TSO: Tell us all about The Story Of Anna and Jerram… 

Jerram and I met around ten years ago via our best friends. I’m pretty sure we were set up!  After about seven years together, he asked me to marry him. Unfortunately, I accidentally ran away from the initial moment he proposed, so it was his second attempt! 

TSO: Oh no! How so? 

I proposed a race up a dual spiral staircase at the exact moment he was about to drop on one knee. My own competitiveness ruined what would have otherwise been a very romantic proposal.. oops! He’d spent months co-designing a piece with Hannah Martin.  He knew I wasn’t a classic diamond ring girl – her jewellery is anything but – it’s fearless and unique. 

TSO: Tell us a little more about your wedding planning process… What advice would you give to a couple beginning their planning journey? 

I loved planning my wedding! I honestly wish I could do it all again – I’m such an admin enthusiast. 

Getting the wedding over the line was nothing short of a miracle. We were engaged in 2018, due to marry in 2020 – yet the dreaded ‘C’ word got in the way not once but three times. That was a bit of a nightmare. So it was 12 months later than planned but it gave us more time to think of all the little details.

TSO: How did you settle on Clapton Country Club?

We’d been going there for years for Sunday roast and just loved the building, atmosphere and food.. We didn’t want guests feeling hungry and the venue is renowned for it’s hearty portions and amazing organic ingredients. They’re also really sustainably focused and only order what they need, which is a big plus for us. 

TSO: What drew you to work with TSO Directory Members, Nigel John and That Flower Shop?

I instantly fell in love with Nigel’s style and knew it would suit the venue and my vision for a contemporary keepsake of our wedding day.

With Hattie of ‘A Flower Shop‘, I’d been following her work for years. In my opinion, she was one of the pioneers of modern floristry, and she farms her own flowers so no nasty shipping omissions and the freshest of flowers. She did a phenomenal job.

TSO: Can you tell us a little more about how you chose your beautiful wedding look?

I explored many options, but I fell in love with an Australian designer called Albus Lumen. It looked like nothing special hanging on the rail but when I tried it on it felt like liquid silk and  just felt completely right. There’s a lesson there in trying lots of options on, as you just can’t tell!

I wore a simple pair of sandals from The Row and sculptural earrings by Rejina Pyo x Anissa Kermiche in lieu of a veil.

Sophie Higginson did my hair and make up. She’s a dream to work with and just nails that brief of not looking too ‘bridal’. We went for a classic red lip and sleek waved pony. 

TSO: And the rest of your bridal party?

I had so many bridesmaids! I stuck with a colour (deep green) and let them choose their own style. It was important to me they felt themselves, and it worked so well – they looked beautiful. For my nieces, I had dresses made by Miko Kids and custom flower girl bags made by the lovely Isla Risa, who I also wore for my’ something blue.’ 

Jerram wore a suit and shirt by Acne Studios. When he told me he was going to wear a suit with a ‘kick flare’ I wasn’t best impressed (Ron Burgundy sprang to mind!) – but that retro look is kind of his calling card, and he looked amazing on the day.

TSO: Tell us about the little details that made the day uniquely you? 

Jerram’s a graphic designer, so he designed all the stationary and visual aspects of the day. We had a string quartet – which was a nice juxtaposition in the cobbled car park.

My sister-in-law Eleanor made our gorgeous cake, and my mother-in-law spent hours making hundreds of bagels for the after-party snacks (I’m not sure she’ll ever forgive me for that!) Looking back, the whole family was so involved, which was very special; everyone did an amazing job in supporting us.

Jerram’s Dad did two readings at the service. We didn’t know what they would be – and to say he’s pretty eccentric is an understatement – so it was a total surprise and very emotional when we heard them. One of them was from the book “Love in the Time of Cholera,” which I promise was much more romantic than it sounds! 

TSO: Did anything go wrong? Or would you have done anything differently? 

I loved hearing all the little stories coming out of the woodwork. One was that Jerram’s father forgot to bring his suit trousers from Yorkshire, so he wandered around London the morning of the wedding on the hunt for trousers for a 6ft7 man that worked with his jacket. I’m very pleased I didn’t know about that on the day!

TSO: What would be your advice to any brides to be?

It’s (probably) the only time you’ll get to do it, so try and slow down on the day and make time for each other as a couple too. 

Also, don’t feel bound by tradition or what your family members expect you to do – it’s your day, and you’ll regret not following your heart. I wish I’d made a speech, but I felt like I had too much to organise on top of it all. 

TSO: What moments will you treasure forever? 

I loved the build-up – I treated my Mum and I to a manicure from editorial nail artist Jessica Thompson (she does Kim Kardashian’s nails too!), which I loved. We’d missed out on quite a lot of that girly time because of the pandemic, so that felt special. 

My Dad was amazing walking me down the aisle which I was pretty nervous about, that moment just before I walked in. I heard our strings playing “At Last” by Etta James (a nod to how long our journey had been to get there!) and my father gripping my hand is a moment I’ll never forget. 

Suppliers:

Venue & Catering: Clapton Country Club 

Photography: Nigel John

Floristry: A Flower Shop 

Make Up Artist & Hair Stylist: Bride by Sophie Higginson 

Bridal Dress: Albus Lumen

Bridal Lingerie: La Perla 

Bridal Shoes: The Row 

Bridal Jewellery: Hannah Martin, Anissa Kermiche, Karina Banks

Grooms Suit: Acne Studios 

Flower Girls: Miko Kids

Bags: Isla Risa 

Wedding Cake: Ella Rose Cakes

Photobooth: The Mighty Booth 

Band: Soul Machine 

DJ: Donegal Social Club 

Stationary: Jerram Clifford