HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Jojo and Findley said “I do” on 2nd July, 2022, and based their theme on a dreamy English meadow

Images courtesy of Alex Tenters Photography

Jojo met Findley met while studying at the same college at university. “We started hanging out by osmosis really as we shared a mutual friend. A few nights out later and we were seeing each other. We called it official in October 2012, so 2022 marked our 10-year anniversary.”

Findley proposed at the top of The Old Man of Coniston in the Lake District. They paced it up the peak on an unmarked trail in record time partly because they had an early dinner reservation and partly because they knew they had a small window of opportunity with regards the weather. When they reached the top the clouds parted and the sun beamed down, that’s when Findley got down on one knee and asked Jojo to marry him.

Jojo’s parents have lived in a farmhouse in Lamberhurst since 1997, which is where she grew up. Overlooking Lamberhurst Vineyard with beautiful views of the valley and village, it sits in a stunning location. “We’ve always hosted parties there, with a big, well-tended garden, it makes the perfect venue. I couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else,” Jojo tells us. So, it was there the couple said “I do” in the open air on the most beautiful of summer days, in the meadow at the bottom of the garden. They had a drinks reception with jazz beneath the oak trees and dancing later in the marquee. Join us as the bride tells us more...

SETTING THE SCENE

The pair opted for a Midsummer Night’s Dream vibe, with a soft English countryside feel where a long grassy meadow meets classic romance. The palette was made up of sage green, dusky pink and cream.

Working with florist Amelia Florence, Jojo and Findley set the scene beautifully for their ceremony with an extraordinary moon arch at the altar and meadow florals lining the aisle for the bride’s whistful entrance. The couple chose centrepieces that were a combination of boxes filled with the same meadowy florals as the ceremony, and simpler bud vases, dotted along the length of the long trestle tables. Amelia also created a stunning installation hanging above the middle trestle table, which was the marquee’s main centrepiece. “I absolutely adored our flowers and was incredibly excited to work with Amelia on them,” Jojo shares. “She got the vision right away. We were getting married in a field of long grass peppered with wild flowers, so we wanted to make the arrangements equally dreamy. The feature blooms were roses and pampas grass, with lots of long and feathery dark and light green foliage, as well as other blooms in blush pink and cappuccino.”

One of the best men, George, makes novelty, interestingly-shaped cakes. In fact, he’s well-known for making a hyper-realistic overfilled ashtray from cake. “He’s an artist, and asked to do our cake, which we knew would be a fun statement,” Jojo shares. “We went through a few different ideas together including a fully-working train moving around a mountain to all of the places Findley and I have ever visited together. Eventually though, we settled on a hyper-real suckling pig. Needless to say it divided opinion. I think a fair few attendees were horrified by it!”

The place names were simple and elegant white cards with a strip of gold at one end, wrapped in blush pink cotton twine, along with a sprig of Rosemary in memory of the bride’s late granny whose name was Rosemary.

“Enlist the services of an on-the-day coordinator so you don’t need to worry about anything at all.”

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

The bride and groom worked with Sarah from Amuse Catering on their wedding breakfast. “We didn’t want anything too formal,” Jojo says. “Food is a huge part of our life and our relationship, so we wanted it to feel casual and communal.” The pair opted for canapés at the drinks reception with platter food served along the middle of each trestle table for the wedding breakfast. These included pork rack with crackling and salsa verde, roasted salmon with sauce gribiche, caponata, garlic potatoes, tenderstem broccoli with pine nuts, and rocket, pea and parmesan salad. In Jojo’s words, it was “sublime.”

Dessert was a trio of sweet treats including a pastel de nata, a mini pavlova and a chocolate brownie. Later in the night a cheeseboard was brought out and included some of the couple’s favourite cheeses: Lord London, Morbier and black bomber to name a few.

LOOKING THE PART

Jojo wore a dreamy, ruffle-skirted Stella York gown with a simple white top. “I loved the idea of wearing a full skirt and wanted to have fun wearing it, which I totally did,” the bride shares. She then changed into a slinky, long, white, plunge-neck dress ready to hit the dancefloor later in the evening.

