Inside: A Nostalgic Wedding In Tillington

Our Story

We had a serendipitous meeting at a friend’s birthday party in 2018, after 10 years of knowing each other in passing. He, an Englishman with an Argentine flair, was always seen wearing his trademark boina, the Argentine beret. Known as the “Horse Whisperer,” he had spent the last 15 years travelling the world, training horses. Despite his good looks he was also the kindest and funniest man I’d ever met. Fast forward 3 ½ years he proposed, surprising me with the ring I may have just dropped a few hints about from Minka Jewels – and an incredibly special wedding in Tillington.

Wedding in Tillington — Photographer: @bizzyarnott

Venue

Our wedding took place at All Hallow’s church in Tillington, a place of nostalgic significance. My late granny was heavily involved there and it was where my family attended Christmas and Easter services, and where, as mischievous children, my sisters, cousins and I would conveniently “get lost” on a pony rides as an excuse to skip church aged 5. The reception was held at our London Velvet HQ in a picturesque field on our family property, we let the grass grow long and mowed strips for walkways. My ethos at London Velvet is zero waste and I applied the same mentality to our wedding so we adorned the walkways with potted trees & plants which are now flourishing in our garden, accented with suspended lanterns which lit the incredible setting up at night.

Fashion

Emma Victoria Payne designed a bespoke dress, incorporating my late granny’s veil into the shirt collar and cuffs. I swapped the shirt for a cowboy hat later in the evening as a nod to my wonderful husband, paired with very cool ostrich feather shoes from Gina. My something blue was a beautiful sapphire bracelet, a gift from my parents.

Bridal Party

My brand – London Velvet – is all about colour, I am not one for muted tones! So to add a burst of colour to the wedding my sisters and best friends were encouraged to choose their own bright outfits. The little ones in our entourage wore adorable bespoke green silk gingham dresses with pleated collars and dark green silk sashes, adorned with flower crowns from Lucy Vail Floristry. The boys wore matching bloomers & sashes with cotton nehru collared shirts. I gave the bridesmaid matching With Nothing Underneath linen shirts to get ready in and the little ones little pillows made out of the leftover gingham fabric with their names embroidered.

Transportation

Our exit from the church was met with an unexpected twist. We left the church in the dickie seat of my late grandfather’s cherished Rolls Royce, the same car my mother in 1986 and sister in 2016 drove away from their weddings in. My parents were in the front with an eski with a bottle of Clicquot in so we could stop on our way home for a glass of fizz to celebrate overlooking the downs. However, despite my father’s effort to ensure a smooth departure, we encountered a quickly deflating back left tyre right as we were leaving the church. Amidst laughter and good spirits, we made it to the top of the hill and decanted into our friend Dom’s Audi, my poor father was a little deflated. Scuse the pun.

Tablescape

Amidst the rural location, we grew wildflowers at home for the centrepieces, complemented by handblown colourful glass candlesticks. Each guest had personalised embroidered napkins from my brand, London Velvet. Slate table mats served as unique place cards, with plans to repurpose them as roofing slates for a home project.

Food & Drink

As a nod to my husband’s past Gaucho life, Country Fire Kitchen crafted an exquisite Argentine feast, featuring cedar plank-cooked salmon, chicken in baskets, and traditional asado lamb. The culinary delights continued with a giant burrata starter and roasted potatoes, pine nuts, and aioli for the main course, served by the incredible head caterers. We served up my favourite pale Australian Rosé, Rogers and Rufus, and Veuve Clicquot followed by mega cocktails from Cock & Tail bars.

Entertainment

Our exit from the church was a surprise to our guests as our wedding band, cleverly disguised among the congregation, performed Jackie Wilson’s “I Get the Sweetest Feeling.” It was a Love Actually moment. Our first dance was to “I Like It Like That” by Pete Rodriguez. My husband, who claims to have the rhythm of a potato had mini maracas to break the ice which bought fits of laughter to us both and the rest of the party.

Beauty & Wellness

In preparation for the day, I visited FaceGym for skincare, and my cousin Mary Greenwell, renowned for her makeup artistry, graciously took charge of mine and my bridesmaids’ makeup. We are lucky enough that she has done both my mother and sisters at their weddings too so we’re always in the safest hands!

Favourite Wedding Gifts

We were spoilt, but a few stand out pieces included the plants from our wedding that now thrive in our garden, a beautifully carved stag head by Adam Humphreys to disguise a garden drain, and our matching London Velvet weekend bags.

Honeymoon Plans

Our Mini-moon in Puglia, Italy, didn’t go as planned, I ended up in the hospital with nerve damage to my coccyx after flying down some stone steps shortly after arrival, leading to a far from romantic getaway. But we’ve just spent 3 months riding across the Maasai Mara, Kenya, hosting with Offbeat Riding Safaris which more than made up for it.