A bouquet tied with Kente cloth for an Asylum Chapel bride
Heather and James' wedding was a fusion of faith and cultures, and that ran through every detail of their day — from Heather's bouquet tied with Kente cloth to the table runners adorned with African gestures.
The ceremony was held at the Asylum Chapel in Peckham — a Grade II listed space with crumbling paintwork, stained-glass windows and light that is second to none. Dark and deeply atmospheric. Their reception followed at Lumiere Studio: white, bright and a complete blank canvas. Two venues that couldn't be more different, which made the brief so interesting.
Heather and James wanted to fill the Chapel with flowers in soft tones of white, pink and lilac — a palette that framed the space beautifully and brought out its gothic romantic character. Heather knew she wanted lilac as her lead colour, and from there she trusted me to make the decisions. I introduced ivory and baby blue to sit alongside it, working with British stocks, alliums and delphiniums sourced from a wonderful British grower in Kent and my Dutch importer, Hoek Flowers.
Heather shared every detail of what the wedding party would be wearing — including James's suit — and that genuinely shaped the choices. Her bridesmaids were in floral dresses, which meant the personal flowers needed to complement the overall scheme without competing with it. It's exactly the kind of detail that makes all the difference.
The pew end arrangements were one of my favourite elements of the day — styled to appear as though they were growing from the Chapel floor, surrounded by a bed of moss. In a space with that much architectural beauty, the floristry needed to feel like it belonged there, not like it had been brought in.
After the ceremony, the arrangements moved with us to Lumiere Studio. Heather and James wanted to bring the outdoors in, and with the studio's large exposed beams, the structure was already there to work with. I trailed delicate seasonal foliage across the ceiling to create a canopy that guests sat and danced beneath throughout the evening — softening the space and making it feel like somewhere else entirely.
Heather and James put their trust in me completely. I understood what their values meant to them both, and I wanted the flowers to translate that — the blending of cultures, the beauty, the joy of it. I think we got there.
Photography: Remain in Light
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