Jojo accessorised classically with three roses in her half up/ half down hairstyle, along with a short custom-made veil with satin trim.

Findley wore a pale blue cotton suit with his favourite Hermes tie, which is yellow with pineapples on it. He gave his groomsmen a broad brief of a blue suit, as he didn’t like the idea of having to ask them to buy a new suit especially for the wedding. So, the gents were dressed in a myriad of blue hues.

Jojo had never envisioned her bridesmaids wearing the same dress or even the same colour. So, along with her maid-ofhonour she started to pull a few of the colours from the floral arrangements such as sage, pale pink, and warm caramel. They found a selection of slinky long dresses on ASOS that fit the bill and Jojo set about ordering a variety. “We had a really fun day at my flat where the girls tried them on, switched them around and discussed their opinions. I absolutely adored the final selection and every bridesmaid looked stunning,” Jojo remembers.

TIME TO CELEBRATE

As the whole day took place at the bride’s parents’ house, the couple had maximum flexibility on entertainment, and made the most of it. As guests arrived a pianist played a range of pop covers and wedding favourites. As Jojo walked down the aisle opera singer Alex performed a beautiful rendition of Handel’s Ombra Mai Fu, from Serse.

Later, during the drinks reception a guitarist and saxophonist from the couple’s wedding band, performed a jazz set. Then the main event, the complete cohort of Soho: City Collective played during the evening. “They were literally unreal. I wasn’t off the dancefloor all night,” the bride remembers. “We did our first dance to Paris Hilton’s Stars Are Blind. The crowd genuinely couldn’t quite believe their ears, but then started loving it! The lead singer of the band said it was the best first dance she’d seen!”

“Being surrounded by everyone we love, all in one place, all at one time, was the singular most special feeling in the world. I wish I could bottle that and keep it forever!”

THE GETAWAY

The newlyweds spent two weeks in Thailand on honeymoon. It’s Findley’s favourite place in the world having lived there for while as a teenager. And although he often visits friends there and Jojo too has been on holiday there, the two had never been together so it felt right.

The groom planned the whole trip meticulously, making sure no moment, no meal was wasted. The couple spent a few nights in Bangkok before flying north to Chaing Rai, where they stayed on the border of Laos and Myanmar. There they went elephant trekking, “Which was unbelievable,” Jojo remembers. After that, they rented a car and drove back down to Chaing Mai, seeing the country by road as they went. Along the way they were able to stop at a few roadside dining spots that Findley had researched via the YouTubers he’s followed keenly for a few years. After exploring the city and visiting temples they headed back to Bangkok on an overnight train, which was a first for Jojo. “We had our own compartment, so we got some takeaway noodles and drinks, and whiled away the hours watching downloads on iPlayer. It was super-special.” Last on the itinerary was flying south to Koh Samui for a few beach days.

ROLL CREDITS

Marquee, Camelot Marquees, www.camelotmarquees.co.uk | Photographer, Alex Tenters Photography, https://alextentersphotography.co.uk | Dress, Isabella Grace Bridal, www.isabellagracebridal.com | Alterations and bespoke veil, Kiera Elysia, www.kieraelysia.co.uk | Hair stylist, Stane Frith | Make-up artist, Makeup Angel, https://makeupangel.co.uk | Bridesmaids’ dresses, ASOS Groom’s suit, 40 Colori, www.40colori.com | Cake, George McCallum Bakes, www.instagram.com/georgemccallumbakes | Flowers, Made by Amelia Florence, www.madebyameliaflorence.com | Stationery, Papier | Entertainment, Soho: City Collective, www.tailored-entertainment.com Alex Dinwiddie, www.alexandradinwiddie.co.uk | Elspeth Wilkes (pianist) | Catering, Amuse Private Catering, www.amuseprivatecaterers.co.uk Wedding co-ordinator, The Wedding Dolls, www.theweddingdolls.co.uk