A Lush Ceremony in the Nash Conservatory at Kew Gardens, Which Used to Reside in the Grounds at Buckingham Palace!

Melissa Hammam
December 15, 2021
Categories: Real Weddings, The Blog, Traditional Elegance, Vintage Chic, Whimsical

I sooo wish I knew about this venue when I was getting married – Kew Gardens in London was Princess Augusta’s small botanic garden, mother of King George III, founded in 1759, and has since turned into a major scientific institution. The Temperate House is the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world and the Nash Conservatory, where the couple had their ceremony, used to be in the grounds at Buckingham Palace. Oh, not to mention the beautiful couple who tied the knot once again on their first wedding anniversary, broke with tradition by walking down the aisle hand-in-hand, and announced they were expecting during the ceremony. I’ve been happy crying all day just at thought of witnessing their love story! See all the details of their special day, planned by Emma Joy The Wedding Planner with blooms by Larry Walshe, at the full gallery – captured by Taylor & Porter!

From Emma-Joy the couple’s Planner… Lauren and Ollie legally tied the knot in 2020 and they couldn’t wait to celebrate in style with their guests once Covid restrictions were finally lifted in the UK. In fact, so eager were they to start planning, that they emailed me before our Prime Minister had even finished making the announcement!

With venues closed and show rounds still taking place virtually, finding the perfect setting might have been a challenge. But Kew Gardens is one of the couple’s favourite places and just round the corner from where they live, so it turned out to be easy. When they told us they had availability on Lauren and Ollie’s first wedding anniversary, we knew it was meant to be!

Kew Gardens is certainly an incredible venue. It has grown from the small botanic garden that Princess Augusta, mother of King George III, founded in 1759, into a major scientific institution and much-loved destination. The Temperate House is the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world and the Nash Conservatory, where the couple had their ceremony, used to be in the grounds at Buckingham Palace. Luckily for Lauren and Ollie, it was moved brick-by-brick to Kew in 1836!

Having planned their small wedding last year, I already knew their style really well and I found Kew itself very inspiring. I designed a joyful palette of soft pink and white and kept the overall feel natural and romantic. Larry Walshe used hundreds of garden roses, dahlias and other seasonal blooms, many of them British-grown, to create a floral backdrop of dreams.

In a break with tradition, Ollie drove his gorgeous bride to their ceremony and the couple walked down the aisle together. It was a beautiful and very personal service, during which they announced the wonderful news that they’re expecting a baby!

Being foremost a botanic garden, there were understandably lots of rules and logistics I had to consider during the planning process. For instance, because real flowers aren’t allowed inside the Temperate House in case they contaminate the plant collection, we had a magnificent display of candles instead. Exposed wood dining tables, gold cutlery and linen napkins created an elegant yet rustic feel and guests enjoyed the once-in-a-lifetime experience of dining beneath a canopy of exotic plants and trees. It was a magical scene as darkness fell, the candles flickered and the moon shone.

After dinner, everyone danced the night away to the fantastic Gatsby band. It was incredible and Taylor & Porter captured the beauty and emotion of the day perfectly.