Katrina & Berwyn: A Modern, Joyful and Music-filled Wedding in London

We had very specific ideas about how we wanted the day to feel, which actually helped narrow down our search. The ceremony was always going to centre around singing and music, with intimacy and atmosphere at its heart. Abney Park Chapel was absolutely perfect. You walk through this epic ancient graveyard, and at the end, you come to this tiny, beautiful chapel, hidden away. It felt incredibly special and unique, and almost unbelievable that such a magical place exists right in the heart of London.

For the reception, we both knew we wanted a raucous pub atmosphere. Finding a pub large enough for around 120 guests was a challenge, but then we discovered The Great Northern Railway Tavern. The pub struck the perfect balance between fun and glamour, with its beautiful stained-glass ceiling and Victorian bar lights giving the space a warm, vintage glow.

We stayed two nights at The Ned, which was totally gorgeous. Again, the vintage glamour experience felt indulgent and luxurious. Somehow, all three venues knitted together seamlessly, thanks to our transportation via a 1960s vintage London bus for our guests, and we travelled in a vintage Land Rover.

For my day dress, I chose The Winona with neck scarf by Divine Atelier from Morgan Davies Bridal. It was honestly completely different from what I had imagined, but it felt like the perfect balance of vintage elegance and a cool-London-bride edge. On the day, I decided to add a veil from Anne Priscilla Bridal. I wanted to go with the flow, and I’m so glad I did. I had the full bridal veil experience during the ceremony and then removed it after the photos. My shoes were from Zara. I knew they would get destroyed by the end of the night, so I prioritised comfort and budget elsewhere. My earrings were vintage Dior.

For the evening, I changed into a glitzy mini dress (also by Morgan Davies Bridal) and my “something blue” Gianvito Rossi shoes. The change of dress felt like a fun way to announce: it’s time to party.

My makeup and my bridesmaids’ makeup was by Amber Harlow Makeup, who was an absolute dream. Amber has a wonderful way of enhancing your features so you still feel completely like yourself, just a more radiant, glamorous version. My hair was styled by Emma Louise Bridal Hair. We were a very laid-back bridal party and ended up deciding on our hairstyles on the day, which Emma handled with total calm and creativity. My Audrey Hepburn–esque updo stayed perfectly in place from the ceremony to the final dance.

For my bridesmaids and brides-men, I wanted a cohesive look while still allowing everyone to feel like themselves. I chose romantic red for the bridesmaids, which ultimately shaped the entire styling and colour palette of the day. We ordered a selection of dresses in the same shade from Club L London and held a trying-on party at the start of my hen do to make sure everyone felt happy and that the looks worked together. My brides-man and man of honour wore classic tuxedos from Marks & Spencer, as did the rest of the groom’s party. Everyone looked incredibly chic.

Berwyn wore a double-breasted cream jacket from Suitsupply, paired with black trousers and the most sentimental tie belonging to his late father, featuring the fox emblem from his rugby club in Bedlinog. I also surprised him and the groomsmen with red kite lapel pins, symbolising his dad, which felt like a special touch.

I wanted to strike a balance between old-money vintage glamour and a cool London edge: elegant but not stuffy. We chose minimal white florals and focused mainly on dressing the tables with small flower vases and white candles, as the pub itself was already so beautiful. We added paper lanterns to the outdoor pub garden lights, creating the most magical atmosphere as the evening set in. Nothing was too structured. I wanted beautiful accidental chaos. It was also important to us that the space still felt like a pub, not a pub pretending to be a wedding venue. After all, we chose the pub vibe for a reason.

Our florist was my incredible best friend and man of honour, so he was very busy that day. Andy Monaghan Flowers is truly beyond brilliant. I shared a moodboard and the general feel I wanted and completely trusted him to bring it to life. He created the most stunning oversized urns for the ceremony, filled with white and off-white blooms, which looked beautiful against the romantic red of the bridesmaid dresses. My bouquet was made entirely of white pom-pom dahlias. I loved the simplicity of a single-flower arrangement.

Controversial to some, but we decided not to have a wedding cake. We didn’t want to interrupt the flow of the celebrations for a cake-cutting moment, especially as our ceremony was later in the day and dessert was being served quite late. Instead, we chose three classic pub dishes from the pub’s regular menu: proper, comforting pub grub. Sausage and mash was the clear winner, followed by sticky toffee pudding for dessert. It was exactly what we wanted: hearty, delicious, and completely unpretentious.

Our photographer, Joy, by Ash, was truly one of the highlights of the entire experience. Ash felt like part of the day from start to finish, and we are completely in awe of her work. We wanted fun, playful images, including some totally unplanned shots involving fruit and vegetables standing in for body parts, and she embraced it all with such joy and humour. Our photos feel unique, heartfelt, silly, sentimental, and unmistakably us.

I truly believe your relationship with your photographer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, as you spend so much time together. Ash captured everything, even dancing along to the music during the chapel ceremony. She was an absolute dream.

My husband sings in a vocal group called The Gregorian Monks, a group of classical singers, and being Welsh, many of his friends just happen to have incredible voices. Together, they secretly planned and surprised me with three songs during the ceremony. They sang Location Unknown (Honne), followed by I Love You Always Forever (Donna Lewis), and finished with a hilariously unexpected version of Stacy’s Mom, rewritten as Megi’s Mom in honour of my beloved dog. It was the single best moment of my life, and I don’t think anything will ever top it.

Think carefully about the structure and flow of the day, moment by moment. We mentally walked through every part and asked ourselves: Does this feel like us? Who is this for? Is this necessary? Are we doing this because it’s tradition or because it’s meaningful? Focus on creating personal moments that reflect who you are as a couple. Prioritise music, laughter, warmth, and connection. Especially if you are on a budget, the canapés, the cake, the fireworks — honestly, don’t bother.