The weekend was filled with many surprises but perhaps the biggest was that James and Valderosa weren’t the only couple getting wed. “We’re doing two for the price of one,” the bride says, laughing, before revealing that the ceremony was followed by a second for India’s two dogs, Lilith and Smaug. Lilith even wore a custom Findikoglu collar to match her owner. Perhaps it shouldn’t have come as so much of a surprise – they had, after all, played a small part in her Vegas wedding too: appearing as a hand-embroidered decoration on her custom Clio Peppiatt party dress.
After both couples had said (or barked) their “I dos”, guests enjoyed hot cocktails and canapés under monogrammed blankets provided to keep the October chill at bay, before a ghost train – a land train transformed with red neon and eerie lighting – took everyone on a journey through the wooded grounds, first to dinner and later to the after-party. The newlyweds followed in a vintage, vampiric red Rolls-Royce belonging to the father-of-the-bride.
Dinner was served beneath a chandelier and dramatic white draping that hung from ceiling to floor. Hundreds of candles flickered amidst tablescapes of white roses, delicate lace details and shimmering silverware. Guests tucked into pumpkin soup followed by beef fillet and potato Dauphinoise. While the adults wined and dined, underage guests were kept busy with trick or treating and a screening of The Nightmare Before Christmaswhile tucking in to sliders and sweets. Or at least, that was the plan. “They all told me they watched different films, so I don’t know what was going on while we were at dinner because I had every child tell me something different!”
Before the big day, the only other person who had seen India’s wedding dress was Sophia Stolz – the baker/cake artist tasked with making a cake to match it. “She absolutely nailed it,” James enthuses of the five-tier masterpiece, complete with iced draping, bows and lace. “It looked exactly like my dress.” While James snuck away to change (into an Alexander McQueen dress in his iconic skull print and a fur-trimmed cape by Susie Cave Weddings & Funerals), guests boarded the ghost train once more, bound for the after-party where, amongst other surprises (the father-of-the-bride’s outfit change into Dracula, for instance), there was a tattoo artist hidden in a confessional booth. “Literally everyone got tattoos,” India says, laughing. “Some people got their first tattoo. A couple that aren’t even together anymore got matching tattoos!”
Given the groom’s profession, expectations around the entertainment were high – and guests did. not leave disappointed. The bride and groom shared their first dance to a live performance of “Best Day of My Life” by Tom Odell, who played more of his hits, and was followed by the iconic English indie band, Bloc Party. “I was screaming every lyric,” the bride tells me, her voice still hoarse days later. Burgers and hot dogs were served as late snacks. “I wanted Maccas for the late-night snack, but apparently it was too far away! I used to smoke behind that McDonald’s when I was a youth at school in Windsor so I thought it would be funny.” The next day (or later that same day for those who went to bed at 6am), guests nursed sore heads over a casual brunch, for which James wore another Susie Cave Weddings & Funerals design. So far, the bride hasn’t heard of any misbehaviour – “someone got banned from the Bellagio at the Vegas wedding!” – but it’s fair to say, it was a Halloween weekend no one will forget in a hurry.
Source: www.vogue.co.uk
