BEAUTIFUL JOANNA | A HALFPENNY LONDON BRIDE
Stunning bride Joanna Taylor and her new husband Francis Carolan celebrated their love in November last year. The couple both felt quite strongly that they wanted it to be an informal celebration with amazing food, music and plenty of dancing, surrounded by their closest friends and family.
“More about the ‘do’ than the ‘I do’, you could say,” Joanna said. “And colour! We wanted lots of colour to jazz up what we expected to be a typically grey November day.”
Joanna was apprehensive about her search for the perfect wedding outfit, but I’m pleased to say we were able to set her mind at ease…
“In honesty, choosing an outfit was something I was more nervous than excited about. My mum and I decided to make a day of coming down to London and I made a bit of a deal with myself that I’d have an outfit by the time we got the train home! I had one appointment before Halfpenny, where I tried on a couple of dresses that were super simple in style, but wearing a white dress just didn’t really feel like me.
I met with Mandi who had picked some of the pieces out that I’d chosen before the appointment, I think she could tell that I was looking for something a bit different. Once we got chatting about mine and Fran’s ideas for the day, and the fact we wanted it to be a party for the most part, she told me all about her [non-traditional] wedding and I felt at ease knowing that we were right to do away with some of the typical traditions that neither Fran or I really wanted.”
Joanna found exactly what she was looking for in our separates, pieces that will continue to have wonderful lives every time she re-wears them.
“I chose separates because I knew I wanted to be able to wear the pieces again after the wedding. I was instantly drawn to the Henson trousers, having seen them styled in so many gorgeous different ways on Halfpenny’s social media. I tried those with a few different corset styles, but it was the simplicity of the Oliver corset that won me over. I also tried on the wide-legged trousers and the Hazel dress for a quick comparison, but by that point my mind was made up on the Hensons. Another element I loved about Kate Halfpenny’s designs - the capes! I think they’re a really clever, fun way to add a different dimension to a bridal outfit without going for a veil. I stood in the Elder cape for about 10 minutes - loved it. But in the end it was the texture and the style of the Blaze shrug that stole the show for me. When I tried the Henson / Oliver / Blaze outfit on for the first time and came out of the dressing room, my mum just said, ‘yep, that’s you Jo’ - so that was that.”
Joanna looked incredible, finishing off her outfit with a simple silk headband, hot pink shoes, and those incredible flowers by Mary Mary Floral Design.
“The flowers all looked incredible for the ceremony in The Library at The Athenaeum, and then the installations were moved to join suspended floral disco balls at the reception - unreal! The next day, Anna and her colleague Emily came back to the venue and turned all of the installations into bouquets which we could give to our friends and family at the pub after so people got to take home a piece of the wedding - that was just gorgeous.”
Congratulations to the happy couple! Here’s to countless years of wedding bliss.
Love,
Kate & the Halfpennys xxx
CREDITS
Photography - Jessica Williams
Make up artist - Amy George
Hair - Samantha Gannon
Headband - Aura Bridalwear
Venues - Ceremony: The Athenaeum, Reception: Scale
Flowers - Mary Mary Floral Design
Food - Fig and the Wild
Band - The Incredible 11
Stationery - Sundown Paper
Francis’ suit - Casely Hayford
Sparkle backdrop - Mariel Osborn