Matthew & Jessica | Albizia Road

Weddings

Matthew & Jessica

I have been lucky to call Matt, Jess and the whole Downey family friends for many years, and was delighted to be asked to help plan and execute their special day.

Having had a few false starts during Covid, they eventually decided to host their intimate celebration at Matthew's family home, a trend from the Covid years that I am glad is here to stay.

Of all the changes that came out of that rather extraordinary time, smaller weddings at home are one I have been very happy to see continue. There is something lovely about gathering the people closest to you in a place that is already part of your family's story.

Of course, planning a wedding for friends comes with an added sense of responsibility. You know the people involved, you know how much the occasion means to them, and you want to make sure they have every opportunity to enjoy it.

No strangers to entertaining in this magnificent setting, we knew we had to bring in the best of the best for the catering to elevate things to the next level.

And who better than world-renowned chef extraordinaire Justine Smith from Justine Lindsay Catering, whose delectable harvest table and canapé-style catering had the room filled with audible sighs of delight?

One of the pleasures of a celebration centred around food is how naturally it brings everyone together. Guests can take their time, enjoy another helping, have another conversation and generally make themselves at home. Which, in this case, they quite literally were!

Not to mention the array of mouthwatering pizzas from Bjorn and the guys from Pizza Bae. I am firmly of the opinion that there is always room for pizza, however magnificent the rest of the menu might be.

Special thanks once again to Neil and his team from Simply Bliss for the spectacular florals that lifted the décor and atmosphere to new heights.

After the uncertainty and changes of plans that preceded the wedding, it was a pleasure to see Matt and Jess finally celebrate with their family and friends. And especially lovely for me to share in the occasion with a family I have known for so long.

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