Julia and Nick’s wedding unfolded not only as a celebration of their love and marriage, but also as a kind of farewell. A week later, they were leaving the UK for a new life in Australia. So this wasn’t just a party, it was a gathering of the most important people in their lives, sharing one last chapter before everything changed. They spent the week at the venue with family and friends, cooking meals, drinking homemade wine, and swimming in the pool.
“It sounds ludicrous, but love was the theme”, Julia told us. “Love for our friends, love for our families, love of a fucking good party. Most of all, a deep and enduring love for each other. We wanted everyone there to know that we love them dearly, and that they are meaningful people in our lives, without whom our lives would be much less glorious. So, our inspiration was celebrating each other, our friends and family who have contributed so much to making our lives wonderful, and the cornerstone of all of that is love.”
This attitude of care and connection was at the heart of everything they created for the day. Nearly every element was handmade, secondhand or gifted. Julia made lip balm and body butter for guests. Nick brewed the beer. They made limoncello and 400 cocktails in a pre-wedding production line with friends. They even took up pottery just to make their favours which were hand-thrown bowls and leaf-shaped dishes.
Lucy, one of Julia’s bridesmaids, stitched matching robes for the bridal party and Julia’s mum. The bouquets weren’t flowers, but homegrown artichokes, later cooked and eaten. Julia found her dress secondhand. Even the confetti was gathered, dried and packed by loved ones, with friends across the country collecting petals.
The ceremony was held outside, and included readings from Nick’s mum and their friend Eryk, as well as music from Prince, Durand Jones and the Ka’au Crater Boys. Julia walked in with her mum to I Wanna Be Your Lover. “Walking in, hand in hand with my Moomin was so very special,” she said. “Having our friend Holly as our celebrant was truly magical. She is a true wordsmith and got us so right…no cheesy shite.”
Afterwards, Opa Rosa brought a Balkan energy to the drinks reception. In the evening, DJ Sam Redmoore took over, joined by a live percussionist. There wasn’t much time set aside for formal portraits because, as the couple said, they were too busy dancing and having fun. “There are so many pictures of us together because we were together the whole time”, Julia explained. “We didn’t want to miss a moment.”
They’d also learned a choreographed routine for their first dance, created by their friends. That quickly turned into a rap performance of Now That We’ve Found Love by Heavy D & the Boyz. “Very silly,” said Julia, “but one of my favourites.”
The couple opted for plant-based food throughout, with the help of caterer Hayley, who they credit with hitting the brief of “sexy and nutritious” food. They saved money by sourcing and providing all their own alcohol, including homemade rhubarb wine, elderflower champagne and limoncello.
“If you have an imagination, you can make so many incredible things yourself”, the bride concluded. “It does take some time and effort, but doing some of those things with your wedding party in the days leading up to the big event is absolutely fantastic, bringing people together to share in the total joy of love!”
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