Floating on air at Morden Hall

Hazel and Michael chose 18th-century Morden Hall in South London for a celebration filled with balloons, flowers and fun

Morden Hall

For Hazel and Michael, finding a private venue where they could enjoy an outdoor ceremony with lots of greenery for the photos was key, but it had to have an equally stunning interior. ‘We live in the South of France, but we know about the unpredictable weather in England and we didn’t want to worry about rain,’ says Hazel.

For Hazel and Michael, Morden Hall, set within a National Trust Park, was the perfect solution, offering a vibe they described as ‘classy, simple and relaxed’. They chose a yellow and green colour theme, and decorations included balloons with tassels (some up to 3 feet long!) and a DIY seating plan based on a leaf-shape design. ‘My six bridesmaids wore pearl-coloured dresses bought in Hong Kong with a floral wrist corsage and a temporary tattoo on their hands.’

Cocktail Hour

After a personalised blessing ceremony – the couple wrote their own vows – guests enjoyed a drinks reception featuring gin berry fizz cocktails and apple julep mocktails. Canapés included crispy risotto balls of sun-dried tomato with Parmesan, and king prawn and vegetable tempura served in spoons. ‘Our dinner menu included my standout dish of the day – seared scallops, minted pea purée, crispy pancetta and pea shoots with a red wine jus – plus mains of grilled halibut or fillet of Scotch beef,’ says Hazel. ‘We tailor-made our own playlist for during the dinner – a fun mix of Korean, Japanese and Western love songs.’

Flower & Glory

‘We were so lucky to find Sarah of Floribunda Rose,’ says Hazel. ‘She’s passionate about flowers – and they made Morden Hall look really elegant’

Morden Hall - Hazel & Mich - Floating on Air

Say it with Feeling

One of the highlights for Hazel was Michael’s moving speech during the video they played at the wedding breakfast. ‘It was all about our story, from how we met in Hong Kong to our long-distance relationship between Hong Kong, Singapore and Europe until I moved to Europe to live with him. It was the first time ever he had openly expressed his feelings toward me in front of everyone,’ says Hazel.

Videos and/or a photo slide show is something Hazel believes adds real personalisation to any celebration. ‘It connects everyone in the room by telling the guests about your story with humour and romance – it brings guests even closer together on your big day!’ adds Hazel.

The Savvy Bride

‘My advice would be to take a calligraphy class (a half day will do) so you can write beautiful place cards, invitations or even the seating plan. if the venue allows them, sparklers are low cost and great in the photos, too!’