tulle and bows, so a dress with both immediately drew me in, and I loved the proportions of a drop waist with a big, voluminous skirt. I paired it with satin Miu Miu ballet flats and a simple cathedral-length tulle veil that blended into the tulle of the train.
Later in the night, I changed into the most stunning evening gown. Maison Margot had reached out only a few weeks before the wedding to ask if I’d be interested in wearing anything from their brand-new collection, which had just shown at New York Bridal Fashion Week. Safe to say I was very interested, and they were able to whip up an incredible beaded, corseted lace gown to my exact measurements in a matter of weeks. It was the perfect evening dress, and the beading caught the lights beautifully on the dancefloor. I had lace Amina Muaddis to match, but to be completely honest, the DJ had started by the time I was changing and I couldn’t bear the thought of putting on heels when all I wanted to do was dance – so the Miu Mius stayed on all night long.
JC wore an incredible bespoke tuxedo by Dee Graham, based in his hometown in Northern Ireland. Everything from the shirt to the cufflinks was custom-made. He went for a vintage ’90s-inspired shape – slightly wider on the shoulders, with long, high-waisted trousers – and it fit him like a glove.
Jewellery
Since my dress was on the busier side, I kept the jewellery simple: diamond studs, my rings, and a diamond tennis bracelet that JC gifted me the morning of our civil wedding. I also wore a sapphire ring that is my mum’s and belonged to my great-grandmother – my something borrowed, something old and something new, all rolled into one.
Bridal Party
The bridesmaids’ dresses are from Miss Rosier, and my bridesmaid Honor actually found them online. I’d been having trouble finding a dress in the perfect colour that wasn’t like every other bridesmaid dress I’d seen – I didn’t want silk or satin, and since I only had four bridesmaids, I loved the idea of them matching, but until we saw this one I wasn’t quite sure what the plan was. We ordered a single dress so all the girls could try it, they absolutely loved it, and that was that. I’m so happy with how it turned out – they all looked gorgeous. On the morning, I gifted each of them my favourite enamel comb from Officine Universelle Buly, engraved with their names, along with some make-up goodies, and they gave me the most beautiful ‘Letters to the Bride’ book, filled with letters from all my friends and family. We got ready at the Savoy and had such a special morning together.
Transportation
My dad and I loaded into the most beautiful vintage Rolls-Royce – absolutely swimming in tulle – for the journey from the Savoy to the venue. It was so special having that time together. The girls, along with my mum and content team, followed behind in a V-Class, and there was definitely champagne involved in their car. JC, his family and the groomsmen got the Uber Boat to Greenwich – which conveniently has a bar – so they also very much arrived in style.
Tablescape
Walking into the venue set up for dinner felt like walking straight into my imagination. The space itself is so traditional and grand, and I had a vision of blending that grandeur with a monochromatic pink theme, which my amazing planner, Verity, helped bring to life. The chairs were fully draped in candy-pink fabric that matched the tablecloths, and each table had a different floral arrangement – some blossoming out of feathers, some with ribbons and bows hanging down, all pink, of course. In keeping with the theme, we even had swan-shaped butter to match our cake, one of my favourite details. On each seat was a pink envelope holding our menu and a handwritten note for each guest. That was one of our guests’ favourite moments – though we definitely underestimated how long it would take us to write them all.
Food & Drinks
The food and drink were delicious. We drank lots of Nyetimber, which went down a treat. We had cured chalk-stream trout with pickled cucumber, followed by a confit leg of duck, and for dessert, beautiful individual lemon meringue pies.
Entertainment
During our ceremony and drinks reception we had a string quartet, which was a real highlight. Before and during the ceremony they played more traditional, classic love songs – think Etta James – and for the reception we asked for modern songs played on strings, a little like Bridgerton. For the evening we stuck to just a DJ, because there’s nothing better than dancing to all your favourite songs. Our first dance was ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, which couldn’t have been more perfect – everyone joined us for the end of the song, which got the dancefloor going immediately, and it stayed full all night. It did slightly descend into chaos when a friend took over the DJ booth and started inviting our musician friends up, one by one, to sing their biggest hit – but an impromptu cover of a ‘Someone You Loved’ DJ remix by Lewis Capaldi went down a treat.
Beauty & Wellness
I actually did my own bridal make-up, and it was the best decision I could have made. My job revolves around doing my own make-up, but it’s also calming for me and really helped me feel grounded on the morning of the wedding. I’d done lots of self-trials, and once I knew the look, I practised it multiple times – so on the day I knew exactly what products I was using, in what order, and with what technique. I felt calm and in control, and most importantly, I felt like myself. I’ve also nailed the technique for long-lasting make-up, because I didn’t need to touch up once the entire night. Instead of spending on a make-up artist, I invested in my skin and saw my dermatologist, Dr Ellie Rashid, in the lead-up, which made a huge difference.
For hair, I had the amazing Michael Grey using L’Oréal Paris products. Michael is someone I’ve known for years and trust completely, so I knew I was in safe hands. We went for a chic, polished French twist with a side part, volume through the crown and one front piece left out and softly curled. It was the perfect bridal updo, and it stayed in place the entire day and night.
Favourite Wedding Gifts
We did our registry with The Wedding Shop and were so lucky to receive such generous gifts from family and friends. Some of my favourites: a Sage coffee machine (life-changing); the most stunning hand-painted pink Ginori plates; and – the kicker – a commissioned painting of our baby dog, Crumble!
Honeymoon
We’ve just got back from our dream honeymoon in the Maldives. We spent two blissful weeks on the most perfect white-sand beaches, eating and drinking to our hearts’ content. We stayed in two different hotels with a speedboat transfer in between – one week in a private overwater villa, one on a private beach. We actually went during the rainy season but got so lucky with the weather, with sunshine all around. Heaven.
Advice
My favourite piece of advice, which I’d pass on to anyone, is to stick by your partner’s side the whole day. We managed to spend the whole day side by side and I couldn’t be more grateful. It’s so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind, but at the end of the day it’s about the two of you.
My other piece of advice is not to be afraid of a bold design choice. I see a lot of discourse online where people are very concerned about their wedding being ‘timeless’. I understand that a white wedding, or something super-classic, is perfect for some people – but if you have a dream or an idea that’s a bit more out there, just do it. I’ll never regret my pink princess wedding.
With thanks
Bride: @annabellehoy
Groom: @jcstewart
Video: @theaislearchive
Cover Photo: @jessicalilyphotography
Wedding Planner: @thefiorcollective
Getting ready venue: @thesavoylondon
Wedding Venue: @orncweddings
First dress: @viktorandrolfmariage via @theweddingclubofficial
Second dress: @maison_margot_official
Hair Styling: @michaelgrayhair using @lorealparis
Hair colour & cut: @harrietmuldoon @bucybones via @larrykinglondon
Makeup: @annabellehoy
Nails: @nailedbycarolina
Groom’s Suit: @deegrahamtailormade
Groom’s haircut: @westandhunter
Bridesmaids: @louisa.hoy @honorallen_ @rebeccaxalison @thegirlcalledgeorge
Groomsmen: @rorytnicholl @_rsmyth97 @conor_o_donohoe @aidan_michaels @markhiggins95 @pdsampson
Drinks: @nyetimber
Draping: @maedaeevents
Florals: @pandpflowers
Catering: @companyofcooks
Ceremony: @chellescott72 @jasondenscott
Strings: @nerostringquartet
Production: @velvetliving
Cake: @clareellenstudio
Stationary: @paperstoriesco
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