Wedding styling inspiration: Chic city romance at a summer wedding

Packed with wedding styling inspiration, this chic city wedding at elegant Bloomsbury House is dressed for timeless glamour using a muted and sophisticated palette of lush botanicals and glass with accents in burnished gold and richest red

Wedding styling always starts with your backdrop, and for this chic city wedding in the heart of the capital the venue is gracious landmark property Bloomsbury House. Available as an exclusive hire, this romantic WC1 address overlooking Bloomsbury Square features elegant rooms that combine period glamour with contemporary style. The property features a wrought-iron central staircase that is perfect for making a grand entrance. Multiple spaces for a ceremony, banquet or drinks reception include the Virginia Woolf Room, while the Ascham Room is a light-filled top floor area with dramatic vaulted ceiling and plenty of space for dining or dancing.

Wedding styling: Setting the scene

The venue’s fine period features and mellow textures require very little dressing and, to suit its authentic style, the team have chosen a subtle scheme based around lush greenery. The colour theme combines plentiful foliage, plain and cranberry coloured glass and votives to add soft points of light. Accents of purest white, velvety red and burnished black in the floral arrangements add a touch of drama.

To effectively display the unusual combinations of delicate flowers and foliage, florist Liz from Blue Sky Flowers has chosen multiple small glass vessels to create a grouped effect and let the quality of each individual bloom shine through. This grouped effect is especially effective at dressing the tables. Additional greenery – including lush ferns – is used as dressing for window ledges to reinforce the country-meets-city botanical theme.

The same floral theme has been picked out beautifully in the bridal bouquet and the groom’s buttonhole – with unusual flowers and foliage in the mix alongside romantic wedding classics such as deep red roses.

Multiple small glass vessels are an effective way to highlight the delicacy of the unusual flowers and foliage

The bridal couple: making an entrance

The dramatic wrought iron spiral staircase at Bloomsbury House is a stunning original feature and centrepiece of the property, connecting all major celebration spaces. Flooded with light from mullioned windows, it is the perfect way for bride and groom to make a grand entrance to their party.

Our bride Megan wears a slimline pure white silk gown with plunge neck, low back and bow detail. The gown is by iconic New York designer Carolina Herrera, available in the UK exclusively at The Wedding Club. Groom Andrew wears a contemporary tailored grey suit from Keye London, with crisp white shirt and black bow tie.

Team Glam have created the bridal hair and make-up, placing strong focus on eyes and brows by using a smoky palette of greys to mauves. Understated, dewy shades on cheeks and lips balance the eye make-up while maintaining a soft and natural bridal look. The bride’s hair is styled in a relaxed up-do featuring loose curls and a bejewelled hair decoration, the perfect foil for the elegant slimline cut and plunge neck of the Carolina Herrera gown. Bride and groom wedding rings are by bespoke specialist Michael Frank Jewellers.

The table: A sophisticated feast

Vanilla Orchid Bakery has picked up on the muted and earthy colour theme, using this as starting point for the divine three-tiered cake. Featuring a pure white top layer decorated with a white blooms, the cake features a middle tier softly marbled in green, with a rich chocolate layer below that. Set on a metal display plate, this sweet treat complements the flavour of the celebration perfectly.

Wedding and occasion stationer The Finer Details has also tapped into the same understated theme for finishing touches, picking up on the natural and muted colour scheme for invitations, place cards and table stationery. These blend harmoniously with the greenery, elegant tablesettings and plain and cranberry glassware.

Both cake and stationery pick up on our natural colour theme, using soft, earthy hues that blend beautifully with the botanical-themed wedding colours

Wedding styling: Meet the team

Original shoot concept and photography created by Anna Marie Cooper of Photography by Anna Marie, and styling by Charlotte Munro. To find out more about the team, see the full list of suppliers and contributors below.