A London Love

William and Dorian's London-themed civil partnership made for a truly stylish day at The Commonwealth Club.

Click on any of the images below to view a larger version

Early days…

William and Dorian met at a mutual friend's party, only to spend the next two years avoiding one another. "After initially avoiding Dorian, and even turning him down the first time he asked me out , I spent the next two years realising what a mistake I had made in letting him get away," says William. "He was my perfect partner."

The proposal…

The night of William's 39th birthday was the evening the pair decided to get married. "Dorian decided a few years ago that when I no longer had an overdraft it would be the right time to get hitched," recalls William. "On my birthday, over dinner at a friend's house, Dorian told me that by June 2008 I should be debt free... I assumed that was a proposal!"

Hen and stag parties…

Dorian and William combined a final farewell to their single statuses with their friend Susan's 40th birthday, partying at Cocoon on Regent Street. "Celeste, one of the guests, had one too many tequila shots and found herself asleep on the loo in her hotel suite, fully clothed except for one shoe," recalls William. "She did not make our dinner on the Friday night before our wedding."

The venues…

The couple chose trendy private members' club, The Commonwealth Club as the setting for their big day, a venue that exudes contemporary city style. "With the number of guests flying in from abroad it also seemed like a fitting venue," says William.

After their wedding breakfast in the Club's restaurant, the celebrations continued with a reception on a Mississippi replica steamer that cruised the Thames.

The dress…

On their big day William and Dorian looked sharp and stylish in made-to-measure suits. Dorian cut a dash in a light charcoal grey suit, blue shirt and blue and brown tie while William wore a brown suit, cream shirt and copper and brown tie. Both of the suits were lined in burnt orange and finished with orange stitching to complement their wedding colour theme of orange, brown and gold.

The flowers…

The day was offset with a stunning orange, brown and gold colour theme, shown with breathtaking flower arrangements placed throughout the venue by William's senior florist from his London company, William Clarke Flowers.

To reflect their colour theme the couple wore mango-coloured calla lilies as buttonholes and included their guests by giving them brown orchids to wear.

At their wedding breakfast, each table was adorned with flower arrangements of mango-coloured calla lilies that flowed down onto the tables in a cone-shape. Above them sat a ball of roses in shades of orange and cream.

The decorative touches…

The ceremony room's chocolate-brown curtains were decorated with orange Singapore orchids in glass test tubes, which were suspended from copper wire. To add extra impact to their orange colour theme, orange gel was added to the lighting, and fairy-lights were twisted around pillars.

After the ceremony each guest received a sugar spoon, hand-beaded with orange and brown beads, bought in Cape Town. "Attached to each spoon was a booklet of seven small cards," explains William. "These had Tube signs on them for the starter, main course and dessert and each table had a corresponding Tube sign so after each course everyone moved to their new table. We did this so that all our friends and family mixed as much as possible."

The best bits…

Looking back Dorian and William agree that the emotion of the day is something they will both remember fondly. "I think the best part of the day was the overriding emotion," says William. "And the knowledge that we have such fantastic friends and family around us."

"I would say my favourite part was the laughter as well as the emotion," recalls Dorian. "I think in every picture we are either laughing or crying from happiness!"

Top tips…

William's tip for a successful day is to entrust the finer details to someone responsible, allowing you to sit back and enjoy yourself: "If you have done all the organising yourself, brief and appoint someone you trust on the day to take over from you so that you do not have to worry."

The honeymoon…

William and Dorian jetted off to California for an action packed honeymoon. From there they drove from Palm Springs to San Francisco in a Ford Mustang convertible. "In hindsight we would say plan a holiday that is relaxing and not too taxing," says William. "We really did not realise how completely shattered we would be after the wedding!"

Useful Contacts: