Balletcore: Is Ballet the New Muse for Chic Weddings?

The Lanesborough set the stage this week for the ultimate ballet-inspired celebration. A dreamscape of florals and candlelight by Lucy Vail Floristry transformed the space into something out of a performance, a dining scene so magical it felt like stepping through the looking glass. Working in collaboration with Antoinette Lettieri, Head of Events & Event Partnerships at The Lanesborough, Lucy brought the elegance, movement and emotion of ballet into a setting designed to enchant. Maison Margaux elevated the tablescape with exquisite tableware that added depth and drama, while thoughtful finishing touches from Ruth Kaye Design, including personalised menus and delicately scented soap favours, told a story at every place setting. Here, we sit down with Lucy to talk about how Balletcore is influencing the wedding world, the inspiration behind the design, and how couples can embrace the trend for 2025.

Talk us through the creative vision for this event at The Lanesborough.

I wanted to exhibit my ballet sets for the very first time. This vision was inspired by my childhood love of the stage, the scenic painting, the light and the emotion that lingers long after the music fades. I imagined a living set, ready for its curtain call, one that evolves as quickly as it disappears but lasts in everyone’s memories forever.

Every element, from hand-painted murals and embroidered linen to British-grown flowers and fabric frescoes, was designed in-house to blur the line between performance and place. It became a choreography of texture, movement and story, where nature and design became the stage itself. This has been an idea I’ve spoken about for a long time, and it was such an honour for Antoinette to ask us to exhibit our first set at The Lanesborough’s end-of-summer party. It exceeded all my wildest dreams, and the reactions and interactions of the guests with the set itself were like nothing else.

What details were key to creating a setting that felt so transportive and theatrical?

We designed a mural inspired by traditional botanical illustrations and the delicate painterly style we love so much, a design that feels truly timeless. Featuring a mix of colourful meadow flowers and edible garden blooms such as passionflower and nasturtiums, each element was thoughtfully chosen for both its beauty and meaning. Our in-house mural artists hand-painted each tabletop with subtle variations, creating visual rhythm and drama as the eye travelled down the length of the table. Surrounding this artwork, we designed a beautiful pleated light blue linen skirt, adding texture and softness to echo the balletcore aesthetic.

At the heart of each table stood custom-designed gold-leafed candelabras inspired by the delicate elegance of a ballerina’s tiara. Each held ten taper candles, their glow reflecting in the crystal chandeliers above. The effect was pure opulence.

For the tableware, we collaborated with Maison Margaux to have our floral prints delicately embroidered onto linen napkins and printed onto seat pads, bringing the entire tablescape to life. Louise complemented the setting with her bespoke plates and serving bowls, featuring thick, expressive brushstrokes that added a striking, artistic layer to the table. Ruth Kaye and Antoinette designed a beautiful fruit-laden menu and individual name places, styled to mirror the setting’s painterly elegance.

Sophie then created bespoke soaps as favours, each infused with the scent of garden herbs and wrapped in hand-painted botanical paper. These were placed at each setting as a sensory keepsake, evoking the fragrance of the garden long after the event.

Running down the centre of the table was a rich runner of colourful British blooms, with dancing dahlias, cosmos and fragrant garden roses in a symphony of rich tones. Their scent transported guests into a dreamlike world, while varying-height floral candle holders and twinkling gold tea lights nestled among the flowers added layers of romance and enchantment.

Ballet is all about movement and emotion. How did you weave those ideas into the floral design itself?

From the moment I first fell in love with ballet, I was captivated by the interplay of stage and dancers, the way fabric and light moved as one, and the energy and tension that existed between audience and performance. That sense of movement, emotion and tension has always shaped how I design.

For our ballet sets, it was fundamental that this same balancing act of emotion, light, texture, art and movement was present, and that every sense was engaged, just as it is in a theatre. Our flowers, team and even the guests who dined within them became part of the choreography of the event. Layers of texture, colour and height created arcs and flows that guided the eye, softened the architecture and brought the space to life. Every detail was specifically chosen as a key player in a much larger moving troupe (to keep the dance puns coming!). From the painted fresco panels and tabletops to the embroidered napkins and tiara-like candelabras, every detail of the table and its surroundings evoked the dance of the ballet.

For couples who want to nod to balletcore in a more subtle way, what small touches can make a big impact?

You don’t need to create a full set to evoke the magic of ballet. It’s about layering movement, texture and story in subtle ways. Hand-painted tableware, embroidered linens, trailing fabrics or even a single floral arrangement that sweeps across a table can create a sense of theatre individually as much as together.

If I were to isolate the two key players, it would be the first wow moment as you enter the space and dissipated light. Light filtering through things shows off the depth in a room. If you can win people with the wow moment at the start, using textile flats and a well-framed entrance moment, you’ll get your bite of ballet in a way that doesn’t feel compromised.

It’s also in the details. The way light catches organza, the scent of the flowers and small, considered elements can transform a space, creating an immersive feeling without overwhelming the design. Balletcore is about suggestion and elegance, not excess.

Looking ahead to 2026, how do you see this trend evolving and influencing the way couples approach their wedding styling?

I think we’re moving into an era where weddings are experiences, not just events. There’s a shift away from the pared-back modernism of last year, and couples increasingly want to create a world that tells their story, one that combines design, nature, light and craftsmanship. Balletcore embodies that vision. It’s immersive, emotive and collaborative.

By 2026, and even now, I see more couples embracing multisensory design and being excited to work with us on the layered designs we create. We are collaborating with textile artists, metalworkers and lighting designers to create cohesive, living sets for their celebrations. Weddings will feel more like worlds, fleeting, magical and unforgettable, and that’s exactly the feeling we create with The Ballet.