Wedding | Amy & Andrew
- The Anti-Bride
- Jun 20
- 4 min read

Tell us a little about yourselves!
We met outside a nightclub in Dalson, London in 2017. The night we met, we didn't swap contact details. Sure that she met the love of her life, Amy searched every social media platform to find him using the limited details she had. After no success, a couple of days later, Andy actually found Amy on facebook based on some limited information. Since then we've been together.
Amy is from Dublin, Andy from Manchester but his family are Scottish. Amy works in community engagement and communications in Shoreditch and Andy works for a bank in the city, as well as comedy writing and content online. We are both very sociable and love to laugh - we have been lucky enough to build an incredible group of friends in London.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We met in east London and have lived in that area for as long as we’ve been together. The ceremony venue, Heritage & Arts Centre, Bow, is a 5 minute walk from our home. The reception and party venue was in a nightclub in Shoreditch, Village Underground. We wanted to get married in a place that reflects our current lives and interests, somewhere that is familiar and reflective of us. It was important that we saw ourselves in the venues we chose, bringing the people we love into the life we built in London, to experience and celebrate it. We loved that these venues are local to us and places that we walk past regularly, being reminded of how special the day was.
We also really love a party/ dance, and most wedding venues in the UK close at 11.30 - but a nightclub could continue until late if it had the license!
How many guests did you have?
We had 142 for the ceremony and reception with a further 50 guests in the evening from 9pm as we had the venue until 4am.
What was your budget?
Our budget was £35k but worked out at closer to £45k. Worth every penny!
Tell us about your outfits.
Andy's outfit was a traditional formal Scottish kilt in Black watch tartan. His jacket was made bespoke in navy velvet with black buttons.
Amy's dress was custom made by her step mother, and fashion designer, Helen Cody. Helen designs and makes beautiful pieces in her studio in Dublin. The dress was a two piece corset and skirt with detachable bow sleeves, and a simple red veil. Amy really wanted something that she could wear again, separately or together, as it seems such a shame to wear something so special only once. Amy chose the vibrant red as it is one of her favourite colours and she loves wearing brighter, joyful colours and shapes.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
That it was fun and people felt relaxed. While the structure of the day was somewhat traditional with the ceremony, reception, dinner and dancing, it was important that it still felt relaxed, fun and reflective of us through details like Amy's sister and our friend doing the ceremony (which we kept short and light hearted), that the reception party was in a nightclub that we've been to, and that Amy wore her favourite colour.
We wanted as much time with family so doing a first look and our photos before the ceremony made sense for us, meaning we could enjoy the day more. We both love when our different friend groups and families meet and mix - we have created a fantastic group of friends through different connections and aspects of our lives. We were most excited to see everyone in the same room.
Irish and Scottish people like to drink so we wanted to make sure we had enough of this, as well as plenty of food throughout the day and night. The catering team were amazing at every step. We did family sharing style food as it is a good way of adding points of interaction and connection.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
We wanted a clear distinction between day and night, choosing spaces that felt right for those parts of the day. In the UK wedding venues close at midnight with last drinks at 11.30pm. We wanted somewhere that would stay open late, making the most out of the time with friends and family.
Any tips for couples getting married?
To try not to get wrapped up in details on the day. Amy is very organised and there was a lot of consideration into the details such as timings, flowers, graphics and table layouts. While a lot of thought goes into that before the big day, it is important to let it go on the day. There may be things that are different on the day to how you imagined, but being able to have fun and enjoy the experience with loved ones is the only real aim. People don't notice things that you will. We were both happy and relaxed throughout the day and it really showed - even though there were some things that were adjusted or different.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Zara Staples, and her partner Jared, were the best investment we made. They took the most beautiful photos and videos and fit in seamlessly to the day, making everyone feel comfortable and look gorgeous.
Cater London who did the food and supported the planning of the day were incredible from start to finish. Could not recommend enough.
We were lucky enough that Amy has a design background and lots of friends within the creative industry who supported with graphics (Kevin Gunning Design) and flowers (Aoife McCabe & Keelin Coyle).









































Photographer: Zara Staples @zarastaplesweddings | Videographer: Jared Tinetti from Zara Staples
@zarastaplesweddings | Ceremony Location: The Heritage & Arts Centre - The HAC Bow @thehacbow | Flora: by friends | Reception Location: Village Underground @villageunderground | Celebrants: Amy's Sister & Best Friend | Makeup: Ruby May @Rubymay_mua | Hair: Orla Langton @orlahairlangton | Catering & Beverages: Cater London @Caterlondon | Cake: by a friend | Stationery: Kevin Gunning Design @Kevin_gunning | Transport: London Routemaster Bus Hire @Londonroutemasterbushire | Dress & Veil: Helen Cody @helencodydublin | Kilts & Jackets: Kinlough Anderson @kinlochanderson | Shoes: Prada @prada from Vestiaire Collective @vestiaireco | Earrings: Simone Rocha @simonerocha from Vinted