Written in the stars

University sweethearts Rachael and Sam shared their floral-themed big day with loved ones in Hackney

Images courtesy of Heather Sham Photography

Rachael and Sam met at Aberystwyth University in Wales and have been together ever since. “Our story began 11 years ago. We shared our first date night at Aberystwyth Lighthouse under the stars and that followed by a summer of dates in London’s Royal Parks,” says Rachael. “I met Sam at the end of my first year at university and I’ve never looked back!”

The proposal was a complete surprise. “Although we’ve been together for so long and always knew we’d get married I had absolutely no idea it was coming. Sam proposed in our favourite place, the Lake District, on top of a mountain near

Grasmere. It was just us and beautiful views, and he even sneakily carried a mini bottle of champagne for us to pop at the top. It was perfect,” she recalls.

The duo lived near Hackney for over six years and love the vibe so that was the area they knew they wanted to tie the knot in. “It’ll always have a special place in our hearts. It’s so relaxed and some of our favourite places in London, such as Victoria Park and Columbia Road flower market are super close,” she says.

Here Rachael tells us more about their day…

I wore a Self Portrait dress. I always knew I wanted a mid-length design with lace or flower details. It suited the venue perfectly as it was modern and matched the chilled Hackney vibe.

I accessorised with daisy earrings, a daisy bracelet, and blue shoes.

The Hackney is a super cool cocktail bar and coffee shop, with stunning natural light and décor. We’re big lovers of coffee and brunch, so celebrating in a coffee shop was heaven for us.

Sam wore a blazer from Walker & Slater, with blue chinos, a white shirt and blue tie. His two best men wore outfits of their choice, as we wanted them to feel relaxed for the day.

My sister was my maid-of-honour. She wore a stunning pale yellow mid-length Self Portrait dress, so the material was similar to mine. They looked so lovely together on the day.

Throughout the venue there was gorgeous greenery hanging everywhere. It felt natural and relaxed and was exactly what we were looking for.

Hackney Town hall was a perfect location for us, we wanted something intimate, not too formal with a relaxed vibe, and the wooden chamber room was just what we hoped it would be. My bouquet was a stunning mix of natural flowers.

For our centrepieces, flowers were placed in a range of glass and pottery bottles and they were arranged along the centre of the long tables.

We had a flower wall at the back of the room. Our florist was incredible. It was the first time we’d seen the flowers at the venue, and I couldn’t have dreamed of it looking better.

Our food was created by the absolutely amazing caterers, Banquet. Food was important to us and the four-course menu was a huge hit.

My aunty made our cake and cupcakes and they looked and tasted amazing.

I made the table plan by placing handmade cards in a big plant pot of large daisies.

Instead of favours, we had wooden place names made for everyone to take home.

Our guest book was a gorgeous daisy design to match our theme. We treated guests to a sweet station that went down a storm. We transported guests to the reception on a vintage red bus. It created some great photo opportunities.

We opted for an excellent Spotify playlist to fill our dancefloor. Both our favourite parts of the day were the speeches, we were crying and laughing in equal measure.

RACHAEL AND SAM’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK

Heather our photographer captured so many beautiful moments, and some that we didn’t even know had happened. We’re so grateful for our photos that we truly treasure.

Venues, Hackney Town Hall, www.hackneyvenues.com; The Hackney, www.thehackney.co | Photographer, Heather Sham, https://heathersham.com | Dresses, Self Portrait, www.self-portrait.com | Jewellery and accessories, Toolally Jewellery, http://toolally.com; Shoes, LK Bennett, www.lkbennett.com | Hair and make-up artist, Lucent Hair and Make-up by Alice Maria, www.lucenthairandmakeup.co.uk

| Groom’s suit, Walker & Slater, www.walkerslater.com | Flowers, Rebel Rebel, www.rebelrebel.co.uk | Transport, London Retro Bus Hire, www.londonretrobushire.co.uk | Stationery, Papier, www.papier.com | Catering, Banquet Food Design, https://banquetfooddesign.co.uk | Rings, Fenton, https://fentonand.co | Place names, Etsy, www.etsy.com