Garden Party Glamour

Emel and Zia celebrated their big day at Kensington Roof Gardens with a relaxed yet glamorous summer wedding...
Photography by Tim Fisher www.t-f-p.com

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Early days…

Emel and Zia first met through friends: "Back in 2003 everyone got together for a big birthday weekend in London where we were introduced," says Emel. "I fancied Zia immediately but he went off to Australia. He eventually asked me out over a year later."
From that time, Emel says being together 'felt so natural'. "It was like we'd always been together," she says.

The proposal…

"Zia took me to Boudin Blanc in Mayfair for Valentine's Day and I was waiting for him to pop the question throughout dinner. I was so disappointed when he didn't," says Emel. "When we got home he had a bottle of Champagne in the fridge and got down on one knee to propose while I was putting my slippers on."

Hen and stag parties…

Emel celebrated her hen party with 15 girlfriends. "I had a footballers' wives theme as all the magazines were full of footballers' weddings that summer," says Emel. The night began with a pole dancing lesson, followed by dinner and dancing at Regent Street's Paper nightclub.

Zia had a London night out with 30 people. He says: "It began at Vinopolis for wine tasting, then we moved on to Black and Blue for steaks finishing at the only nightclub that would admit a group of 30 men on a Saturday night - Walkabout at the Embankment."

The venues…

"We were looking for something casual, like a pub garden and really wanted a barbecue - I had Rose's wedding from the film In Her Shoes, in mind," says Emel. "We saw Kensington Roof Gardens and although it was a lot more glamorous than we'd planned, it was just perfect."
For the reception they created a garden party vibe outside. "The Roof Gardens is an amazing little oasis in the middle of the big city so we wanted to capitalise on the relaxed atmosphere," recalls Emel. Guests mingled over Champagne and Pimm's in the venue's Spanish Garden, accompanied by Spanish guitarists.

The dress…

Emel wore a silk wedding dress by Jenny Packham. "It was a flowing gown with pearl beading around the midriff," says Emel. "It had a vintage Hollywood feel about it and I loved it from the moment I saw it."

The decorative touches…

Emel and Zia chose an ivory, deep pink and lilac colour theme for the day. White chair covers were tied with deep pink bows and reception tables were scattered with deep pink-coloured petals. Each table also had a centrepiece of ivory roses, floating in large round vases.
For favours, the couple gave everyone a sweet treat. "Each box contained a different type of penny sweet such as milk bottles, chocolate mice, cola bottles, dolly mixtures and sherbert space ships," says Emel.

The best bits…

Looking back, the couple remember key moments from the day. "Sitting down in the Tudor Garden, surrounded by family and friends enjoying a fantastic meal was very special," says Emel.

The honeymoon…

Zia organised a surprise two week honeymoon in Tuscany. "We spent two nights in a beautiful boutique hotel in Florence, a week at a medieval castle in Chianti, two nights in Sienna and finished with three nights in a five-star hotel in Rome," says Zia.

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