Inside: Holly Congdon And Dan Cody’s Joy-Filled Suffolk Wedding And ‘Club Cody’ After-Party

From meeting when they were 16 to a family holiday proposal in Corfu, step inside Holly Congdon and Dan Cody’s joy-filled Suffolk wedding.

The Story So Far

Holly Congdon and Dan Cody first met when they were 16, quickly becoming firm friends before they began dating in 2010. Over the 16 years that followed, they built a life together in Fulham, alongside their beloved sausage dog Luna, affectionately known as Tuna.

In 2025, during a family holiday to Corfu, Dan proposed. Greece has long held a special place in their relationship, with the couple spending almost every summer there together, making it a particularly fitting setting.

Dan had also been paying attention. Years earlier, Holly had sent him a photograph of her dream engagement ring. He kept the image and later worked with Manchester jeweller Steven Stone to have it designed and made. The Manchester connection made it even more personal, as it was where Dan grew up.

The Venue

The setting was never really up for debate. Holly and Dan always knew they wanted to marry at her parents’ home in Suffolk, where they regularly escape for weekends.

With guests travelling from overseas, the couple turned the wedding into a full weekend. Friday began with pizzas and pints at The King’s Head, known locally as the Low House, in Laxfield, a brilliantly atmospheric pub with its original tap room and a sun-trap garden.

At 4pm on Saturday, Holly walked to the church sitting quite literally on her parents’ doorstep. From her parents’ bedroom, she had been able to watch guests making their way into the churchyard before the ceremony.

Afterwards, everyone spilled into the walled garden for drinks beneath a beautiful Raj tent. Holly’s father had spent the previous year working furiously on the garden, and by the wedding weekend it was at its absolute peak.

Dinner took place beneath a sailcloth tent, draped by Draping Bliss, but the real surprise was waiting beyond. Holly and Dan have always loved a party and, on holidays with friends, their evenings had become affectionately known as ‘Club Cody’. Naturally, it had to make an appearance at the wedding.

Guests were eventually revealed a full-scale Club Cody: a giant heart-shaped disco ball, mirrored dance floor, pink glitter disco booths, a huge heart backdrop and a two-tier stage covered in pink felt. “The whole room was a sensory overload,” says Holly. “And we loved it.”

Sunday brought one final instalment: a Club Cody pool party complete with branded T-shirts, caps and temporary tattoos. Rosé flowed all afternoon and, according to Holly, the resulting hangovers were considerably worse than Saturday’s.

The Fashion

Holly’s wedding dress was made by the same seamstress who had created her mother’s gown, making the process particularly special.

She visited Carole each month as they developed a completely bespoke dress together. Holly’s favourite element was the veil, cleverly designed to double as sleeves, allowing her to wear it throughout the entire day. She is already considering how she might repurpose it again.

Her ‘something blue’ was a sapphire eternity ring belonging to one grandmother, while her ‘something old’ was her other grandmother’s engagement ring. Pearl earrings borrowed from her mother completed the trio of family pieces.

Dan’s black tie was designed by close friend and tailor Elliot Mason of Anthony Sinclair, based in Montagu Square. Elliot also helped Dan choose his wedding-day sunglasses from Ed Scarlett, while his shoes came from Shipton & Heneage.

The Bridal Party

Holly gave each of her bridesmaids a heart-shaped pink clutch from Vivienne Westwood.

Hearts became a recurring motif throughout the wedding, from the bridesmaids’ accessories to the enormous disco ball suspended above the dance floor, making the bags a playful continuation of the wider design.

The Transportation

Rather than traditional wedding cars, Holly recruited her sisters’ friends to ferry guests between the house and their accommodation.

Naturally, even the drivers became part of Club Cody. Each wore a specially made Club Cody T-shirt, turning the logistics into another detail of the weekend.

The Tablescape

Instead of a traditional table plan, guests found their seats via an escort bar lined with personalised iced biscuits from Biscuiteers, the company founded by Holly’s mother. Each biscuit was inscribed with its guest’s table placement and doubled as a keepsake.

Working at Lettice meant Holly had spent years surrounded by beautifully designed weddings, which made approaching her own tablescape something of a challenge. Her priority was to create something that felt timeless rather than tied to a fleeting trend, while still indulging her instinct for colour.

Maison Margaux and Luxe Collection helped bring the tables together with layers of linen and tableware, while Lavender Green Flowers looked to the surrounding garden for inspiration.

The brief was to bring the outside in, translating Holly’s many Pinterest boards into florals that felt as though they belonged naturally within the setting. Her bouquet was a particular highlight. “It’s probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” she says.

The Food & Drink

Food was always going to take centre stage. Holly wanted the menu to feel personal, taking its cues from the dishes she and Dan genuinely enjoy eating at home.

The reception began with Holly’s favourite Lettice canapés accompanied by Pol Roger Champagne and Tomatinis made using tomatoes grown in her father’s greenhouse.

At the table, sausage dog-shaped butter paid tribute to Tuna, accompanied by ciabatta from local bakery The Black Dog. The wedding breakfast began with a traditional prawn cocktail, followed by chicken and chips with grilled baby gem and Caesar dressing. Silver pots filled with tarragon mayonnaise ran the length of the tables and, unsurprisingly, were quickly demolished.

Dessert came in the form of a table piled with miniature sweet canapés, alongside a showstopping wedding cake created by Lettice pastry chef Zoe Anderson: silver chrome buttercream finished with glittering cherries.

Later, clarified piña coladas arrived decorated with miniature disco balls, alongside Espresso Martinis and Picantes. Hot dogs and truffle cheese toasties appeared as the night wore on.

Then came the midnight surprise. Holly’s partners at Lettice, Mark and Jonty, had secretly brought caviar and began making their way around the party dispensing caviar bumps to guests. Club Cody, by this point, was firmly in full swing.

The Entertainment

Holly has adored Pride and Prejudice since childhood, so the theme from the 1995 television adaptation was arranged for organ and played as she entered the church.

A choir performed throughout the ceremony, while a soloist sang O Mio Babbino Caro, a sentimental nod to Holly’s parents, who had included the same piece at their own wedding. As the newlyweds left the church, the choir broke into The Beach Boys’ God Only Knows.

“I felt like I was in a Richard Curtis film,” says Holly.

For the evening, the couple worked with ALR Music, with DJ Carly joined by Michel on percussion and Tom on saxophone.

Their first dance was Fatboy Slim’s Praise You, a song they have always loved and one that felt particularly fitting after so many years together.

Beauty & Wellness

Holly and Dan kept the pre-wedding wellness regime refreshingly relaxed. Rather than embarking on an elaborate schedule of treatments, they concentrated on enjoying the build-up, with Holly fitting in visits to FaceGym ahead of the day.

Ellie Mayhew created Holly’s make-up, while Paul Miller looked after her hair.

Favourite Wedding Gifts

The couple created their list with The Wedding Present Company, but some of their most treasured gifts were pieces already steeped in family history.

Among them were candlesticks that had belonged to Holly’s great-grandparents and crystal Champagne saucers gifted by Dan’s mother, pieces they know will remain with them for decades to come.

The Honeymoon

After three days of celebrations, Holly and Dan are heading to Crete for a suitably relaxed minimoon.

A bigger honeymoon is being saved for the New Year, giving them another adventure to look forward to once the confetti has settled.

Advice

Make it feel like you. Weddings can come with a long list of traditions and expectations, but Holly and Dan kept returning to one question: did it feel like them? “Have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously.”

Invest in the memories. Knowing how quickly the wedding itself would pass, Holly prioritised a brilliant photographer and videographer so they could relive the weekend long after it was over.

Make the first glass count. “Make sure the first glass of fizz is great,” says Holly. It sets the tone for the reception and is the drink guests remember. Her advice? Spend on the welcome drinks, then choose something a little kinder to the budget later in the evening.