I know what you’re all
thinking: “Not another lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day post, please!” I know
because I invented Valentine’s Day dissing. All of you know just how much I loathe all the Valentine cheesiness,
the heart-shaped chocolate boxes, the red rose bouquets and the candlelit
dinners with white chocolate and raspberry puddings followed by, well, you
know, what two people “in love” are supposed
to do on Valentine’s Day. Call me cynical, I think love is not best expressed
by Nestle chocolates and roast beef served between two candles. But hey, I’m
not just cynical, I’m also superficial and looking for lots of new readers, so
I’ve decided to give in to the Valentine’s Day hype and do a post on what some
people consider “the greatest expression of eternal love”. I consider it a post
on “really fancy, cool weddings (with delicious cakes)”. What does love have to do with it?
Thought weddings were the
epitome of “romance”, all sparkling princesses and prince charmings and
meringue-like dresses and pink cupcakes? Think again, weddings can be cool,
eccentric and… super chic! Here’s proof: these four fashion industry insiders
whipped up weddings so fabulous they almost made me lose all my cynicism and
wish I was hitched. Take a look at these four different styles and tell me
which one is your favourite!
The
Countryside Bride: Kate Moss
When it comes to British
weddings, there’s only one Kate (and I don’t mean Middleton). Miss Moss
exceeded expectations with her 1930’s English Rose-inspired wedding. The girl
got everything right: chiffon dress by (a recently outcast) John Galliano,
bridesmaids wearing fresh flower crowns, garden celebration and a three-day
party that would have impressed Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. Tip: Kate served sidecar cocktails
(brandy, orange liqueur and lemon juice) all through the celebrations… mixed by
her favourite barista from the Ritz in Paris!
The
Bohemian Bride: Margherita Missoni
Nozze all’italiana for
Margherita: the Missoni heiress chose a dress custom made for her by
Giambattista Valli (it’s only natural. After all, who’s ever heard of a Missoni
all-white dress) that made her look like a Virgin in a Boticelli painting. Can
you think of anything more delightful than that? She could: Miss Missoni made
her guests sit on the grass, in signature multicoloured Missoni cushions, to
have a picnic under the olive trees. Tip:
Margherita hired a fortune-teller who read everybody’s palms. I dare you to be
more Fellini than that.
The
Avant-Garde Bride: Katie Shillingford
Who said city weddings were
only for anally retentive boring bourgeoises? Katie Shillingford proved getting
married in central London
can be mega cool. The stylist made her appearance spotting candyfloss pink hair
(YES!) and a Gareth Pugh wedding gown that took my breath away, looking like a 21st
century version of a Pre-Raphaelite muse. Along with her bridesmaids (dressed
in black), she partied until the small hours at Eltham Palace
and danced to the music DJed by Matthew Stone. Tip: Katie’s wedding cake was all white icing and white flowers on
the outside… and rainbow sponge on the inside.
The
Sustainable Bride: Pamela Love
Meanwhile, on the other
side of the pond, jewellery designer Pamela Love got married in Long Island. Not one to do things halfway, she showed her
commitment to ecological and ethical causes through a Native American-inspired
aesthetic (tepees, an acoustic guitar gig, wildfires and Appalachian blankets)
and a sustainable dress (which she wore barefoot) and delicious vegan menu. Tip: no need to throw money around,
Pamela and her friends organized the party themselves, sourcing the food from
nearby farms, mixing juice cocktails and arranging wild flowers in mason jars.
