Pastels, Pearls & Old Hollywood Kirsty and Jack’s love story led them to The Lion House, for an effortlessly stylish celebration Images courtesy of Dale Zimmermann Photography J ack and Kirsty went to school together, but with Jack being two years above her, they really never crossed paths. They’d been Facebook friends for years before, then during Covid, he began liking her photos and finally messaged Kirsty just before Christmas. Their first date was a drive into London for Brick Lane bagels, a first for Kirsty, and it all went from there. Kirsty reveals, “Jack proposed in April 2023 in the Philippines, after a friend’s wedding. Everyone knew except me! The next evening, as we watched the sunset from our balcony, he got down on one knee. It was the easiest ‘yes’ I’ve ever said!” They became Mr & Mrs Parrish on 12th June 2026 at The Lion House, Boreham. SETTING THE SCENE The Lion House was an easy choice for the couple. “The moment we walked in, we fell in love with the look and feel of the venue. As we sat down and talked through all the options, I could feel myself becoming more and more certain that this was where I wanted to get married. One of the things we loved most was that it didn’t need any extra decorating, it already had so much character and charm.” Kirsty adds, “As soon as we walked out, we looked at each other and said, ‘That’s where we’re getting married.’ It was the first and only venue we viewed, and we just knew it was the one.” Wanting to complement the Art Deco style of the venue, Kirsty designed the invitations and overall theme to reflect that. Kirsty recalls, “I chose to incorporate elements of Art Nouveau, blending in floral details that perfectly suited our pastel colour palette of green, yellow, pink, blue, and purple. The combination felt elegant, timeless, and brought everything together beautifully. Jack and I also embraced an Old Hollywood feel. My dress perfectly complemented the glamorous aesthetic, and Jack had always wanted to wear a classic black three-piece suit.” DRESSED TO IMPRESS “I wore an Evie Young dress called Kat, which was exactly the style I’d been looking for. To complete the look, I paired it with a scarf that my mum found on Etsy. Everyone assumed it came with the dress because it complemented it so perfectly. “For the bridesmaids, I wanted them to feel comfortable and confident, so rather than choosing one traditional dress for everyone, I gave them the freedom to pick their own styles. I loved the idea of each dress reflecting their individual personalities while still tying into the overall wedding theme, so they each chose a different colour from our pastel palette. Although each dress was different, the colours worked beautifully together and created the soft, elegant look I had envisioned for the day.” TIME TO CELEBRATE Food was a highlight of the day, as the pair reveal, “For our reception drinks, we served four different canapés: arancini (our absolute favourite!), mini burgers, duck spring rolls, and king prawns for the seafood lovers. These were accompanied by prosecco, beers, and cider, giving everyone plenty of choice while they mingled. For the wedding breakfast, we chose traditional roast beef, which was delicious. To finish, we treated everyone to a classic jam steamed pudding served with custard, a comforting dessert that went down really well. We also decided to serve evening food to keep everyone fuelled for the dancefloor: bacon butties and pizzettes, which were a huge hit.” The happy couple hired magician, Nick Crown, to entertain guests during the reception drinks, and he was a hit! Kirsty adds, “Originally, we weren’t planning to have any entertainment, but we met Nick at the open day at The Lion House and he impressed my dad so much that he offered to pay for him to be part of our wedding day. My dad is not easily impressed, so for Nick to win him over so quickly was a pretty big achievement!” MEMORABLE MOMENTS Kirsty remembers, “One memory that stands out for me was the small request I made to AJ our DJ, before the big day. I asked if he could include a little bit of country music during the evening, knowing it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. He absolutely delivered, waiting for the perfect moment and for all the country music fans among our guests to have arrived before I gave him the signal. It turned into one of the most fun and wholesome moments of the day. Being surrounded by my family and friends, all enjoying something I love, was incredibly special and a memory I’ll always cherish.” REAL WEDDINGS 37
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